Cruiser Crusin along
Angola is probably not on most travellers’ bucket lists but if you’re a lover of the outdoors and 4×4 driving, it really should be.
My dad once went to Angola, to fix helicopters during the Border War. I’m sure most South Africans have a similar story about a family member visiting this former Portuguese colony and many are happy if their connection with this African country ends at a memory similar to that.
Angola remains rough and unforgiving. If things go wrong, there is no Helivac, AA or NSRI; you’re on your own and need to sort yourself out. And therein lies the allure: it offers the recipe for real adventure. It is a big country, with limitless locations that need to be explored. This is why Angola is starting to rank higher on the list of must-visit places of 4×4 enthusiasts and adventure motorcyclists.
Angola achieved independence in 1975 but a few months before that, it entered into a period of civil war which lasted up until 2002. This extended war rendered hundreds of thousands of people homeless. It is estimated that up to one million lives were lost in fighting, which ended only when Unita leader Jonas Savimbi was killed in 2002.
The effects of this prolonged conflict can be seen throughout the country. Development is far behind other African countries and basic government structures and procedures are yet to be refined.
Angola is not yet geared for tourists, the country was ravaged by war and is slowly trying to rebuild itself. Its main income, from crude oil, has taken a knock as the oil price plummeted. Accommodation, even when basic, is expensive but beer and fuel are cheap, between R4 and R5 a litre.
The tar roads are in fair condition but extremely quiet,
