About This Property
andBeyond Benguerra Island Lodge sits on the sheltered north-west coast of Benguerra, the second-largest island in Mozambique’s Bazaruto Archipelago. The lodge is tucked into indigenous forest on a protected lagoon, inside Bazaruto Archipelago National Park — a marine reserve of beaches, dunes, freshwater lakes and coral reefs.
Go2Africa calls it a laid-back beach hotel with genuine hospitality. andBeyond puts the guest areas under straw-covered wooden awnings, looking from tropical garden to ocean, with a rim-flow lodge pool and a traditional wooden dhow converted into a beach bar. There is a PADI dive centre, a Healing Earth massage sala, an island shop and a 100-metre no-take marine conservation area off the beach.
Accommodation is 15 rooms and a stated maximum of 32 guests: two cabanas (50 m²), ten casinhas (60 m²) and the three-bedroom Casa Familia (170 m²). Cabanas and casinhas have private timber decks, rim-flow plunge pools, salas with hanging daybeds, air conditioning, overhead fans, mosquito nets, personal bars, coffee stations, baths, outdoor showers, hairdryers and Wi-Fi.
Go2Africa adds indoor as well as outdoor showers and separate tubs on the cabanas, with queen beds. Two casinhas can be set up as triples for children 12 and under. Casa Familia is exclusive-use: three interleading en-suite bedrooms, a lounge, a private garden, a pool and a thatched sala with sea views.
andBeyond’s family note is a maximum of four adults and two children, with a third and fourth child on request; the lodge-overview line also allows four children. Go2Africa says a personal chef prepares meals for the villa.
The fully inclusive rate covers three meals a day, selected drinks, laundry, VAT, emergency evacuation cover and a long activity list: scuba (maximum two dives a day, PADI required, tide-dependent), horseback island rides (85 kg limit), swimming with horses, kayaking, a sunset dhow cruise, scheduled snorkelling, a castaway picnic, birdwatching, an island expedition and an Africa Foundation community visit, all subject to weather and availability.
WILDchild is included for younger guests. Helicopter transfers, spa treatments, deep-sea and fly-fishing, private catamaran charter and whale watching are extra. Benguerra was declared a national park in 1971. Go2Africa notes about 140 bird species and Africa’s last remaining dugong population, plus catch-and-release angling for marlin, bonito, sailfish and giant trevally.
Two Mile Reef is the named dive and snorkel site. andBeyond recommends nothing less than four nights. The other lodge currently live on this island is Azura Benguerra Island.
Why We Love It
We love that this is still a forest-and-beach camp, not a resort strip. Fifteen rooms, a dhow for a bar, and a no-take zone off the sand — that is the scale andBeyond is protecting on the island’s last patch of indigenous woodland.
The rooms do the simple island job well: a private plunge pool, a hanging daybed, an outdoor shower and the sea in front of you. Cabanas are the smaller, more private pair; casinhas add a sitting room; Casa Familia takes a family out of the main run of rooms entirely. We would book the extra nights. The lodge itself asks for four.
What you actually do here is in the rate: snorkel Two Mile Reef, ride a horse into the warm water, sail a dhow at sunset, picnic on a stretch of beach they will leave you on. Diving is included if you are PADI-certified. Fishing and the helicopter stay extra, which is the honest way to price an island.
Dugong still live in this archipelago. That fact alone is why a marine park stay here is worth the helicopter hop from Vilanculos — and why we would rather send people to a small lodge on the lagoon than to a bigger beach elsewhere.
Rooms & Details
Cabana
Two cabanas, 50 m², maximum four guests across both rooms, set under thatch in the forest on the beach. Ensuite bathroom with outdoor shower, bath and separate WC; private timber deck and rim-flow plunge pool; private sala with hanging daybed and sun loungers on the beach. Queen or twin (twins share one bedframe); no triple; not suitable for guests with mobility issues.
