Weather Seasons of Mozambique

No matter what season of the year you visit the tropical paradise of Nyati Beach in the Vilanculos Coastal Wildlife Sanctuary of Mozambique, we recommend you bring sunscreen, a swimsuit, a hat and sunglasses.

Climate in Mozambique, southern Africa

The country of Mozambique is on the eastern coast of southern Africa bordered on the east by the Indian Ocean (the Mozambique Channel), on the north by Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia, on the west by Zimbabwe and on the south by South Africa. Mozambique has a typically tropical climate. The extensive coastal lowlands are warm, while the interior plateau and the hills along the border with Malawi and Zimbabwe have cooler weather. The warm Mozambique current flows southwards along the coast and is an important influence on the climate of the country and makes the coastal climate quite stable and the water temperature warm all year round. There is one single rainy season in Mozambique at the time of high sun in the summer when the inter-tropical belt of cloud and rain is farthest south.

Low rainfall in southern Mozambique

In the southern part of Mozambique, where Nyati Beach Lodge is located, most of the rain falls in January and February, farther north in the country the rainy season is a bit longer. The coast of northern Mozambique is occasionally affected by tropical cyclones in the Indian Ocean. These move south between Madagascar and the mainland, but the majority pass east of Madagascar and hardly affect southern Mozambique. The large mountains of Madagascar which are fully exposed to the moist southeast trades provide shelter for the coastal lowlands of southern Mozambique, and the eastern side of Madagascar is particularly wet when compared with Mozambique. The comparatively low rainfall of southern Mozambique is one of the reasons why Vilanculos and the Bazaruto Archipelago surrounding Nyati Beach Lodge is one of the preferred holiday destinations in southern Africa.

Stable tropical climate all year round

In the coastal area of the Bazaruto Archipelago by the city of Vilanculos, the summer season stretches from October to March. This is the wet season with many days being hot and humid, sometimes resulting in spectacular electrical storms in the afternoons. The sea temperatures range around 25 degrees making all-day snorkeling  and diving possible. The biggest attraction of the summer season is the return of all the migrant birds to the area, which provides ample opportunity for all birdwatchers to increase their 'life-lists". Winter season, the dry season of the Bazaruto Archipelago, is from April to September and the daytime temperatures are slightly lower and climate is slightly cooler than in the summer season. A light jersey or long-sleeved top is recommended for winter evenings at the lodge.

Weather Statistics, Vilanculos, Inhambane, Mozambique, southern Africa