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A traditional dhow sailing Vilanculos Bay at sunset, Mozambique

Born here. Built here.

About EKAYA
Mozambique Tours.

A small Mozambican tour operator, run by people who actually live here.

EKAYA Mozambique Tours is a locally-owned tour operator in Vilanculos, Mozambique, founded in 2026 by Alfredo de Freitas, a Vilanculos local who has worked these waters his whole life. EKAYA runs island days in the Bazaruto Archipelago, ocean trips in Tofo, road transfers and rentals, all planned over WhatsApp with Alfredo himself.

The name EKAYA means “home” in Xitswa, the language of Vilanculos. That’s the feeling we’re after. Not a transaction, not a package. The kind of welcome you’d get from a friend who happens to live in one of the most beautiful corners of Africa.

Alfredo de Freitas, founder of EKAYA, in Vilanculos

Meet Alfredo de Freitas

A lifetime on these waters.

Alfredo de Freitas grew up on the beach at Vilanculos. As a kid he was already out on the water with his family, learning to read the wind, the tide and the fish from the men who’d done it their whole lives. Fishing came first. Then, as the islands started drawing more visitors, he moved into running boats, skippering dhows and speedboats out to Bazaruto, Benguerra, Magaruque and Santa Carolina.

These days he knows every reef, every sandbar, every island village. He knows which captain to call on a windy morning and which lodge owner will go out of their way for a guest. EKAYA is what happens when someone with that much local knowledge decides to welcome guests under his own name.

The captains, guides and lodges he sends you to are people he’s known for years, the ones he’d trust with his own family. And every booking runs through Alfredo, from first message to last sunset.

What EKAYA does

Islands, ocean, road. One local team.

EKAYA Mozambique Tours runs day trips and multi-day trips along Mozambique's southern coast, from the Bazaruto Archipelago down to Tofo, plus the transfers and cars that join them up.

Turquoise sandbanks of the Bazaruto Archipelago off Vilanculos

Vilanculos and Bazaruto island days

Island hopping, snorkelling, dhow sunsets, diving and fishing in the Bazaruto Archipelago. From $35 per person.

See Vilanculos tours
A whale shark swimming near the surface off Tofo

Tofo ocean trips

Whale sharks, humpback whales in season, diving and surf lessons on Praia do Tofo. From $24 per person.

See Tofo tours
The Maputo waterfront, one end of EKAYA's transfer routes

Private transfers

Private road transfers across southern Mozambique and over the border to South Africa, plus boat transfers to the Bazaruto islands.

See transfer routes
Santa Carolina island in the Bazaruto Archipelago

Multi-day trips

Several days across the coast, planned end to end. Tell us your dates and we build the trip around them.

See multi-day trips

How booking works

One message, one person.

Booking with EKAYA Mozambique Tours happens on WhatsApp, with Alfredo, in three steps.

  1. 1

    Tell us your dates

    Send your dates, who’s coming and what you’re into. Asking is always free.

  2. 2

    Alfredo sends a plan and a price

    Usually within a few hours, from Alfredo himself. What the day looks like, what’s included, what it costs.

  3. 3

    You go out with people he trusts

    Local captains and guides he has known for years. Alfredo stays on WhatsApp for the whole trip.

Who travels with us

Built around who you’re with.

Couples and honeymooners

Quiet sandbanks, sunset dhows and island days paced for two.

Honeymoon ideas

Families

Shallow-water snorkelling, calm boat days and plans that work with kids.

Family trips

Friends and small groups

Private trips for your group, so the day runs at your pace.

Group-friendly tours

Divers and ocean people

Reef dives in Bazaruto, big-animal dives and whale sharks in Tofo.

Diving in Tofo

The part we feel proudest of

The work and the money stay in the same town.

The captains we sail with live in Vilanculos. The lodges we send you to are run by people we know personally. School fees, boat repairs, the small businesses along the main road all benefit when bookings come straight to the people doing the work. It’s a small thing, but it’s a big part of why EKAYA exists.

Key facts

EKAYA at a glance.

Name
EKAYA (EKAYA Mozambique Tours)
What it is
A locally-owned tour operator
Founded
2026, in Vilanculos
Founder
Alfredo de Freitas, a Vilanculos native
Based
Vilanculos, Inhambane Province, Mozambique
Where we operate
Vilanculos, the Bazaruto Archipelago, Tofo and Inhambane, with transfers across southern Mozambique
What we run
Island days, Tofo ocean trips, transfers, car rental and multi-day trips
Prices
Tours from $24 to $300, listed on every tour page
Languages
English, Portuguese, Spanish, Xitswa
How to reach us
WhatsApp +258 83 529 5850, usually answered within a few hours

Common questions

About EKAYA

What is EKAYA?
EKAYA Mozambique Tours is a locally-owned tour operator in Vilanculos, Mozambique, founded in 2026 by Alfredo de Freitas. It runs island days in the Bazaruto Archipelago, ocean trips in Tofo, private transfers and multi-day trips, all booked over WhatsApp.
What does EKAYA mean?
EKAYA means “home” in Xitswa, the language of Vilanculos. We picked it because that’s what we want guests to feel from the minute they message us.
Who founded EKAYA?
EKAYA was founded in 2026 by Alfredo de Freitas, a Vilanculos local who has worked these waters his entire life, first fishing with his family, then as a skipper running island trips to the Bazaruto Archipelago. He started EKAYA because he loves showing people his hometown.
How much does EKAYA cost?
EKAYA tours run from $24 to $300. Island days in Vilanculos start at $35 per person and Tofo ocean trips at $24 per person. Every tour page lists its price and what’s included, and Alfredo confirms the total for your group on WhatsApp.
What does EKAYA offer?
EKAYA offers Vilanculos and Bazaruto island days, Tofo ocean trips, private transfers, car rental and multi-day trips along Mozambique’s southern coast.
Is EKAYA a local Vilanculos tour operator?
Yes. EKAYA is 100% locally owned and based in Vilanculos, Inhambane Province, the gateway to the Bazaruto Archipelago. Alfredo was born and raised here and still lives here, and every booking goes to him directly.
What languages do you work in?
English, Portuguese and Spanish for bookings and conversations. Alfredo also speaks Xitswa, the language of Vilanculos, which helps in the small island villages we stop in. If you’d rather write in another language, send the message anyway and we’ll figure it out.
Do you run all the tours yourselves?
We work with a small, hand-picked group of local captains, guides and lodges Alfredo has known for years. Every booking goes through him personally, so you’re talking to one person from first message to last sunset, not a booking platform.
How do I get in touch?
The fastest way is WhatsApp. Every message goes straight to Alfredo and we usually reply within a few hours. Email works too: [email protected].

Come home
to Mozambique.

Tell us when you’re coming and what you’re into. Alfredo will reply personally, usually within a few hours, with a rough plan, a price, and probably a photo of last night’s sunset.

Message Alfredo on WhatsApp

English · Portuguese · Spanish · Reply in a few hours

Chat with us