Border Crossing (Ruacana) REMEMBER REQUIREMENTS MIGHT CHANGE, MAKE SURE TO CHECK. A good resource is, Overland Angola on Facebook.

• South African citizens: no visa required.
• Documents: vehicle registration papers, make multiple copies and make sure to have it stamped by a Commissioner of oaths
• Photographs of front, back and sides of the vehicle, make multiple copies and have it stamped by a Commissioner of oaths.
• License disk, make multiple copies and have it stamped by a Commissioner of oaths.
• Drivers license, make multiple copies and have it stamped by a Commissioner of oaths.
• Passport copies, make multiple copies and have it stamped by a Commissioner of oaths.
• Yellow Fever vaccination certificate, make multiple copies and have it stamped by a Commissioner of oaths. We were never asked for this, but there have been cases of officials requesting this.
• If your insurance offers cross border insurance, make copies and have it stamped by a Commissioner of oaths.
• Depending on which border post you to cross in to Angola, will determine whether authorities will insist on you purchasing a local insurance.
• If you area SA citizen you will be required to purchase a temporary import permit for about 9 Euros.
• Border infrastructure minimal until Tombua.
• The currency for Angola is the kwanza, this is not an easy currency to procure within South Africa and you will be required to pay with cash at the border. We took US dollars which was accepted, we were advised that Namibian dollar and ZAR could also be accepted.
• Because we used a small border post the staff were far less inundated with lots of travellers and as a result were very patient and kind. Generally we have found if you are kind to people, they are more often than not, kind back.
• Remember there is a time difference between Namibia and Angola, they are 1 hour behind. This has a bearing on border crossing times.
• It is not unusual for border officials to take photographs of the group crossing with or without the vehicle. I think this is a part of the officialdom.

Essentials for entrance in to Angola

Money

• No banks at Ruacana border.
• US Dollar is king; know exchange rate.
• Kwanzas essential for fuel & local purchases.
• Change dollars informally (petrol stations best) – proceed with caution.
• ATMs: limited, ±R1200/day withdrawal limit. Bring multiple cards.
• Shoprite in major towns accepts credit cards; great for resupply.
• Exchange rate, check this before entering Angola, even if it isn’t entirely accurate, it does provide you with a guide.
• As of 25 August 2025, this was the exchange rate: 1 South African Rand = 52.27 Angolan Kwanza.1 United States Dollar = 917 Angolan Kwanzas

Water

• Only drink bottled water.
• Carry sufficient reserves (e.g., 60L + extra bottles).
• Don’t rely on taps or natural sources without purification.

Maps

• A paper map is always a good thing to travel with and Map Studio produces an Angolan one. Or the Track4 Africa Traveller’s Atlas Southern Africa (Edition 2)
• Do not be misled by the distances as they appear on the maps, generally speaking, travelling through Angola is slow going, the roads are often rutted with potholes or they are in a bad state of repair. The secret is to travel slowly and safely.
• Take care when travelling at night and avoid it as much as possible, as much of the traffic using the roads, have either no lights or very poor lights, this includes large trucks, Kewasaki 3 wheelers and motorcycles. Not to mention, people and livestock.

Communications

• Local SIM: Unitel recommended, but buy in towns (border SIMs may have expired).
• Setup requires Portuguese assistance. Generally the store owners are very helpful.
• Coverage good near towers, poor in remote areas.
• Portuguese is largely spoken and English far less so. We downloaded google translate, which although not perfect, definitely helped when requiring something specific.
• Satellite comms essential: Garmin inReach (SOS + messaging) highly recommended.

Helpful Phrases from English to Portuguese: with pronunciation in brackets

Hello – Olá – oh-LAH

Good morning – Bom dia – (bong DEE-ah)

Good Afternoon – Boa tarde – (BOH-ah TAR-d)

Good Evening – Boa noite – (BOH-ah NOY)

Thank You Obrigado – (M) Obrigado (F) Obrigada – (oh-bree-GAH-do)

Please – Por favor – (poor fah-VOHR)

Yes/No – Sim/Nǎo – (seen/nowng)

Excuse me/sorry – Desculpe – (deh-SHKOOL-pe)

I don’t understand – Não entendo – (nowng en-TEN-doo)

Do you speak English – Fala inglês? – (FAH-lah een-GLAYS)

Where can we camp – Onde podemos acampar – (ON-deh poh-DEH- mosh

ah-kam-PAR)

Is it safe here – É seguro aqui – (eh seh-GOO-roo ah-KEE)

We are tourists – Somos turistas – (SOH-moosh too-REESH-

tash)

What is this? – O que é isto – (ooh keh eh EESH-too)

Is it spicy? – É picante eh – (pee-KAHN-teh)

It’s delicious! – Está delicioso – (esh-RAH deh-lee-see-OH

-zoo)

Can we buy this – Podemos? – comprar isto poh-DEH-mosh – (com-PRAR

EESH-too?)

Can we film you? – Podemos filmar você – (poh-DEH-mosh feel-MAR

voh-SEH)

Fuel

• Long-range tank/jerry cans essential – 1200 km range needed from south.
• No fuel in Iona NP.
• Fuel sold in cash (Kwanzas).
• Know difference: Gasoleo = diesel, Gasolina = petrol.
• Fuel stations are a virtual oasis, very modern and generally very well stocked. The assortment of offerings are often completely incongruous with their settings. This is the place where you can buy, crisps, wine from Portugal, mixers, Havianas and sometimes a pasteis de nata or bread.

Wild Camping & Landmines

• Angola still heavily mined from civil war; risk highest in rural/remote areas.
• Never leave known tracks or camp in uncleared bush.
• Iona NP: some dedicated wild campsites & safe dry riverbed sites (watch for flash floods).
• Foraging firewood unsafe; have an alternate means of cooking carry gas for cooking.
• Carry backup meals (frozen, fridge/freezer, or freeze-dried).
• Use Tracks4Africa but note: not all tracks cleared of mines in Iona NP.

Safety Tips for Camping

• Stick to known/cleared areas; consult locals or demining organizations.
• Use a local guide for peace of mind
• Avoid suspicious soil, objects, or unmarked areas.
• Travel in groups for safety.
• Avoid provinces with high mine density (e.g., Moxico, Cuando Cubango).
• Support conservation/demining efforts (HALO Trust, APOPO).

✅ Bottom Line:
Angola is an overlanding frontier—rewarding but demanding. Bring cash (USD + Kwanzas), carry your own water, fuel, and comms. Stick to tracks, respect the landmine legacy, and prepare for remote self-sufficiency.