NAMIBE

Namibe province is a province of Angola. Under Portuguese rule it was the Mocamedes District. It has an area of 57,091 sq km and had a 2014 census population of 471,613. The port and city of Namibe is the capital of the province with a population of 132,900 in 2004. Iona National Park lies within the province.

Geography and Wildlife

Namibe Province covers an area of 57,091 km², much of which is desert. The capital of the province is the city of Namibe, with the second city being Tômbua or Tómbwa (formerly Porto Alexandre). In the Namib Desert can be seen the rare Welwitschia mirabilis, “a strange plant with a giant root”, and also the Iona National Park. Lake Arco, a fresh-water oasis, is a stunning sight in the middle of the desert. Near the coast of the Bentiaba desert and in Iona National Park, Late Cretaceous fossils of sharks, turtles, mosasaurs, plesiosaurs and sauropods have been discovered.

Namib Desert

The Namib desert goes from the South of Angola to South Namibia and ranges 1600 km. This is one of the aridest regions in the world and where you will find the unique Welwitschias.

IMG_3876_namibe
Sunset on the Namibe’s Desert

Other Attractions

Tigres Bay is an isolated and uninhabited island in southern Angola. Since 1962 it has been the largest island south of the equator off the west African coast.

The former fishing island has a long history. In 1486 it was discovered by the Portuguese sailor Diogo Cão. Since the 1860s, when the first inhabitants moved there and established a fishing village called Tigres.

In 1962, the terrestrial connection was interrupted by a storm. This led to the interruption of the fresh water connection, which inaugurated the disappearance of the settlement. After the carnation revolution, the last settlers left the island in 1974.

Since then, the island is a ghost island and is constantly taken back by nature. This makes Baia dos Tigres a fascinating place for visitors. It is not easy to achieve. This abandoned place is a real gem for all adventurers.

 

Iona National Park is the largest national park in Angola and is located in the province of Namibe. The landscape is characterized by wild dunes, vast plains, rugged mountains, cliffs and the home of the famous Welwitchia plant, where some of them are more than 1000 years old. Not only the landscape of the national park, but also mammals such as elephants, lions, black rhinos, leopards, hyenas, ibex, kudu and zebras, are reasons to fascinate visitors.

Most interesting for visitors are the nomadic ethnic groups that live in this area. The Himba tribe is probably the most well-known ethnic group in this region. The other groups are the Ovahimba of Namibia, the Mucuroca and the Mucubal people.

Also famous in this region are the ancient rock paintings by Tchitundo-hulo. The area is very rich in culture and has not yet been discovered by foreigners and Angolan citizens. A real adventure for everyone who wants to experience an extraordinary trip.

lobster---namibe
Lobster in Namibe’s Restaurant

 


Find Your Tour

choose destination