Mount Moco

Moco reaches 2,620 metres in the highlands northwest of Huambo and is the highest point in Angola, but its significance is botanical and ornithological rather than alpine: in gullies on the upper slopes are the last remnants of Afromontane forest in the country, and they hold birds restricted to this habitat, including the Swierstra's francolin and an endemic race of the olive-headed greenbul. The forest has shrunk badly to firewood cutting and burning, and a community project at Kanjonde village now works on replanting.

What you'll find

• The summit - the country's high point at 2,620 metres, a walk rather than a climb.
• The forest patches - the last Afromontane fragments, in gullies on the upper slopes.
• The endemic birds - species restricted to these remnants, the reason birders come.
• The replanting - the community nursery and reforestation work at Kanjonde.

When to go

May to September is the dry season and the practical window for walking. The rains from October to April make the approach difficult. Early morning is essential for the birds.

Practical notes

The forest remnants are small and still shrinking; birders often need two or three days to connect with the key species. Access is on foot from the village with a local guide and there is no accommodation but camping. The last road stretch needs a four-wheel drive.

Nearby

Huambo is southeast, and the central plateau runs south.

Key facts