Bicuar National Park

Bicuar covers nearly eight thousand square kilometres of miombo woodland, savanna and seasonal pans in southern Huila, gazetted in 1964. Wildlife was heavily depleted in the decades that followed and the park is now the subject of long-running recovery work, with antelope, giraffe and elephant present in small but increasing numbers and camera-trap surveys documenting what is left. Infrastructure is minimal and visits are arranged rather than turned up for.

Background

Bicuar lies on the Huíla Plateau in south-west Angola, about 120 kilometres southeast of Lubango, in country of sandy hills and shrub thicket with a tropical semi-arid climate. It began as a hunting reserve in 1938 and became a national park in 1964, and it covers about 7900 square kilometres. The park was once known for large mammals such as the black buffalo, but most of its animals were lost in the decades after 1975, and work is now under way to rebuild its facilities and bring wildlife back.

Source: Wikipedia, "Bicuari National Park"

What you'll find

• The miombo woodland - broadleaf woodland covering most of the park.
• The pans - seasonal waterholes that concentrate animals in the dry season.
• The recovering wildlife - antelope, giraffe and elephant in small numbers.
• The scale - nearly eight thousand square kilometres with almost no development.

When to go

June to October is the dry season, when animals concentrate at water and tracks are passable. The rains from November to April make much of the park unreachable. Early morning is the most productive time.

What to expect

Wildlife densities are low and sightings are not comparable with parks further south. There is no lodge, no fuel and no reliable water inside the park. Visits need a fully equipped four-wheel drive and arrangement with the park in advance.

Nearby

Lubango is northwest, and Mupa National Park is south in Cunene.

Key facts