Explore Angola Beach & Wildlife Safari

Located on the West coast of Southern Africa, Angola is situated in a sub tropical zone, boasting excellent beaches and vegetation with a vast diversity of animal and plant species. This tour takes you to several of the top highlights on offer in Angola.

Starting off in the lush Lubango and heading to Namibe's Flamingo Lodge, a fishing haven that also offers great snorkelling beautiful beaches.

Take a 4x4 beach drive along sandy beaches on our way to Foz du Cunene and Iona National Park, home to the Himba Tribe and interesting wildlife.

Visit the Ruacana Falls, which is quite a spectacle, before crossing into Namibia where we explore Etosha National Park and continue to our final stop, Windhoek.

DAY 1: Lubango – Angola

Upon arrival at Lubango Airport in Angola, you will be met by a guide and transferred to our lodge for the evening.  We take a tour of Lubango town, ending with scenic sundowner drinks at Tundavalle. Tundavalle is a must see in the city of Lubango.  This volcanic fissure climbs to 2600m (8528 ft) above sea level and offers breathtaking views from above the clouds on the edge of the escarpment overlooking rolling hills.

Meal Plan: Dinner
Distance: 100 km
Accommodation: Camping at a lodge in Lubango

DAY 2: Lubango to Namibe Desert – Angola

Lubango is set in a lush tropical valley with a statue of Christ built high on the cliffs overlooking the city.  Rich in colonial architecture, and a fusion of African influences, Lubango has a variety of interesting bars and restaurants, many of which have a rich Portuguese heritage.

After breakfast we pack up camp and visit the iconic statue of Christ, which towers over the city keeping watch night and day.  This statue is only one of three in the world and is a replica of the one in Rio de Janeiro – considered one of the few remaining public works signalling hope and peace.  After this excursion offering fantastic photo opportunities at the top of the breathtaking Serra de Leba pass, we make our way down the winding mountain road.  Designed by a woman, the pass twists its way down the mountain from a height of 1845 meters above sea level.

We continue our journey west towards Namibe, leaving the lushness of Lubango behind us as we enter the desert terraine of the coast. Before arriving to Flamingo Lodge, we stop at Lake Arco – a hidden treasure located within a canyon. At the lake we stop and relax at the water’s edge and enjoy some bird watching. We then head for Flamingo Lodge, where we set up camp and prepare for dinner.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Distance: 330 km                
Accommodation: Overnight at Flamingo lodge (camping with ablutions & hot water)

DAY 3: Flamingo Lodge Campsite in Namibe – Angola

Day three of the Explore Angola Safari is spent relaxing and exploring the fascinating area around Flamingo Lodge.  The fishing on this coastline is legendary and well worth a try. We take a drive into the nearby canyon to hike and explore – hopefully seeing some families of Black-backed Jackals along the way. Our overnight accommodation is located along a 70km stretch of uninhabited coast. This coastal area supports virtually untouched fish populations and highly diverse desert landscapes containing some particularly beautiful areas. Indulge in a day of fishing, snorkelling, or just relaxing on the beach, enjoying the open space and clear blue skies.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Distance:    30 km                
Accommodation: Overnight at Flamingo lodge (camping with ablutions     & hot water)

DAY 4 & 5: Flamingo Lodge to Foz du Cunene – Angola

We will depart Flamingo Lodge for Foz du Cunene, with our departure time depending on the tide. On our way to Foz du Cunene we stop at Baia dos Tigres, where we spend a night camping in the dunes. One of the highlights of this tour is the exhilarating 230km drive on the beach.  Driving on the beach is a unique experience not permitted in most countries, and it makes this specific journey hugely exciting.  This beach drive can only be done at Spring tide, when there is enough land exposed. The coast is bordered by high dunes that drop precipitously into the sea, leaving only a narrow stretch of sand between the ocean and the dunes. We squeeze the vehicles between the ocean waves and enormous sand dunes on this exhilarating coastal drive.

On our way from Flamingo lodge, we pass two shipwrecks, one a quite recent addition to the coastline. Numerous green oases flank the dunes, and near the southern end of Baia dos Tigres, there are vast lagoons teeming with fish and birds such as Pelicans and Flamingos.

Day five brings this exciting journey to completion, as we finally arrive in Foz du Cunene, where the dunes subside and the beach widens. We take the remainder of the day to explore the area and the river mouth. The evening is spent camping at a Foz du Cunene campsite, protected from the wind.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Distance:    250 km            
Accommodation: Day 4: Camping in the dunes / Day 5: Overnight at Foz do Cunene (campsite with basic ablutions & hot water)

DAY 6: Iona National Park – Angola

Leaving the coastline, we enter Iona National Park, called the Parque National du Iona locally. This outstanding drive takes us through scenery similar to the Koako Veld (a famous area in Northern Namibia) a magnificent area to pass through. We stop to explore the hundreds of Welwitchia’s lining our route, as the desert changes from an endless sandy desert to rocky landscapes.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Distance: 165 km                
Accommodation: Overnight Bush camp in open plains with no facilities

DAY 7: Iona National Park – Angola

Today we take a long and leisurely journey, with some exciting 4x4 driving along the way.  The scenery on this trip changes dramatically from large open plains to Mopane forests.  We pass some interesting rock formations, and hope to see our first signs of the nomadic Himba people.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Distance: 155 km                
Accommodation: Overnight Bush camp in a dry riverbed, with no facilities

DAY 8: Iona National Park to Ruacana – Namibia    

Day eight of the Explore Angola Beach & Wildlife Safari takes us on an interesting drive, past a major stand of enormous Baobab trees. With some imagination – and compared to the predominant vegetation of bush and grass – this patch could be seen as a forest. This “Baobab Forest” is home to many Prehistoric stones, left untouched on the ground by the ancestors of local villagers.  We will have plenty of time to stop and experience the culture of the Himba people who live in the area.  These nomadic people of Angola are completely untouched by modern society and live with very little.

Leaving Angola behind us, we pay a quick visit to the Ruacana Falls, located on the border of Namibia and Angola. The falls are mostly controlled by a dam upstream and they provide fresh water to the northern part of Namibia and the southern part of Angola. They are a valuable source of hydroelectric power and a main attraction in Namibia. The falls are about 120 m deep and 700 m wide, but these days water gushes over the falls only after particularly good rains, when the sluice gates have to be opened. Otherwise the water is fed through the turbines of the hydroelectric power station.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Distance: 145 km                
Accommodation: Overnight at Ruacana Eha Lodge.  Camping with ablutions

DAY 9: Ruacana to Etosha National Park – Namibia

We depart early, making our way to Etosha National Park, one of Namibia's top game parks, through the North gate. We arrive at Namutoni Camp during the hottest part of the day to rest and swim. Later in the day we take an afternoon game drive in Etosha National Park in search of wildlife.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Distance: 415 km                
Accommodation: Overnight at Namutoni or similar

DAY 10: Etosha National Park – Namibia

We enjoy a morning and afternoon game drive in Etosha National Park, as well as the luxury of hot showers! Etosha is home to around 150 mammal species, including several rare and endangered species such as the black rhino, black-faced impala, tssesebe and gemsbok.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Distance: 200 km
Accommodation: Overnight at Namutoni or similar

DAY 11: Etosha National Park to Windhoek – Namibia

An early morning departure will take us to Windhoek, where we relax at the Roof of Africa Lodge after our travels.

Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch
Distance: 540 km
Accommodation: Overnight at Roof of Africa

DAY 12: Windhoek – Namibia

After breakfast at the lodge, the diverse Explore Angola Safari comes to an end and you will be transferred to the airport for your onward flight.

Meal Plan: Breakfast