Mount Lico, Isolated mountain peak in Zambezia Province, Mozambique

Mount Lico is an inselberg in the Alto Molocue District of Zambezia Province, northern Mozambique, rising to about 1,100 metres above sea level. Its sheer rock walls, up to 700 metres above the surrounding countryside, enclose a volcanic crater whose old-growth rainforest covers only about 30 hectares.

The first documented scientific ascent took place in 2018 when a team of researchers and climbers reached the summit. This expedition brought the mountain to wider attention and sparked interest in understanding what lay within and atop this remote formation.

The only traces of human presence found on the summit were several pots, placed upside down at the source of a stream, possibly for religious reasons. They came to light during the May 2018 expedition led by Julian Bayliss, before which the forest was thought never to have been entered.

Reaching the summit requires technical climbing gear and proper skills due to the steep rock walls surrounding its base. Visitors planning an ascent should arrange guides familiar with the terrain who can help navigate the challenging route safely.

The 2018 expedition led by Julian Bayliss found several pots placed upside down at the source of a stream on the summit, possibly for religious reasons. This showed that people had reached the forest before the scientists, despite the 700-metre walls. The team also recorded new animal species, including a new kind of moth.