Best Time to Visit Angola

Luanda and the rest of Angola

Our data covers Luanda, so that's where the detail comes from. The capital sits on the Atlantic coast, where the sea keeps things drier than you'd guess for a country this close to the equator. The best months are June to October.

Angola is big, though, and the north, the central highlands and the south all behave differently. Around Huambo and Lubango, the highlands are cooler and rain falls more heavily in the wet season. If you're heading inland, expect the same broad pattern but a bit more mud and a bit more cloud. Check the region before you book internal flights.

The main seasons

There are two seasons. The dry season, called cacimbo (a cool, often misty, overcast spell), runs roughly May to September. In Luanda, mornings can be grey and the afternoons mild. It's the most comfortable time for walking the Ilha do Luanda seafront, visiting the Fortaleza de São Miguel, or driving south to Miradouro da Lua, the moon-like cliffs.

The wet season is warmer and stickier. February is the hottest month in Luanda at 31°C, and April is the wettest at 77 mm. Heavy downpours can flood roads in the city, and traffic is bad at the best of times. Plan extra time for getting anywhere.

Holidays, crowds and high season

Angola doesn't have a tourist high season like Zanzibar or Cape Town. Business travel drives most demand, so hotels in Luanda can be full and pricey whenever there's a major conference or oil-industry event, whatever the weather.

Carnival in February or March is the big cultural date. Luanda's parades are lively and colourful, but the heat is at its peak, so you'll sweat through it. Independence Day on 11 November is another national holiday, with ceremonies and some closed offices. Christmas and New Year bring family travel, and buses and flights fill up.

If you want quiet roads and easier travel, go in the dry months. If you love festivals and don't mind the heat, aim for Carnival.