Calandula Falls — Attraction in Calandula

INCREDIBLE CALANDULA FALLS Some say it’s the journey that matters not the destination. But traveling to see Calandula waterfalls is mixed. What we thought was a 5.5 hour & 370km journey from Luanda took actually 7 hours. Be warned that 60% of the roads don’t exist with a mix of dirt roads, detours, numerous pot holes and damaged section of roads. If you visit the dry season, then be prepared for the dust and dirt and if its wet season, then most sections will be waterlogged and bog. If going for a day trip start by 4:30am from Luanda and return from falls by max. 2:30pm. With darkness driving back becomes perilous. Ensure you have a good car with good ground clearance. Now for the good side, traveling by road can bring you closer to the rural side of Angola. We could not help but admire for their hardiness and the will to survive despite the toughest conditions. It is beautiful for those who can appreciate it. At the falls point, we hired two guides ( just to support local content) and went to base of the falls. This trek is not for all. The climb down to the base and slight climb up is through forest, swamp, slippery tree wines, rocks etc with no dedicated pathway. Going there during wet season when river is in spate is not advisable. But the guides are amazing they will definitely take good care of you. Don’t have to pre-book them. We paid 15,000 Kwanzas for two of them and then tipped them as they were truly reliable. Going down alone is not advisable as you can get lost since there are no path marks. Once down the falls are incredible and beyond what words and pictures could portray. There are two view points on top as well. Plan the trip on a sunny day to enjoy this place as light brings out the colors & butterflies & birds. For nature and photography enthusiasts, this is the real destination with dozens of birds, butterflies, dragon flies & reptile sightings. You don’t have to go to the Posada Hotel opposite to enjoy the...

Wonderful and unique experience on Calandula water falls. I took my family and we had Paulo, Francisco and Joaquim as our guide doing excellent job. Big shout-out to Pedro who provided provided all the advice and selected the guides!!!

We went down to the water falls, very challenging descending, slippery surface, but it's all part of the challenge. We were very grateful for the safety and support provided by the guide. We took many pictures, then we crossed the river and moved to the other side climbed up and crossed the top side of the river (just before the water fall).

This was an amazing experience, and having Paulo, Francisco and Joaquim to guide us was awesome 👌.

I fully recommend this...

Nature at its most powerful, the Kalandula waterfalls are simply breathtaking. Access by road from Malanje or via Cacuso is good, except for a few potholes. You can see the waterfalls from above , 7 Kms from the Kalandula village or from the Resort (Hotel and Restaurant) from below, a 20 Kms drive from the village. The Road to the resort is full of potholes though, a slow driving with a sturdy car is recommended. I really hope the road may be repaired soon, visitors would appreciate it. I would recommend a visit to the waterfalls in the morning and to the famous Pungo Andongo rocks, a 50 Kms drive from Cacuso, in the afternoon. Decent accomodation is available in the nearby cities of Malanje...