AndBeyond Benguerra

Approximately 900 km north of Maputo; 435 km south of Beira and opposite the coastal town of Vilankulo, lies a chain of five islands.

Benguerra Island is approximately 55 square kilometers in extent, ensuring guests ample privacy within this idyllic paradise. The Island, declared a National Park in 1971 sustains a diverse population of fauna and flora including forest, savannah and wetland eco-systems.

Situated on the second largest island in the sunny Bazaruto Archipelago off the coast of Mozambique, the lodge is set in a protected marine conservation area and offers pristine beaches and unspoiled coral reefs teeming with marine life. Looking out onto a sandy beach and set on a deep lagoon unaffected by the tides, this exclusive beach getaway is ideal for swimming and snorkelling. Surrounded by premier diving sites, the lodge is the gateway to an underwater wonderland for divers, with a rich variety of tropical fish species complemented by Africa’s only population of the rare dugong. The deep Mozambique Channel, which runs alongside the island, is renowned for its game fish and Benguerra Island offers some of the world’s best catch-and-release deep sea fishing and fly fishing opportunities.

Cabanas

Two cabanas are set under local thatch, amongst a lush island forest. Each is decorated with distinct African items, with a subtle nod to the archipelago’s Portuguese historic influence. The ensuite bathroom features an outdoor shower, perfect for balmy Benguerra days.

The cabanas offer private timber decks and cool rim flow pools. There is also a private sala with a hanging daybed, as well as your own sun loungers situated on the beach.

Casinhas

Slightly larger than the cabanas, the casinhas boast a light and airy colour scheme that combines tropical chic with a distinct African feel. Small decorative pieces hint at reminders of the area’s Portuguese heritage. An ensuite bathroom is located on one side of the bedroom and a small sitting area on the other side of the bed. After a successful day of adventures, retreat to the comfort of a private timber deck where a rim flow pool, private sala, hanging daybed, and sun loungers await.

Casa Familia

&Beyond Benguerra Island offers families and small groups the opportunity to reconnect in the Casa Familia, which features three ensuite bedrooms – a main bedroom and lounge area with two interleading bedrooms on each side. Guests will enjoy splashing around in the private swimming pool set on a sheltered wooden veranda overlooking the beach. The Casa Familia is situated on the edge of the main lodge, offering private views of the ocean plus its own stretch of sandy white beach.

Room Amenities

HANGING DAYBEDS
Take a soothing nap on your private hanging daybed in your private sala or catch some rays on the oh-so comfy sun loungers on the beach.

PRIVATE POOLS

Lounge on private timber decks that border your private rim flow pool, a secluded alternative to beach sand and ocean waters.

PERSONAL BARS
Your room boasts a personal bar, stocked with a selection of local drinks. Your butler is on hand to customise your selection and keep it filled for the duration of your stay.

COFFEE STATION
Day or night, if you don’t feel like coming to the main guest area for a delicious cappuccino, your warm drink of choice can be made in room.

BOSE BLUETOOTH SPEAKER
Sync your favourite playlist with this device to get into that holiday spirit or ask the team for some suggestions of local artists.

MBAO GAME
Challenge someone to a game of Mbao out on your private deck. For those who aren’t familiar with the game, your private butler would love to spend some time teaching you.

What’s included

• Three meals daily
• Soft drinks, house wines, local brand spirits and beers, teas and coffees
• Laundry
• Emergency medical evacuation cover
• VAT
• Activities included 
  • Scuba diving – maximum 2 dives per day (full PADI certification required and tide-dependent), horseback riding (85kg weight restriction), sea kayaking, sunset dhow cruise, scheduled snorkelling trip, castaway picnic, paddle boarding and local village tour (subject to availability and weather conditions).

What’s not included

• Administration fee
• Telephone calls
• Safari Shop purchases
• Gratuities
• All items of a personal nature
• Champagne, cognacs, fine wines, premium brand spirits and cigars
• Conservancy fees
• Landing fees and airport taxes
• Activities excluded 
  • Scenic helicopter flights
  • All Healing Earth wellness treatments
• Travel Insurance

SNORKELLING
Venture out into the Indian Ocean at low tide and explore large areas of exposed coastal reefs just off Benguerra Island. Discover the spectacular Two Mile Reef, which offers snorkelling opportunities for every guest, regardless of age and expertise. One of the favourite sites here is the Aquarium, known for its diverse reef and pelagic fish, and extensive coral, as well as a fascinating array of underwater rocks and boulders that create interesting structures such as swim throughs, and overhangs.