Casinha
Ten casinhas, 60 m², maximum 20 guests — slightly larger than the cabanas, with an open-plan sitting area on one side of the bed and the ensuite on the other. Private timber deck, rim-flow plunge pool, thatched sala, hanging daybed and sea views; two can take a third bed for a child 12 or under. Same in-room kit: air conditioning, fans, outdoor shower, bath, personal bar, coffee station, Wi-Fi.
Casa Familia
One exclusive-use villa, 170 m², with three interleading ensuite bedrooms, a lounge, a private pool on a sheltered wooden veranda, and a sala with hanging daybed looking to the sea. Maximum four adults and two children, with a third and fourth child on request; charged per villa, not on child sharing rates. Not suitable for guests with mobility issues.
Lounge
Guest areas sit under straw-covered wooden awnings, looking from tropical garden to ocean, with a traditional wooden dhow converted into a beach bar on the sand. Wi-Fi is in the rooms on a 3G connection; complimentary laundry. Private dining can be served on your deck.
Beach Dining
Three meals a day are in the fully inclusive rate, plus selected drinks. Seafood is served as a treat, not every night, for sustainability. Castaway picnics put you on a private stretch of beach north or south of the lodge. Healing Earth massage is extra, in the forest sala or in-room.
Amenities & Features
Photo Gallery
Rates
Prices start from $1,080 per night. Final pricing depends on season, room type, and availability. Check current rates on our booking partner's site for the most accurate pricing.
Rates are per person sharing and fully inclusive unless noted. Go2Africa publishes USD 1,080–1,414 per person sharing. andBeyond 2026 from-rates: Cabana USD 1,080 per person per night; Casinha USD 1,490; Casa Familia USD 7,450 per villa per night. Price From uses the Cabana / Go2Africa lowest figure (USD 1,080). Included: accommodation, three meals, selected drinks, listed island activities, WILDchild, laundry, emergency evacuation insurance and VAT. Excluded: helicopter transfer from Vilanculos, conservancy/park and landing fees, premium drinks, spa, fishing, private catamaran, whale watching, scenic flights, gratuities and shop purchases. Honeymoon 50% partner offer on Go2Africa (conditions apply). Single supplements may apply.
What's Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Selected beverages (soft drinks, house wines, local spirits and beers, teas and coffees)
- Scuba diving (maximum two dives per day, PADI required, tide-dependent)
- Scheduled snorkelling, including Two Mile Reef
- Horseback island ride (85 kg weight restriction) and swimming with horses
- Sea kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding
- Sunset dhow cruise
- Castaway picnic
- Island expedition, birdwatching and Africa Foundation community visit
- WILDchild programme
Fully inclusive: accommodation, three meals daily, soft drinks, house wines, local-brand spirits and beers, teas, coffees and activity refreshments, scuba (max two dives/day, PADI, tide-dependent), horseback island ride (85 kg limit), swimming with horses, kayaking, sunset dhow cruise, scheduled snorkelling, castaway picnic, birdwatching, island expedition, Africa Foundation visit, WILDchild, laundry, emergency evacuation insurance and VAT. Helicopter, spa, fishing, catamaran, whale watching, scenic flights, conservancy and landing fees, premium drinks and gratuities extra.
Location
How to Get There
From Johannesburg (OR Tambo) to Vilanculos
Airlink and LAM operate direct flights from Johannesburg to Vilanculos (Vilankulo) International Airport (VNX). andBeyond puts the flying time at about 1 hour 30 minutes. LAM also flies between Maputo and Vilanculos. Some seasonal connections operate from Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport.
From Vilanculos to the lodge
The published andBeyond access is a scenic helicopter of about 10 minutes from Vilanculos to the lodge helipad, then a short walk to reception. The helicopter is not on the fully inclusive list (landing fees and airport taxes are also excluded). Some partner rate cards include road or boat transfers to a lodge airstrip but still exclude the helicopter. Confirm the transfer with your booker — this is an island, not a self-drive arrival.
