Niassa, Mozambique

• View slideshow (5 photos)

The Niassa province of Northern Mozambique is wild and untouched, even by local Mozambique standards! Huge herds of game roam still freely and most of the vegetation is indigenous and being sustainably managed. The beautiful wilderness region of Niassa was too undeveloped and little populated to be affected by the civil war. Niassa’s two drawcards are the Niassa Game Reserve to the north-east and the golden sandy shores and clear waters of Lake Niassa (which is more widely known by the rest of the world as Lake Malawi).

The Niassa Game Reserve supports large populations of elephant, particularly impressive tuskers. There are also good herds of sable, buffalo, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, eland, and zebra. Lion, leopard and spotted hyena are also common. The African wild dog population is thought to number around 200 individuals, which makes the Niassa reserve an important refuge for this endangered species in Africa.

The Niassa Reserve also boasts three endemic subspecies: Niassa wildebeest, Boehm’s zebra and Johnston’s impala. Birdlife is also prolific and includes the rare Angola Pitta, Pel’s fishing owl and an abundant raptor population.

• Browse holidays in Niassa
• Browse accommodation in Niassa