SCUBA DIVING
We offer a fully equipped Dive Centre, providing a full range of diving adventures that will suit the preferences of every scuba enthusiast. The island offers exceptional diving opportunities and boasts outstanding protected reefs. There is an infinite range of dive sites, such as Two Mile Reef, 5 Mile Reef, 9 Mile Reef, San Sebastian, and Magaruque Island, to name a few.

SWIMMING WITH HORSES
Equine enthusiasts of all ages and riding levels can enjoy a fun-filled Swimming with Horses adventure. Dress down for the occasion in just your swimwear and ride bareback into azure waters, gently striding into the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Expect splashing and the occasional grunt of pleasure from your horse as it wades into the calm waters surrounding the lodge. This 30-to-45-minute adventure allows for a maximum of four guests per swim and is perfect as a standalone activity or can be added after a more extensive horseback exploration of the island.

SUNSET DHOW CRUISE
Hop aboard a traditional dhow for an unforgettable cruise around the bay, accompanied by an &Beyond guide. This romantic sailing adventure presents the island and its surrounding waters in a unique light, from the perspective of one of the local fishermen.

KAYAKING AND STAND-UP PADDLE BOARDING
Explore the azure bay from a different perspective by taking one of the two-seater kayaks out for a paddle or try your hand at stand-up-paddle boarding. Enjoy the exercise, take in the warm sun, and gaze down at the fish dashing through the clear, sparkling water below.

WHALE WATCHING*

Between the months of June and December each year, southern right whales are seen close to shore. Between mid-June to mid-August, migrating humpback whales are known to breech regularly. Our boats take guests out to enjoy this magical wildlife spectacle.

CASTAWAY PICNIC
Feel as though you have the island all to yourself as you indulge in a decadent picnic set up, in one of the most secluded sites on the Bazaruto Archipelago. Disappear for an afternoon to the north or south side of the island and we will leave you there for a totally blissful private interlude. Enjoy a mouth-watering castaway picnic set up at a table for two under an awning on your very own stretch of beach.

ISLAND EXPEDITION
Take a leisurely drive through the local communities enroute to explore inland lakes filled with crocodile and flamingo. If you are lucky, you may have a sighting of the shy suni antelope. Climb the highest sand dune on the northern side of the island and marvel at the 360-degree views from the summit. End this experience with a dip in the Indian Ocean or a delicious cocktail with exceptional views.

WELLNESS TREATMENTS*
&Beyond has partnered with Healing Earth, a leading natural, eco-friendly, and holistic spa and skincare company. This partnership has created a truly authentic African spa experience that rejuvenates and heals the mind, body and soul. Sink into serenity in the quiet massage room, tucked away within a small forest of native trees. The harmonic sound of the waves will ensure you unwind into a state of deep relaxation. We invite you to treat yourselves to a personalised massage.

BIRDWATCHING
The last remaining patch of protected indigenous forest on the island can be found around &Beyond Benguerra Island lodge. Keen birders can keep an eye out for special sightings such as green malkoha and plain-backed sunbird. Head to the inland lakes to search for greater flamingo and western osprey. Pink-backed pelican, lesser crested tern, ruddy turnstone and other water birds can also be found in the area.

SCENIC HELICOPTER FLIGHTS*
Experience the beauty of the Bazaruto Archipelago from above as you board a state-of-the-art helicopter and fly along the Mozambican coastline. This scenic trip offers magnificent photographic opportunities through every window, with unobstructed views of the idyllic islands and the depths of clear water surrounding them.

COMMUNITY VISITS
A fascinating excursion to the community centre, Centro Cumunitario Kanhe Kwedo, will introduce you to the heart of the island, where local women create beautiful, beaded item for sale and men practice conservation initiatives. Stroll among the pews of the village church, visit the local clinic built with the help of past guest donations, taste fresh fruit and vegetables grown by local farmers and interact with the friendly Mozambican people in their coastal villages.

HORSEBACK ISLAND RIDE
Horseback riding offers the perfect viewpoint from which to take in the exceptional and unparalleled beauty of Benguerra Island. Guides are well acquainted with the horses’ temperaments and, as routes are not fixed, can tailor-make rides to accommodate each guest’s ability.

*These activities are at an additional cost and some are weather dependent.

To encourage visitors to enjoy pristine reefs where no coral bleaching has taken place, we have a fully equipped dive school with Dive Master certified for PADI and NAUI. There are numerous reefs to explore with stunning arrays of coral, fish species, rays, turtles and, if lucky, dugongs. Two-Mile Reef is well known for superb opportunities to see many species of game and reef fish – and, of course, to view the magnificent untouched corals. All the equipment is available and is included in the cost of the dive. Diving courses may be completed at the Lodge and resort courses are offered.

