Angola

An off-the-beaten-track destination on Africa’s Atlantic coast, Angola’s strict visa policies mean that visitors tend to be limited to the most adventurous travellers. If you can get there, however, it’s bursting with a rich culture, complex colonial heritage, and a wild natural landscape which includes sub-Saharan desert, winding rivers braiding the country together, and tropical beaches.

A former Portuguese colony, Angola’s European influence can be seen clearly in capital Luanda. Landmark architecture includes the 16th-century Fortaleza de São Miguel, a sturdy defensive structure and Luanda’s oldest surviving building. It’s now home to a military museum. Sunshine-yellow Palácio de Ferro was designed by the Eiffel Tower’s architect, and the city is sprinkled with colonial-era churches such as the 17th-century Igreja de Nossa Senhora de Nazaré. There’s also a strong Portuguese influence to be seen on the country’s diverse cuisine. South of Luanda, Kissama National Park is home to a wide range of wildlife, including antelope, elephants, water buffalo and sea turtles, and its savannah grassland is flecked with twisting baobab trees. In Lubango, rock formations such as the Tunda-Vala Volcanic Fissure create a dramatic landscape. Angola is also home to Ruacana Falls, which at 120 metres high and 700 metres wide is one of the largest waterfalls in Africa.