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Angola & Mozambique
June 13 to 26, 2022
Led by Professional tour Manager David William
Including a day trip to “The Kingdom of Swaziland”

Located in southern Africa, Angola is the seventh largest country on the continent and one of the MOST EXPENSIVE countries in the world. It is bordered by Namibia to the south, the Congo in the north, Zambia to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The diverse ethnic communities such as the Mumuila and Mucubal, maintain their own cultural traits, traditions, and languages to varying degrees. In the cities, where slightly more than half of the population now lives, you will find a mixed culture that has been emerging since colonial times. In this urban society, since its foundation in the 16th century, the Portuguese heritage has become more and more dominant. However, African roots are evident in music and dance, and is molding the way in which Portuguese is spoken. This process is well reflected in contemporary Angolan literature, especially in the works of Angolan authors. On this tour, you will explore a land that the modern world has yet to discover. As you make your way inland, the landscape becomes almost endless plains.

From there, you will fly nonstop to another former colony of the Portuguese. With cities of colonial splendor, a golden coast scattered with balmy beaches, and cuisine packed with sizzle and spice, Mozambique is a magical part of Mother Africa. It is endowed with rich and extensive natural resources. The country's economy is based largely on agriculture, but its industry is growing mainly from the food and beverage industry, chemical manufacturing, and aluminum and petroleum production. The tourism sector is also expanding. The only official language of Mozambique is Portuguese, which is spoken mostly as a second language by about half of the population.

Lesotho, officially the "Kingdom of Lesotho", is an enclaved country within the border of South Africa. Known as the Kingdom in the Sky because of its lofty altitude — it has the highest lowest point of any country in the world (4,590 ft.) and is the only country to be entirely above 3,200 feet!

Optional extension to Lesotho (June 25 to 28, 2022) & Cabinda (June 10 to 12, 2022)

Trip Grade:
II Active - Some hikes, slightly more demanding walks at or to sites, dusty conditions, primitive WC facilities on roads and in villages, comfortable but busy schedule and some long rides.

LODGING Level:
** -*** Moderate to Superior: most Lodges and hotels have decent amenities, refined service and comfort level acceptable to western standards. 

Special Trip Remarks:
Air: The trip schedule is based on Air France (Delta) via Paris with a long layover in Charles DE Gaulle airport and a very early morning arrival in Luanda on June 16th. Other options are available via Johannesburg on South African Airways or Ethiopian Airlines via Addis or Emirates via Dubai but may require additional nights in Luanda upon arrival or departure. We may also need to make some adjustments to the dates of the trip if necessary to match air schedules.

Luggage issues: Please note we do not have any space for large hard luggage in the cars, so the hard luggage will be left in Luanda in a secure place - clients will, however, have access to their hard luggage on certain days. In between, they should bring strong soft/duffle bags if possible (preferably without wheels). These soft bags will go in the rear (trunk) of the car and there will be space to have a small day pack with you in the car, as well.

Required attitude: Angola is our newest and latest pioneering destination and is considered a novice in tourism and their infrastructure is quite underdeveloped and hence participants must understand and agree that by joining this trip, they are willing to be flexible and will go with the flow if sudden changes or adjustments need to be made. We might have to alter or change the tour sequence, itinerary, accommodations, and facilities depending on many factors and unforeseen impositions by different players. In Angola, things won’t always work as we’re accustomed to them working at home. Travelling in underdeveloped and unnourished destinations requires both patience and a sense of humor.

On Angola & Luanda: The capital city of Angola was the world's most expensive capital city as recently as 2017, as Luanda benefited from the nation’s oil and mineral wealth. But although modernity shows in some areas along mega-development projects, most residents live a life apart from the glitz and glamour of the new skyscrapers. This growth, combined with years of war, has seen the city become a sprawling mass of buildings and people.

Road conditions: They are often poorly maintained and distances between sites of interest can be long. Traveling in Africa can be tiring; it also can be hot and dusty. We aim to solve issues that arise quickly. Outside the capital very few hotels or accommodations options exist so please know we do book the best we can but
sometimes the best isn’t what you would expect. Bathroom facilities in smaller villages and towns can be very poorly maintained and on long drives we often opt to use the wilderness and bush pit stops.