africaanxious: the following lodge had a connection with the London Zoo and is in a prime nesting area. Check out the site and then I would recommend emailing them direct to see what the story is.

http://www.maluane.com/

Quilalea has nesting turtles in the area but not sure how accessible so you may want to email them direct to.

www.quilalea.com

You might as well try Benguerra too as there could well be nesting areas there too.

Please post anything you find out, I'd love to know for future trips.

I've already asked Maluane. Here's their reply:

Please note the normally the turtles start hatching January until
>April. Currently we don't have any special programs for this.
>Kindly let me know what you would like to know about fly fishing.
>
>Many thanks
>Innocentia
>
>Innocentia Mkhwanazi
>Reservations & Sales
>Vamizi, Rongui & Macaloe Islands, Mozambique
>Tel + 27 11 884 8869
>Fax + 27 11 884 8218
>Cell + 258 82 347 8560
>reservations@maluane.com
>www.maluane.com

I also asked an agent at ecoafrica about Quilalea - haven't heard back. Will let you know.

I'm searching for someone who really knows because if I email the lodges directly, they might be inclined to tell me half-truths to get me to book there.

Hi africaanxious-

I came across a website for a lodge on the coast of mozambique, which has info on turtle hatching.

The lodge may be a bit too rustic, but I thought the info might be useful for you.
(click on activities and then turtles)
http://www.tartaruga.co.za/start.html

http://www.pontamamoli.com/other.asp

Thank you cuisinred! I'm ready to work on Mozambique now so your info is super helpful. Yes, it looks a bit rustic, but I've 6 nights in Mozambique. Maybe I can spend 2 nights where I'm sure there will be turtles, and then the rest of the time at one of the luxury lodges.

I'll definitely post whatever I find and share the info. It's hard to find 1st hand info on Mozambique.

aa

aa-

Yes, not that many people here include Mozambique in there plans. I haven't been but we're planning on it for next May.

I think I recall reading that you're going to southern Moz, but if you're considering the north, here are 2 more places. Guludo's website doesn't mention turtles, but they have been super helpful with answering all my questions so you might drop them a line.

www.guludo.com/en/1/gulact.html

www.iboisland.

Hi there
Here is a website link that might be able to help you.http://www.ioseaturtles.org/messageboard_detail.php?id=46
Maputo is hosting the first Mozambique Marine Turtle Workshop in November and you will find some emails here that could be useful. I have been to Rocktail Bay, and another option in SA is Kosi Forest Lodge but I see that the turtle season is between mid November and mid January. Good luck with your search and if I can help with info on Mozambique let me know, as I have been there.
Peggylou

Hi Peggylou. Hope you don't mind my jumping in, but while in Zambia and talking with the hosts at Old Mondoro about our love for scuba diving, they recommended we go to Mozambique our next visit. Do you know of good places to dive/snorkel and where to stay? Thanks,

Jim

Hi Jim
No problem...hope I can help you...ok the most popular place to dive in Mozambique is Ponta Malongane BUT the problem is access. It is right down south on the border with South Africa, near Kosi Bay, and I have heard that driving from Maputo to this area is only for 4 x 4's. The other option is to drive up from Durban which is about a 4 hour drive.
Have also heard that diving is good in the Inhambane area especially the area called Guinjata Bay. This is about 500 odd kms from Maputo and although the road is quite good (for Mozambique)a 4 x 4 is a must for the last few kms..
I have a friend in Maputo so am going to contact him and find out more info and will let you know. I know that they also dive in the Bazaruto Archipelago but am not sure how good it is. Will be back with more info later today.
Peggylou

Wow, thanks so much for the quick reply, Peggylou. Not exactly like going to Cozumel, eh?

Jim

Jim-

Here are links to a number of places in Mozambique that have diving. From what I have read (haven't been yet) the diving is said to be very prisine.

Northern Mozambique/ Quirimbas Archipelago

Vamizi Island, very lux $$$$$
www.maluane.com

Medjumbe and Matemo, lux $$$$
www.raniresorts.com

Quilalea $$$$
www.quilalea.com

Ibo Island Lodge, new lodge in a restored colonial mansion
www.iboisland.com

Guludo, rustic chic eco-lodge
www.guludo.com


Southern Mozambique/Bazaruto Archipelago
I
Indigo Bay
www.indigobayresort.com

Benguerra Lodge
www.benguerra.co.za

Marlin Lodge
www.marlinlodge.co.za/

Jim: I stayed in the Bazaruto Archapelago and it is pristine! We only snorkled but it was fantastic, the area is often compared to Great Barrier Reef but there is very few people. There were divers staying at our lodge and they said it was incredible, lots of manta ray viewing and some good size sharks.

Quimiras to the farther north is supposed to be outstanding as well for diving.

Glad some more turtle info has shown up on the thread, I will have to catch up on it when I have more time.

Thanks again for the help. Looks like I now have a good start for doing research and planning. We hope to go back to places we visited in Zambia and tack on a diving trip to Mozambique next time, but were wondering about logistics. I recall a thread which commented on the difficulty of getting to Mozambique from Zambia, even though they are relatively close to each other. Don't remember the details or the solution. Is it any easier from Zimbabwe?

Also just saw a BBC article about the huge increase in Zimbabwe Air fares, and that the actual rate of inflation is even higher than the stated 1000%.

Thanks again for all the help

Jim

Jim-

Yes, its quite difficult to get from Zambia to Mozambique. You could fly back to JNB, overnight and then fly on to the islands in southern Mozambique with Pelican Air (they also connect from Kruger to the islands) or connect with LAM the Mozambique airline up to Pemba, which is the jumping off point for northern mozambique.

If you timed it correctly, it would be possible to fly from Lusaka to Nairobi and then connect on the 6pm flight from there to Pemba (but this flight is only twice a week.

Now, if you're feeling adventurous, you could charter from Mfuwe to Lake Malawi/Lago Niassa (which if you look at the map is really close to South Luangwa)and stay at Manda Nkwichi on the lake which looks gorgeous, and then connect from there to the coast of Mozambique with internal/domestic flights.

Sorry if that's too much info.

There's a movie called Turtle Beach with Glenda Jackson and perhaps Ben Kingsley that you should see if you like turtles hatching.

A pleasure Jim...and no, not exactly Cozumel...lol
Had some info from my friend and he basically recomends the same places that have been mentioned here for diving, ie Ponta d’Ouro / Inhaca / Tofo/ Guinjata/ Ponta da Barra / Vilanculos/ Inhassoro / Bazaruto / Nacala / Pemba and Quirimbas.
Going back to the road from Maputo to Ponta d''ouro apparently you need a "heavy 4 x 4" and it is about 120 kms and takes 4 hours...an interesting detour might be the Maputo Elephant Reserve although I believe the elephants are quite skittish..
Regarding turtles not much information just that they also can be seen at Guinjata.
Peggylou

I am an Agent and recently had a request for clients to watch turtles hatch. I could only recommend Rocktail Bay or Thonga Beach Lodge, both on the Maputaland coast in Northern KZN, SA. Mozambique Lodges in the Bazaruto archipelago could not guarantee it.

If you want to see turtle eggs hatching then you really want to go to Borneo!! Turtle Island north east coast in February pretty near guaranteed to see this amazing site.
Hope you are lucky on your trip to Africa.We will soon be posting an article on our website about Borneo so keep checking it out.
www.leightravelclub.com