The unique archipelago that Pambele sits in offers a range of opportunities to explore both on land, on sea and under the waves.
The shoreline is a delight to explore with fine white sand at high tide and literally acres of hard sand at low tide which is perfect to walk or jog along too. It is easy to walk along the beach, look for shells, or discover Pelican Bay and the mangroves beyond.
The Sanctuary itself also has a lot to offer with many different lakes, exotic birds and the occasional glimpse of wild animals as well as some exhilarating dirt track driving.
Bangwe Island in the closest to Pambele, taking approximately 20 minutes by boat and makes a beautiful setting for sundowners, or just a good place to relax for the afternoon. With little on the island apart from sand dunes and sea it provides an idyllic spot for a quiet relaxation.
Bazaruto Island is 37km by 7km. Often flamingos can be seen frequenting the tidal flats and the freshwater lakes on the island can be home to crocodiles. The East of the island is mainly sandy beaches, whilst the West is more inhabited by grasslands and thickets.
Benguerra Island is 11km by 5km and the nearest inhabited island to Pambele. The island was originally named Santa Antonio by the Portuguese explorers, but was later re-named as Benguerra after a local Tribal Chief. There are a number of lodges on the island and it even has its own airstrip.
Margaruque, formerly known as llha Santa Isabel is a beautiful and peaceful island, attracting anyone who loves nature, the sun or water sports. You can walk around the idyllic island in an afternoon and see hundreds of pansy shells exposed in the low tide. The Island has a deep channel running just metres from the western shore, ensuring great snorkelling and scuba diving.
Margaruque Islands are beautiful and peaceful, attracting anyone who loves nature, the sun or water sports. The islands are close to many coral reefs to amaze both snorkelers and divers. There are also numerous wrecks for divers to explore in the surrounding waters.
Santa Carolina is highly regarded as the jewel in the 5 islands forming the Bazaruto Archipelago, a proclaimed marine national park. The only coral rock island in the archipelago, Santa Carolina is a mere 2.3km in length surrounded by turquoise waters, beautiful beaches and shallow reefs which provide excellent snorkeling and an amazing abundance of sea-life just a short wade away. It is a pristine and unique African island, as well as as offering African Bush and Beach, experiences. The tiny island's other claim to fame is it is where Bob Dylan composed his hit song 'Mozambique'.
Situated on the San Sebastian Peninsula, Pambele is located in the 30,000ha sanctuary which covers both the sea and land and incorporates the southernmost portion of the Bazaruto Archipelago. It is a biodiversity hotspot, incorporating many different types of habitat, including; mangrove swamps, coral reefs, freshwater lakes, tidal mudflats, wetlands, estuary and coastal dunes.
Game has been re-introduced onto the sanctuary, starting in 2008 with a major wildlife reintroduction project. So far Burchells Zebras, Blue Wildebeest, Eland, Nyala and Giraffe have all been successfully reintroduced. The future will hopefully see introduction of other species, including Hippo, Waterbuck, Kudu, Crocodile and Warthog.
The Queuene community are the local inhabitants on the sanctuary and have been living on the peninsula for hundreds of years. Their main livelihoods are subsistence farming or fishing. Lodges on the sanctuary aim to recruit staff locally and use local building materials such as jecca and canico from the communities to further support the local economy.
