Mozambique Driving Advice and Car Hire Info
Driving In Mozambique
You should check your Government’s website for the latest information before driving abroad in Mozambique. There are often travel advisories in place affecting certain parts of the country. Mozambique drives on the left and you can drive on the licence of most countries for up to 90 days, after which time an International Driving Permit is required. The road network is improving but many roads are still a long way short of European standards. 4WD is not normally necessary on many of the main tourist routes including Maputo to Vilankulos and roads between Nampula,Nacala, Isle de Mocambique and Pemba. Also the road from Tete to Harare is Ok.However a heavy rainstorm can have big impacts on all the roads so after rain its best to check local conditions before setting off. There have been reports of attacks on vehicles in Sofala province. Avoid travelling on the EN1 between Inchope and the town of Gorongoza and the EN6 between Tica and Inchope.There have also been incidents of carjacking in Maputo but also between Boane and the Swaziland border crossing points of Namaacha and Goba. Keep your car doors locked while driving and avoid travel at night.
Drinking and driving is common as is driving at excessive speed on poor roads. Accidents are common and tree branches on the road denote a hazard ahead, slow down and expect the unexpected if you see branches. Locals (and animals will wander in the road), even on the main North/South Highway and will have little concept of things like stopping distances so you should always be on your guard when passing them.
Maputo is generally not too bad to navigate but if unsure, ask the rental company to drive you to/ collect you from the outskirts and they’ll usually oblige. You should carry two reflective triangles and a reflective vest in your vehicle at all times, and must wear the reflective vest when repairing, loading or unloading a vehicle. These items may be checked by police road blocks and you may be subject to a fine without them so ensure your rental car has them before setting off.
Although I try and keep the information in the site updated as much as possible, in a rapidly moving world, situations can change daily. Therefore please use the site as an approximate guide, and in conjunction with other resources in order to form your view on driving conditions, roads, safety etc.
Mozambique Car Rental –
Sixt, Hertz, Europcar, Alamo, National, Avis have outlets here. Also usually features on Car rental broker sitesand Web discount sites such as ebookers.com. or Expedia
We currently have no local car rental partners in Mozambique. If you are a local car rental company who would like to feature on DriverAbroad.com please check details on our Partnering page or contact us on ADriverAbroad@Outlook.com.
Mozambique Self Drive Rules –
Sixt allow cars to be taken to South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Malawi but don’t allow one way rentals.Hertz don’t allow vehicles to be taken out of Maputo or Beira which makes renting one a bit of a futile exercise! Europcar seem to allow vehicles to be taken out of the country but don’t specify to where.
