Located on the West Coast of Africa, Angola is a country of diverse landscapes, bordered as it is by the deserts of Nambia to the South and the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo to the North.

Angola still remains a mystery to most travellers with only the most adventurous daring to visit its shores. However, as infrastructure continues to improve in the country with the advent of new roads and the introduction of modern hotels, Angola is becoming easier to visit and explore.

And explore you should, as this magnificent country boasts Africa's second-largest waterfall, a number of national parks, beautiful lush forests, and an exceptionally long coastline with beaches aplenty. 

Getting to Angola

The main airlines that fly to Angola include the country's national carrier, TAAG Angola Airlines, as well as Emirates, Air Ethiopia, and TAP Portugal. Air France, Royal Air Maroc, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa, and Kenya Airways also offer limited services to the country. International flights will land in the capital of Luanda at the Quatro de Fevereiro International Airport.

While road conditions are being upgraded in the country, it can still be quite difficult to tourists to find their way around, and off the beaten track adventures may not be to everyone's liking. Thus this country is often best explored with a guide on a multi-day tour. 

Passport, visa, and other entry requirements to Angola

As of 2018, the majority of countries can receive a 30-day tourist visa on arrival in Angola. Your passport needs to also be valid for a minimum of six months and include two free blank pages. 

Travellers to Angola are also required to have a valid yellow fever certificate, a hotel booking, proof of funds for their booking, and a return air ticket. Transit visas for those travelling from Angola through to the DRC or Namibia can also be issued and these are valid for a maximum of five days.

The best time to visit Angola

Angola experiences a tropical climate with distinct wet and dry seasons, however as the coastline is met by the cool Benguela Current, temperatures here are mild all year round, more similar to the likes of California. The worst of the rains reach the country between February and March while the rest of the year remains fairly hot and dry. There is no real reason to speak of.

The forested areas up north can get very hot and humid between November and April so visitors to Angola may find the region more pleasant between May and October when the temperatures decrease and the rainfall abates.