Angola

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Entry posted by korver · August 16, 2020

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Angola is a nation of 30 million whose varied terrain encompasses tropical Atlantic beaches, a labyrinthine system of rivers and surrounding landscapes that extends across the border into Namibia. The country's colonial history is reflected in its Portuguese-influenced cuisine and its landmarks - many of which were built to defend its capital city of Luanda, which was founded in 1576. Angola's broad landscapes and long history makes it a truly unique country - lets take a trip and explore what this country has to offer.

Our journey begins with a visit to rural Angola - in much of the country's wind swept, semi-arid interior, small traditional houses can be seen dotting the landscape. For any traveler or local crossing these lands though, it's important to take caution - decades of civil war have left countless land mines strewn across the landscape.

Angola is home to many incredible natural wonders, and the first of which that we'll be exploring can be found alongside the country's Atlantic coastline. The Miradouro da Lua, or "Viewpoint of the Moon' is a unique, rocky landscape with a true lunar appearance overlooking the ocean. The stunning red, orange, and white limestone pinnacles here are one of the country's most unique destinations.

Angola is also home to some truly powerful and impressive waterfalls. The Kalandula Falls straddle the mighty Lucala River in northern Angola - rising 344 feet high and 1,300 feet wide, they are one of the largest waterfalls by volume in the area and their steam can be seen rising from miles away.

Another one of Angola's most unique natural wonders can be found at Pungo Andongo. The Black Rocks at Pungo Andongo are a series of mysterious rock formations, many incredibly and spectacularly shaped in the form of animals, standing high above the landscape below.

We travel deeper into central Angola - and in the Moxico Province, a huge plateau gives way to a labyrinthine system of rivers, a truly mesmerizing sight when seen from space.

After exploring inland Angola's wonders, we head for the shoreline - where large crude oil rigs can be seen dotting the waters. Angola is one of the world's largest oil-producing countries and an OPEC member with output of approximately 1.4 million barrels of oil per day and an estimated 18,000 million cubic feet of natural gas production. Almost 75 percent of the oil production comes from off-shore fields.

For the final leg of the journey, we'll be exploring the country's bustling capital city of Luanda. Fishing is an important economic activity here along it's large harbour and Atlantic shoreline - the locals have made a living off these waters for centuries.

One of Luanda's defining geographical features is Ilha do Cabo - typically known as Ilha de Luanda. This spit off the shore of Luanda, consists of a low sandy strip formed by sedimentation and is dotted with small fishing villages and slums. This island also has a long history - When Paulo Dias de Novais, a Portuguese navigator, arrived here in 1575 with several hundred soldiers and settlers, the island was inhabited by the Axi-lwanda, a subgroup of the Ambundu people which was tributary to the Kongo Empire. The island was an important location to collect zimbo, the shells that constituted the currency of the Kongo king before the arrival of the Portuguese. The Portuguese settled here for a while, gaining control of the currency, before they decided to establish themselves on the mainland, opposite the island. They started to use the name of the native inhabitants as a name for the island and the town - spelling it first "Loanda" and then "Luanda".

The tour concludes with a trip to Downtown Luanda - a part of the city with a unique mix of modern highrises and colonial architecture overlooking the city's busy harbour.