At present, the Quirimba Islands are closed for tourism but we will keep you updated as soon as anything changes.
Whether you’re looking for a good old-fashioned beach holiday, complete with Vitamin D and a tan to match, or want to take advantage of the island’s magical diving and snorkelling, chances are you’ll want to know what the weather’s like, and when is the best time to visit Mozambique. It’s not the easiest question to answer, but we’ve rounded up some handy hints and tips to help you plan.
January to March
The start of the year rolls in with the rainy season in Mozambique and it’s a typical southern Africa rainy season with steamy (and rather unpredictable) thunderstorms, and high humidity. It’s hot, and you might not have those picture-perfect Indian Ocean days (but you could – it’s the luck of the draw here), however prices are low and the water is a tropical 28 degrees for top-notch diving.
April and May
April heralds the end of the rainy season and by May, the humidity has gone down and the temperature is hovering around a pleasant 25 degrees. For sun-worshippers and beach lovers, this is probably the best time to visit Mozambique. It’s also an excellent time to travel if you want to combine a Cape Town holiday, a Kruger safari and some time in Mozambique as all three should have lots of sunshine with minimal rain.
June to September
The lovely long stretch is Mozambique’s dry season. There shouldn’t be any rain and temperatures are good – think highs of 30 during the day but having a light duvet to snuggle up in the evenings. This has always been known as the ‘best’ time to visit Mozambique, and the weather is indeed practically perfect for beach-lounging, but (be warned!), prices can be high. June to September is also the best time to combine a Mozambique holiday with a safari in either East or Southern Africa, as it’s dry season all round and prime game-viewing time. Combine the best of everything with our ‘South Africa’s classic bush, beach & city escape‘ taking you from Cape Town, to the winelands, onto the Kruger before finishing in beautiful Bazaruto. Or design your own trip in Tanzania’s Ruaha and Selous before flying to the Quirimbas – the possibilities are endless.
If you’re interested in diving the aquamarine dream that is the Indian Ocean, then you might like to take advantage of the annual humpback whale migration up the Mozambique coast, from roughly July to September. The whales migrate north so broadly speaking, they’ll arrive at Bazaruto in the south first, and the Quirimbas in the north a little later. Generally, if you’d like to dive with humpbacks, this is the best time to visit Mozambique.
October and November
By now things are heating up (30 degrees plus in the day and only dropping slightly at night), and the humidity is on the rise. In recent years, the rains have been arriving in December, but you can never be 100% sure. October/November is rather like the April/May period and another of the best times to travel. There are good deals to be had at the luxury lodges, and if Cape Town’s on the agenda, this is a lovely time of year in both.
December
By December, the rains are back, but it’s touch and go and there are still clear days around. It’s probably not the ideal time for guaranteed blue skies and golden rays, but prices fall dramatically if you’re on the hunt for a good deal. The water temperature is pleasant and divers will enjoy the rainbow fish, turtles, dolphins and dugongs.
Lastly, Mozambique’s coastline is long – 2000 kilometres to be precise – but weather and climate patterns actually don’t differ that much from the north to the south. The rains tend to start earlier and hang around a little longer in the north (around the Quirimbas) but nothing dramatic, and the beginning of the best time to visit is still April/May, right through to November. Now you know the best time to visit Mozambique, what are you waiting for?
