Mozambique is located on the southeastern coast of Africa and is bordered by Tanzania to the north, South Africa and Swaziland to the south, Zimbabwe to the west and Zambia and Malawi to the northwest.

Mozambique is made up mainly of coastal lowlands, rising to a plateau in the west ranging from 500-2,000 ft above sea level and on the western border to a higher plateau of 6,000-8,000 ft, with mountains in the north reaching a height of over 8,000 ft. The highest mountains are Namuli-7,936 ft, Binga-7,992 ft on the Zimbabwean border and Serra Zuira-7,306 ft in Sofala Province.

The main rivers are the Zambezi flowing southeast across the centre of Mozambique into the Indian Ocean, the Limpopo in the south, the Save in the middle and the Lugfenda in the north. The most important lake is the navigable Lake Niassa. In the river valleys and deltas, the soil is rich and fertile, but southern and central Mozambique have poor, sandy soil and parts of the interior are dry.

The best time to visit is May - October, when the days are warm and the nights somewhat cooler. The rest of the year is warmer with odd showers. The mountains in the west are always about 5° C cooler than the rest of the country.