Lagoa Carumbo

Lagoa Carumbo lies in the far northeast of Angola, a lake of several kilometres surrounded by gallery forest and miombo woodland, fed by the streams of the Lunda plateau. It is remote enough that very few outsiders reach it and there is no infrastructure of any kind. Birds and hippo are present, fishing communities work the water, and the forest fringe holds species associated with the Congo basin edge rather than the drier Angolan interior.

The landscape

• The lake - open water several kilometres across, ringed by forest.
• The gallery forest - riverine woodland along the inflow streams.
• The birdlife - Congo-basin fringe species at the edge of their range.
• The fishing - local communities working the lake from canoes.

When to go

May to September is the dry season and the practical window. The rains from October to April make the roads impassable. Early morning is best for birds and the lake surface.

Practical notes

There is no accommodation, no fuel and no organised access; getting here is a self-sufficient expedition. Roads in Lunda Norte are poor and the province has entry requirements linked to diamond concessions. Nothing here is set up for visitors.

Nearby

Dundo is north, and the Lunda plateau runs south.