Overlanding from Namibia to Angola was complete unpredictability. All we truly understood was that this southern African nation had been a Portuguese territory for approximately 400 years and was caught up in a prolonged civil conflict until 2002. To organize our Angola journey, we decided to reach the border town of Rundu, Namibia, gather some local insights on traveling to and navigating around the adjacent town of Calai… yet we couldn’t find anyone who had visited! Google Maps suggested that crossing the river would require an eight-hour detour, and Booking.com yielded no results for accommodations…but this merely fueled our curiosity and desire to venture into Southern Angola!
Namibia-Angola Border Crossing at Calai
As we crossed the footbridge spanning the Okavango River, we bid farewell to Namibia and said hello to Angola. The immigration officer only understood Portuguese, so we utilized our best Portuñol pidgin to convey that our four-day Angola trip was for “ferias” (holiday purposes) and relished the delightful sound of a stamp landing on our passport. We might have been officially “in,” but we were clueless about what awaited us.
A fleet of motorcycle taxis beckoned us over. With no vehicles in sight, our only option was to hop on with a stranger and trust we were heading to the same destination. Vrrrooom, we rushed through the sandy pathways and into the heart of Calai: two streets lined with shops, an open-air market, a Portuguese bar…and a single guesthouse!
Where to Stay in Calai
We pushed open the tall gate to the secure Tchingwali Guesthouse, and were delighted to discover a lush garden, a fully-equipped restaurant, and pleasant rooms with air conditioning and private baths for $16. Who would have guessed?! As vegans with no Portuguese language skills, it was somewhat challenging to determine the best plant-based meal. Maize porridge forms the foundation of most dishes in Southern Africa and goes by various names (pap, ugali, funge, etc.) and is frequently prepared thick enough to pick up and scoop up the accompanying vegetables and meat. We ordered funge and savored it with sides of wild spinach with peanuts and slow-cooked beans. After our meal, we ordered another round of Cuca beer, simply because we adored the local custom of having cerveja and a bottle opener brought by wicker basket.
Government Permission to Explore
We realized Calai wasn’t a tourist hotspot, but with the renowned Okavango River, we assumed there would be some aquatic adventures ahead. We inquired at our guest house about arranging a boat trip, and they said, “Nowhere that we know of, perhaps ask by the dock.” They omitted the detail that the “dock” was actually a naval base, and they weren’t very welcoming to unexpected guests.
After conversing with various officers and enduring a series of questions (“Are you attempting to cross to Namibia? Why do you wish to canoe if you aren’t fishing? Are you a proficient swimmer? You do know the river is teeming with crocodiles, correct?”), they became amenable to our suggestion of a dugout canoe excursion with a local fisherman…and they even requested a selfie to commemorate our adventure!
Dugout Canoeing the Okavango River
Wearing the fire department’s life jackets, we teamed up with Segunda for his initial venture into river-guiding. He had never taken passengers in his canoe but was intimately familiar with the river and showcased us fun eddies, stunning islands, and hippo hiding spots. We generously tipped him and celebrated with (the best!) malasada donuts to mark what could usher in a new chapter in his waterman journey. To help facilitate this, we connected him with the Tchingwali Guesthouse team so they could send future guests on an Okavango canoe journey with the wonderful Segunda!
Road Tripping Southern Angola
Next, we needed to organize a road trip to explore more of Angola! There were only a few non-governmental vehicles in the town, and the best truck happened to be stationed at our guesthouse. We took a chance and asked the vehicle owner, Peter, if he’d be willing to guide us around the Southern Angola countryside. This unexpected proposal was met with an even greater offer to accompany him the next day on his 120km journey to Dirico with a stop to visit one of the queens of the Cuando-Cubango province! He cautioned us it would be a lengthy day and a bumpy road, but it sounded like an incredible opportunity to us. We set off on a thrilling ride down a narrow highway, constructed by the Portuguese a century ago and surrounded by deep sand and dense brush. Amidst walls of vegetation, we caught glimpses of the impressive Okavango River, the occasional cluster of mud-thatch huts, and fields of pearl millet, making for a picturesque drive.
Visiting with the Queen of Mutango