Angola Weather, climate and geography

Weather and climate

Best time to visit

The north of the country is hot and wet during the summer months (November to April); winters are slightly cooler and mainly dry. The south is hot throughout much of the year with a slight decrease in temperature in winter (May to October). Overall, the best time to visit Angola is from June to September when rainfall is low and days are warm and sunny.
 

Required clothing

Lightweight cottons and linens throughout the year in the south. Tropical clothing for summers in the north. Nights can be cold, so warm clothing should be taken. Waterproofing is advisable for the rainy season throughout the country.

Geography

Angola is bordered by the Democratic Republic of Congo to the north, Zambia to the east, Namibia to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Mountains rise from the coast, levelling to a plateau which makes up most of the country. The country is increasingly arid towards the south; the far south is on the edge of the Namib Desert. The northern plateau is thickly vegetated. Cabinda is a small enclave to the north of Angola proper, surrounded by the territories of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Congo. The discovery of large oil deposits off the coast of the enclave has led to it becoming the centre of Angola's foreign business interests. The oil industry is based primarily at Malongo.