Cascata da Huila

The Huila falls drop into a wooded gorge a short drive from Lubango, with a series of pools below that people swim in. The flow depends entirely on the rains: from March to June, after the wet season, the falls run properly, and by the end of the dry season in September and October they can be reduced to very little. The gorge is green and shaded, which makes it a contrast with the open plateau above.

What you actually see

• The falls - water dropping into a wooded gorge below the plateau edge.
• The pools - swimming holes in the rock below the main drop.
• The gorge - shaded woodland along the water.
• The plateau edge - the escarpment landscape the river drops off.

When to go

March to June, after the rains, is when the falls run best. By September and October the flow can be minimal. Weekends bring picnic crowds from Lubango.

Honest expectations

In the late dry season the fall is often disappointing and visitors report finding a trickle. Facilities are basic and litter is a problem after weekends. The path down to the pools is steep and slippery.

Nearby

Lubango is fifteen kilometres northeast, and Serra da Leba is west.