Nearby Attractions
Two Mile Reef (and 5 Mile, 9 Mile, San Sebastian, Magaruque Island dive sites), Bazaruto Archipelago National Park, inland freshwater lakes, northern sand dunes, Pansy Island (named by Go2Africa; exposed at low tide), Vilanculos on the mainland
Things to Do
At the property
Swim in the rim-flow lodge pool, drink at the dhow bar, and book Healing Earth treatments in the forest massage sala or in-room (spa is extra). The island shop sells regional crafts and solar lamps for the community project. Yoga mats on request.
Wi-Fi is in the rooms on a 3G connection. Complimentary laundry. Private dining can be served on your deck. WILDchild keeps younger guests busy with hand-line fishing, baking, sandcastles, kayaking and riding.
In the area
The lagoon and the 100-metre no-take zone are the immediate playground: snorkelling the coastal reef at low tide, kayaks and stand-up paddle boards, swimming with horses (30–45 minutes, maximum four guests, tide and weather dependent) and horseback rides across the island (85 kg limit).
Birding in the forest for green malkoha and plain-backed sunbird; inland lakes for flamingo, crocodile and, if you are lucky, suni. Azura Benguerra Island is the other property currently live on the same island.
Day trips
Two Mile Reef is the named dive and snorkel site (andBeyond also lists 5 Mile, 9 Mile, San Sebastian and Magaruque). A sunset dhow cruise around the bay is included. The castaway picnic puts you on a private stretch of beach north or south of the lodge.
Island expeditions climb the northern dune and visit lakes and local communities, including the Africa Foundation centre at Centro Comunitario Kanhe Kwedo. Extra: deep-sea and saltwater fly-fishing (catch and release), private catamaran charter, whale watching (humpbacks mid-June to mid-August; brochure also notes southern right whales close to shore June–December) and scenic helicopter flights. Drones are prohibited in the national park.
Good to Know
Stay length: andBeyond recommends nothing less than four nights.
Children: Children of all ages are welcome. WILDchild programme included; child-minding for under 6 at a nominal fee. Ages 0–11: early private dinners and a children’s menu; ages 12+ join shared activities.
Partner child rates commonly: 0–5 sharing free (cots/triples subject to availability); 6–16 sharing at 50% of the adult rate. Casa Familia is per villa, not child-rated. Two casinhas can triple with a child 12 or under. Scuba and horseback rides have age and (for riding) an 85 kg limit.
Meal plan: Fully inclusive of three meals daily plus soft drinks, house wines, local spirits and beers, teas, coffees and activity refreshments. Premium wines, champagne, cognacs and imported spirits extra. Seafood is served as a treat, not every night, for sustainability. Private dining on your deck is offered.
Access: No wheelchair access. Rooms are 10–40 m apart. Not suitable for guests with mobility issues.
Power and Wi-Fi: 220 V AC, 50 Hz; plug types C, D, M, N; adapters available. Wi-Fi in rooms on 3G.
Park rules: Drones are prohibited in Bazaruto Archipelago National Park. Conservancy/park fees and landing fees are extra.
Malaria: Mozambique is a malaria area; take medical advice.
Honeymoon offer: Go2Africa: 50% off one partner’s accommodation for travel 11 January 2026–10 January 2027, minimum two nights, within six months of marriage (certificate required). Not applicable to family cottages, family suites, villas and StarDune Suite on that offer wording.
What3Words: No published address found for this lodge (a nearby property on the same island has one; it was not copied across).
Who It's For
Honeymooners and couples in the cabanas; families (children of all ages, WILDchild, Casa Familia); divers and snorkellers bound for Two Mile Reef; riders who sit under 85 kg. Plan four nights. Not suitable for wheelchair users or anyone who needs a self-drive arrival. Mozambique is a malaria area.
Best Time to Visit
Open year-round. andBeyond recommends at least four nights. Year-round activities include snorkelling, diving, kayaking, riding, dhow cruises and the castaway picnic. Humpback whales are noted mid-June to mid-August; the brochure also flags whale watching June–December. Partner guides often treat May–September as the most settled weather.