Superb, safe snorkelling can be indulged in on the inside of Two-Mile Reef. There, the wide variety of bejeweled fish and extraordinarily shaped corals is breathtaking. Snorkelling is also offered at “The Aquarium”. The corals and multitudes of colourful fish will remain a highlight of the trip. The reefs are protected, unspoilt and pristine. However, no corals may be removed from the reefs as the entire Archipelago is a designated nature reserve.

All of the fishing takes place from the 22ft custom built walk around catamarans. Powered by twin motors and guided by experienced fishing guides, they provide the ideal platform to target the full range of species in the area. The fishing is varied and exciting from sight fishing to teased Sailfish, plugging for Giant Trevally or casting to surface feeding Bonito. The boats are also ideally suited to fly-fishing, and all of the species can be targeted on the fly-rod, the exception being Marlin.

The Sailfish season is from April to July, and as far as exciting fishing goes this is as good as it gets. The adrenalin surge that goes with casting to a sailfish that has been teased right to the boat is indescribable.

The reef fishing picks up in November and remains good right up until the end of July – the key for this fishing is to plan a trip that coincides with the spring tides. There are 6 common species of Trevally that make up a big part of our target species, hard fighting and dogged, they are always great fun to catch. Other target species on the reefs are speedy King and Queen Mackerel, green Jobfish, Springer and the acrobatic Talang Queenfish. Spinning to surface feeding Bonito is also great fun and peaks between December and February. These speedsters are great sport on light tackle and readily take a small spoon.

The Marlin season is from October to February, and if one is willing to invest a bit of time, the chances of catching this King of the Ocean are good. The tackle used is 80lb and 130lb stand-up rigs and a good level of fitness is recommended when taking on this awesome fish.

Scheduled flights depart regularly from Johannesburg International Airport to Vilankulo on the mainland, with LAM and with Airlink. Clients can also travel by road to Vilankulo.

Helicopter transfers are arranged from Vilankulo to the island to connect with the Airlink or LAM flights.

Co-ordinates are: 21.51.00S 35.27.00E 1000 metres of useable hard grass. Further details on request

Impact made possible through Oceans Without Borders, our marine conservation initiative, in partnership with Wild Impact (formally Africa Foundation), our long-standing community and conservation development partner.

CARE OF LAND
• 30 576 plastic bottles eliminated annually through on-site water bottling plant
• 91 728 litres of water saved (3 litres used to make a 1 litre plastic bottle)
• 572 kg of plastic eliminated annually
• Zero plastic straws
• All guest amenities recyclable
• 1 535 Coca-Cola cans and 64 cases of plastic wrapping eliminated per month through a return-for-deposit glass bottle system
• On-site capping machine enables the re-use of soft drink glass bottles for healthy guest beverages
• Surplus bottles donated to a local honey farmer for packaging of his organic honey

CARE OF WILDLIFE

• An average 226 community children receive marine-themed conservation lessons per year

• No-take Marine Conservation Area established in front of the lodge: ecosystem changes will be documented to demonstrate the benefits of protected areas to local fishing communities
• Three underwater acoustic receiver stations positioned in the Bazaruto Archipelago (part of a broader network of receivers managed by other research and conservation teams) record the passing of tagged reef predators to monitor the movement patterns and environmental stresses of these indicator species
• Marine Predator Tagging Project commenced in July 2019. As top reef predators, giant trevally and grey reef sharks play a critical role in the health and balance of their marine ecosystems

CARE OF PEOPLE
• 168 million MZN spent on local procurement initiatives
• 220 Hippo Water Rollers provided for clean water access and transport
• 860 COVID-19 food relief parcels given to local communities
• 800 solar lanterns donated by &Beyond’s ‘Light the Way’ initiative for those with no electricity access
• 49 Star-in-Training lodge trainees from the local community receive workplace experience
• Five ANAC (National Administration for Conservation Areas) marine rangers achieve PADI Dive certification
• Island Clinic expanded with additional consulting rooms, nurses’ accommodation, electricity, and permanent water supply
• Community centre built (also a safe refuge during cyclone strikes)

Payment for all reservations are due prior to arrival at the Lodge. All extras incurred on the island are due in full on departure from the Lodge, in US Dollars or SA Rands. Visa, MasterCard are accepted, but not American Express or Diners Club.