Central Mozambique

During the 15th century, the central provinces of Sofala, Manica, Tete, and Zambezia were well known to Indian and Indonesian traders, who came here looking for gold. Ancient kingdoms with access to the Indian Ocean and its trading ports flourished along the Zimbabwean border including the Kingdom of Monomotapa, believed to be the site of the legendary King Solomon’s Mines. Today, the main reason for visiting this part of the country is to discover Gorongosa National Park. Beira, capital of Sofala, is Mozambique’s second biggest city and largest port, but unless you’re using it as a stopover en route to Gorongosa, there’s not a lot to recommend it other than its great seafood.