Pungo Andongo

The Pedras Negras are a group of dark rock masses rising abruptly out of flat farmland in Malanje province, rounded and fissured, some of them well over a hundred metres high. They were the natural fortress of the Ndongo kingdom, and the site is associated with Queen Njinga, whose story is central to Angolan history; a rock nearby carries marks that local tradition identifies as her footprints. The scale is what makes the stop worthwhile: the rocks appear with no warning from the road.

What you actually see

• The monoliths - dark rounded rock masses rising abruptly from flat farmland.
• The Njinga footprints - marks in the rock associated by tradition with the queen.
• The village - the settlement among the rocks below the main formations.
• The scale - formations well over a hundred metres rising from level ground.

When to go

May to September is the dry season and the easiest for access. Late afternoon light on the dark rock is the best. The rains from October to April bring green surroundings and difficult tracks.

Honest expectations

There is no formal site, no signage and no facilities. Local guides appear and negotiate a fee; agreeing it first matters. Climbing on the rocks is unregulated and the surfaces are steep.

Nearby

Kalandula falls are northeast, and Malanje is east.