Maputo Carnival, Mozambique

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What is the Maputo Carnival?

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The Maputo Carnival is a celebration held every year in the capital of Mozambique. The event intends to position itself as the largest carnival nationwide. In addition, it wishes to become a global tourist attraction to congregate thousands of people in a free and outdoor celebration with ambiance, music and dancing.

Maputo Carnivals seek topromote Mozambican culture through the performance of musical pieces and dance by eachparticipating school, helping to position the culture internationally. The schools and students participate in an innovative project of a recreational, artistic and cultural nature, promoting a healthy and competitive environment among them.

 

 

Carnival in Maputo constantly competes with theCarnival of Quelimane to become an event recognized both nationally and internationally. Today the Maputo Carnival is held in the streets of the city and continues the parties in some clubs and bars. It also includes the participation of 3,000 dancers and 9,000 visitors from various parts of the country and the region.

 

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When is the Maputo Carnival?

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Carnival in Maputo is generally celebrated between the month of February and the month of March.

 

 

History of the Maputo Carnivals

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The carnival in Maputo has been restructured and improved, celebrating its first edition in 2014 by SAPO Moçambique, STV, the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Tourism, Municipality and private entities.

Today the carnival has the participation of 16 high schools, which organize groups to rehearse and carry out dance performances during the carnival celebrations.

 

Where is the Maputo Carnival

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The carnival is held in the capital of the country known as Maputo. This city is located in the south of Mozambique.

Maputo has an area of 347.7 square kilometers, home to at least 1 million people.

 

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How is the Maputo Carnival celebrated

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Maputo carnivals consist of several events, one of them is the main parade with the participation of 16 high schools from the city of Maputo and the city of Matola. During the parade the students mustprepare and perform different dance pieces to the accompaniment musical wearing colorful costumes and masks. In addition, the carnivals feature live performances,animation, dancers, DJ’s andconcerts at different points in the city.

The carnivals have the presence of judges, who will evaluate the presentations taking into consideration the theme of the group presentations, choreographic creativity, synchronicity of the participants of the groups and originality and confection of the costumes. In addition, people can also vote through the different platforms and SMS. The winning school carries with it a generouscash prize.

There are also spaces foreating and drinking different dishes of Mozambican cuisine. Each food stall has its own dishes and price tags, as well as providing seating and tables.

 

Tips for going to the Maputo Carnivals

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If you want to see the Maputo Carnivals in person, we advise you to plan and book your travel and accommodation in advance and make an itinerary of activities.

Also, try to stay hydrated and wear sunscreen, as the weather is somewhat hot during the carnival celebrations.

 

Events in Maputo Carnival

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On the first day of festivities, the schools begin to prepare at 10 am to start the parade. Each school has a padrino or madrina, who is in charge of the logistical arrangements of the presentations, as well as keeping them animated and advising them. Usually the godfather or godmother is someone from the entertainment milieu and already has a musical or artistic background.

 

 

Around 12:00 pm or 1:00 pm the school groupings begin to come out and perform their choreographies accompanied by musical arrangements. Each grouping has at least a dozen students who must bring with them a dress and mask. The different elements of the presentation by the students are meticulously evaluated by the judges to give the verdict of the winner at the end of the event.

Finally, on the second day of the festivities, the different musical performances, DJs and dance performances take place. The artists perform on the different stages and stages to entertain the visitors. Once the presentations are over, the winner of the carnivals is announced and the festivities culminate.

 

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Maputo Carnival Parades

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The parade consists of the participation of the 16 schools of the city of Maputo and the city of Matola. Each group has 10 minutes of presentation, in which they must perform a complete choreography accompanied by musical arrangements or live performances by their sponsor. Participants must wear costumes or disguises along with their respective masks, as they will be elements that will be taken into consideration for the evaluation by the jury.

 

Parade route

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The parade takes place in the “Sapódromo” which is set up from Avenida10 de Novembroand ends at Avenida Marginal.

 

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What to eat at the Maputo Carnival

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One of the country’s traditional sweets is the Bolo Polana, a cake made of cashew nuts and potatoes. In addition, you can try the Rissóis de camarão, a kind of pie made with wheat flour and stuffed with shrimp.

Also, you can visit some restaurants that are located in the city. Some of these are: Zambi, Sagres Shellfish Restaurant and Piri-Piri.

 

 

Travel Insurance

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From Carnavalesdelmundo.org we recommend to hire a good insurance to visit this carnival and to know the rest of the country. For being our readers we offer a 5% discount on all IATI insurances. Read more information about all insurance offers here:

 

 

What to see and do inside the Maputo Carnival

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Within the carnivals you can see all the presentations of the schools that perform their own choreographies with dances, masks and music. Also, the day after the parade, there are different musical presentations that you can attend, different artists of great national recognition perform.

If you don’t want to complicate things, here you can book interesting excursions in Spanish in this city:.

 

What to see and do outside the Maputo Carnivals

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Some of the most famous attractions in the city and its adjacencies are:

 

Chapel of St. Anthony

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It is a temple located in the province of Nampula. The temple was built in the 16th century and has been declared a Unesco World Heritage Site.

 

Cathedral of Nossa Senhora da Imaculada Conceição

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It is a temple located in Praça da Independência. Its construction was carried out between 1936 and 1944, covering a height of 61 meters.

 

Ilha da Inhaca

It is an island located in the south of the country, in the vicinity of the bay of Maputo. It has a great variety of flora and about 160 species of corals.

Also if you want to visit museums and important buildings in this city we recommend that you book your entrance ticket in advance through Tiquets: .

 

Safety at the Maputo Carnival

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The city of Maputo is relatively safe. However, some armed crimes are committed on the streets, especially in some areas of the city. Ask locals for advice on which parts of the city to avoid.

It is always a good idea to keep your valuables in a safe place to avoid theft and misplacement. Also, we recommend the following products to keep your valuables safe:

 

 

Weather at the Maputo Carnival

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The city of Maputo on carnival dates is somewhat hot, with temperatures ranging from 22 to 31 degrees Celsius.

 

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How to get to Maputo Carnival

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How to get there by plane

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The Maputo International Airport is the main airport of the city and the country. From here you can use the different means of transport to get to the city center of Maputo.

We recommend buying airline tickets through Kiwi.com or Skyscanner where they are usually cheaper. More information on this link to review Kiwi.com..

 

How to get there by train

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In the town of Ressano Garcia, near the border with South Africa, you can take a train that takes you directly to the city.

 

How to get there by bus

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From Johannesburg you can take a train to Maputo and other cities in Mozambique.

 

How to get there by car

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From the airport take Avenida Acordos from Lusaka to the city center. The journey takes 15 minutes.

From South Africa you can take the N4 road that connects to the city of Maputo.

 

Where to stay in Maputo Carnival

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Booking.com

 

Afrin Prestige Hotel

5-star hotel 1.4 km from the city center. Rooms feature satellite TV, air conditioning, minibar, balcony and private bathroom. Facilities include swimming pool, airport transfers, bar, gym, parking and free wifi.

 

Hotel Cardoso

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4-star hotel 2.4 km from the city center. Rooms feature cable TV, air conditioning and private bathrooms. The hotel offers swimming pool, restaurant, gym, airport transfers, wifi and private parking.

 

Taka-Taka

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2-star hotel 1.3 km from the city center. Rooms feature dining area, refrigerator, ironing set, TV and private bathroom. Facilities offer room service, restaurant, airport transfers, parking and free wifi.

We recommend you use Booking.com to book hotels at a good price, check more information here:.

 

Thank you for reading

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