Angola Trip: Unknown tourist area from Kalay to Derrico

Traveling from Namibia to Angola was an absolute wild card. All we really know is that this southern African country was a Portuguese colony for about 400 years and was embroiled in a decades-long civil war until 2002. To plan this trip to Angola, we figured we’d be arriving in the border town of Rundu, Namibia, to gather some local information about getting to and around the neighboring town of Kalay… but we couldn’t find anyone who was! Google Maps made it look like you had to drive eight hours away to cross the river, and Booking.com stopped zero Hotel results…but this made us even more curious and eager to explore southern Angola!

The border crossing between Namibia and Angola is in Kalay

We crossed the footbridge over the Okavango River, and bid farewell to Namibia and Ola To Angola. The immigration officer spoke only Portuguese, so we explained in our best pidgin that our four-day trip to Angola was for “ferias” (holiday purposes) and we heard that gentle sound of a stamp hitting our passport. We may have been “in” but we had no idea what we were getting into.

A fleet of moto taxis waved at us. So, with no cars in sight, our only option was to hitch a ride with a stranger and hope we were headed to the same place. froroomwe drove down the sandy roads into the center of Kalay: two streets of shops, an outdoor market, a Portuguese bar… and one guest house!

Where to stay in Kalay

We opened the tall gate of the fortified Tchingwali Guest House and were delighted to find a tropical garden, a full restaurant, and beautiful rooms with air conditioning and en suite bathrooms for $16. Who knew?! As vegetarians who don’t speak Portuguese, it was a little difficult to figure out the best vegetarian option. Maize porridge is the basis of most meals in South Africa and has many names (pap, ugali, fungi, etc.) and is often prepared thick enough to pick up the accompanying vegetables and meat. We asked mushroomsEnjoy it with sides of wild spinach with peanuts and slow-cooked beans. After the meal, we ordered another round of Coke beer, just because we loved the local tradition Cervija And a bottle opener delivered via a wicker basket.

Government permission to explore

We knew Kalay wasn’t a tourist destination, but with the famous Okavango River, we figured there would be some water adventures in our future. We asked our guest house where we could arrange a boat trip and they said: “Nowhere we know of, maybe ask at the pier.” They ignored the part that said the “harbour” was actually a naval base, and weren’t very friendly to unannounced visitors.

After meeting with several officers and receiving a long series of questions (“Are you trying to cross into Namibia? Why do you want to take a canoe if you’re not fishing? Are you a good swimmer? You know the river is full of crocodiles, right?”), they warmed to our idea of ​​a dugout boat trip with a local fisherman… they even wanted a selfie to commemorate our trip!

Kayaking hideaway on the Okavango River

We donned our fire department life jackets and joined Segunda on his first foray into river guiding. He had never had passengers on his boat before, but he knew the river by heart and showed us the interesting eddies, beautiful islands and hippopotamus hiding spots. We gave him a great tip and shared (the best!) malasada cupcakes to celebrate what would just become a new chapter in his career as an aquaman. To help make this happen, we introduced it to the Tchingwali Guesthouse team so they can send future guests on an Okavango boat expedition with the beautiful Segunda!

Road trip south of Angola

Now arrange a road trip to explore more of Angola! There were only a few non-government vehicles in town, and the best truck happened to be parked at our guesthouse. We went out on a limb and asked the car owner, Peter, if he would like to take us around the southern Angola countryside. This unexpected request was met with an even bigger offer to join him the next day on his 120 km journey to Dereko with a stop to meet one of the Queens of Kwando-Kubango Province! We had been warned that it would be a long day and a hard road, but to us it seemed like a great opportunity. We took a road trip down a single-lane highway, built by the Portuguese a century ago and covered in deep sand and dense brush. Between the walls of bushes, we looked out over the mighty Okavango River, the occasional cluster of mud-thatched huts, and fields of pearl millet to take in the stunning scenery.

Visit with the Queen of Motango

To learn about local life and agriculture, there was no better person to meet than Queen Katerina! She graciously showed us her village and farm, and how she peels and chews sugarcane like a boss! Our education in Angola continued in the car while I peppered Peter with questions. (I was speaking to him in Spanish and he was responding in Portuguese, and surprisingly we understood each other enough to have some deep conversations.) during Angolan Civil WarHis father was a general in the rebel UNITA party, which was based in Cuando-Kubango province.

Peter told us that southern Angola used to be teeming with wildlife, from elephants to lions to giraffes to cheetahs, but fighting has pushed most of it to safety in Namibia. Although the war ended more than 20 years ago, countless landmines still litter the province, and he lamented that Angola had not yet gotten back on its feet. Corruption may be rampant and infrastructure lacking, but it is clear that you cannot break the spirit of the Angolan people!

Derico: Where rivers meet

After a four-hour journey, countless hits from overgrown bushes and surrender to cows, we reached the town of Derico. Located on top of a hill where the Quito River meets the Cubango River, it is a beautiful location and a delightful place. The town square is anchored by its namesake sign and its park, which includes a cute elephant and hippopotamus statue. Adults and children alike were playing soccer, and we could hear the church choir practicing.

We entered the market to buy some food and drinks (the first store we’d seen all day), and a group of teenage girls swept me away like a long-lost friend. “Selfie, selfie,” they shouted. What started as a photo op turned into an impromptu dance and laughter session.

Angola trip…worth it!

Before facing the dark, sandy road back to Kalay, we took a moment to enjoy the sunset at the bridge over the Cuanavale River. Fishermen hugged the fence and, using only a stick and line, were catching tigerfish of epic proportions. The kids were cheering with every catch. Peter, Mike, and I sipped our N’gola cervejas, raised warm beers over the sparkling pink waters, and toasted an unforgettable trip and a new friendship.

Travel advice in southern AngolaQ

• Rondo-Kalai border crossing: From Rundu, Namibia, it’s a 15-minute taxi ride to this river border post. After completing your exit paperwork on the Namibian side, walk across the floating bridge to the Angola Immigration Office. No visa or entry fees are required.
• Time change: Note that there is a time difference of one hour between Angola and Namibia. Both borders are open during the same hours, 8am to 5pm Angolan time.
• language: Portuguese is the official language of Angola, with 47 recognized local languages. There is a limited amount of English spoken in southern Angola, but between that and/or Spanish, people can often understand, if you speak slowly. Since I only know a few words in Portuguese, I was speaking Spanish with Portuguese phonetic inflections, and it worked well…especially when combined with an offline version of Google Translate’s Portuguese dictionary! Make sure to download it before you go!
• money: The Angolan kwanza (Kz) is the national currency, trading at 917 KZ to 1 USD. In Kalay and Dereko, the Namibian dollar is widely accepted, so we never needed to exchange money. Southern Angola is incredibly affordable, with our hotel costing us $16 a night, a meal $2, and a beer $1.
• Contact: Wi-Fi and cell reception are difficult to get in southern Angola. If you have a Namibian SIM card, you should pick up the signal in Kalay. It’s best to download maps, currency conversions, and media you may need before you go.
• communications: Most people who come to southern Angola from Namibia arrive by 4×4 overland vehicles for camping adventures. This would undoubtedly be a fun and easier option, but we’re happy to report on this trip to Kalay He can This can be done on foot, by taxi, or by befriending someone with a car, haha.

We embarked on this trip to Angola with no expectations and some stress, but were met with pure kindness and unbridled adventure…which is exactly what we dream of in travel! We hope you too can take the road less traveled to southern Angola.