Travelling in Angola spoils all your senses, the pace is slow and makes you enjoy the small things in life. Travelling here is not easy and things never go to plan, but if you like adventure, excitement, contact with ancient traditions, different tribes and cultures, this is the country for you.

You don’t travel here because of monuments or museums but for the journey itself, never the destination.

Benguela – Huambo – Bie in the route of Angola’s up-country

Here is a suggestion of a route that you could do when travelling the country. From Benguela to Bié stopping in remote villages and towns. I promise you will find a  beautiful and unspoiled country still far away from hustle and bustle.

Benguela – Huambo – Bie

During my trip, people were nice but always suspicious, which is perfectly understandable because the country still remains closed off for travellers, and seeing one in some areas is completely unexpected.  I need to say that being a Portuguese speaker helped a lot.

Angola still has some tribes that had minimal contact with the outside world.

Angola’s up-country, is still very unspoiled and rural, outside the big cities houses are made of natural materials like mud bricks, there is no electricity, running water or sanitation.

Populations live from what the land gives, they lack access to school, health care and have big matriarchal families.
Angola’s up-country has an astonishing natural beauty, strong colours, smells and great warm weather.

photography – all rights reserved – Ana Rocha