Niassa National Reserve Accommodation

Twice the size of the famous Kruger National Park in South Africa, the Niassa National Reserve at a staggering 42 000 square kilometers is not only the biggest reserve of its kind in Mozambique, it is indeed one of the most extensive protected areas to be found anywhere on the African continent. Besides its scintillating beauty and richly diverse collection of wildlife, Niassa National Reserve is also widely known because of the tumult and conflict it went through in the 1970s and ‘80s. Abandoned because of hostilities and factional fighting, the Mozambican government took bold steps in 1992 to re-introduce the park and slowly but surely help it to reclaim its former splendour. Today, it is a true privilege indeed for visitors to be able to enter the Niassa National Reserve and marvel at the incredible variety of fauna, bird life, and flora on offer here.

The biodiversity of the reserve is immense with a recent survey highlighting 21 types of vegetation along with an impressive 200 different variants of trees and shrubs found throughout Niassa. However, it is the national reserve’s stunning assortment of animals and birds that lures many travelers to explore this hallowed terrain. The wildlife that can be viewed include significant numbers of herbivores such as elephants, eland, and zebra, while smaller populations like the hippo, waterbuck, impala, reedbuck, and kudu can be seen too. Additionally, the Niassa National Reserve is one of the largest protection areas for the endangered African wild dog, while visitors can also look forward to seeing lions, spotted hyenas, and leopards. Bird watching at the Niassa National Reserve is a terrific experience with the likes of the rare Angola Pitta and Pel’s Fishing Owl on display as well as the more common Taita Falcons and Crowned and Black Eagles.