Quiçama National Park (Kissama)

Today we roused early to be picked up at 0500 and join with BP colleagues for a mini-safari trip to Kissama National Park, 70kms from Luanda.

After a later than planned start (another driver lost car keys so had to get another car) we were on our way.

On the way we saw countless car wrecks, abandoned on the side of the road, and this tank, a relic of war-time Angola.

War-time relic

UK Prince Harry who visited Angola shortly after we moved here observed that
the war may be over but many people are still unable to resume their normal lives, facing the threat of death or injury by landmines every day. The Prince was following in his late mother, Princess Diana's, footsteps who famously brought the landmine topic to the fore of the international world.
Despite huge efforts since the war ended in 2002 to clear the explosives, the country remains one of the most heavily mined in the world - we see witness to this with the numerous people maimed with lost limbs.

On arrival at Kissama our drivers took us a further 50km into the reserve to board our truck.

Off an an adventure

The National Park sprawls over 3 million acres and was once home to hoards of elephants and giant sable. War-time poaching saw the animals greatly depleted so in early 2000's the largest 'Noah's Ark' transfer of animals from other African countries to Kissama enabled the Park to begin flourishing again.

We loved seeing the landscape from our truck.

We saw countless deer and a few monkeys on arrival.

Bambie hiding

Termite hill

But it was the view of Mama Giraffe and her calf that got us all excited - very beautiful creatures with unique markings.

Inquisitive giraffe

Standing tall

We saw Wildebeest...

It was a thrill to then see this fella around the corner...he was a bit grumpy and not photo-friendly but he was my first elephant!

Leave me alone will you?

Stunning view of the River Kwanze.

Beautiful panorama