Skip to main content

Search our Network. Start here.

Angola · Travel tips · Checked November 2026

Angola travel tips: entry, money, safety

Angola has become far easier to visit: no visa for EU citizens, a new airport and direct flights from Germany. It is still not an easy destination — it is expensive, Portuguese-speaking, and Luanda needs street sense. Here is what you actually need to know before you book.

Entry and visa

Since 2023, citizens of Germany and other EU countries can enter Angola for tourism without a visa. That single change has opened the country to ordinary holidays for the first time.

  • Visa-free stay: up to 30 days per trip, for tourism — no more than 90 days in a calendar year.
  • Passport: valid for at least six months beyond your stay.
  • At the border: expect to show a return or onward ticket and a hotel booking.
  • Yellow fever: the international vaccination certificate is required for entry. Carry it with your passport.
  • Carry ID: you must be able to identify yourself in Angola. A certified copy of your passport's photo page is accepted — keep the original in the hotel safe.
  • Other nationalities and longer stays: check with the Angolan embassy before you travel.

Entry rules can change at short notice. Check the current rules with the Embassy of Angola and your own government's travel advice before booking.

Getting there: the new airport

Since March 2026, all scheduled passenger flights to Luanda use the new Dr António Agostinho Neto International Airport (code NBJ), in Icolo e Bengo Province. The old 4 de Fevereiro airport in the city no longer handles passenger flights. The new airport lies about 40 kilometres from central Luanda — plan 45 to 90 minutes for the transfer, depending on traffic.

Direct From Germany

Frankfurt – Luanda

Lufthansa flies non-stop from Frankfurt, a little over eight and a half hours, several times a week, with connections from other German airports.

One stop Via Europe

Lisbon, Paris, Brussels

TAP and TAAG via Lisbon — the historic route — Air France via Paris, and Brussels Airlines via Brussels.

One stop Via Africa & Middle East

Istanbul, Casablanca, Johannesburg

Turkish Airlines via Istanbul, Royal Air Maroc via Casablanca, and Airlink from Johannesburg.

Arriving: book your airport pickup before you land. A pre-arranged transfer is safer and calmer than finding a car at the airport, especially at night. Airport pickups are bookable in the tours section below.

Money and costs

  • Currency: the kwanza (AOA, written Kz). Use the converter on our home page for today's rate.
  • Cash: bring euros or US dollars in clean notes and change them at the airport exchange office, a bank or your hotel. Do not change money on the street.
  • Cards and ATMs: international cards work in big hotels and some restaurants, but not everywhere. ATM withdrawals are limited per transaction; do not rely on cash machines outside the cities.
  • Costs: Luanda is among the most expensive cities in Africa for visitors. Hotels and restaurants in the capital cost European prices or more; the provinces are noticeably cheaper.
  • Tipping: appreciated for guides, drivers and restaurant staff.

Health

  • Yellow fever vaccination is compulsory for entry, and medically sensible anyway.
  • Malaria occurs across Angola. Talk to a travel doctor about prevention well before your trip, and protect yourself from mosquitoes at dusk and at night.
  • Medical care is limited outside Luanda, and good care in Luanda is expensive. Travel insurance with medical evacuation cover is essential.
  • Water: drink bottled or treated water.

Safety

Most of Angola is politically stable, and most visitors have no problems. But crime in Luanda is real, and a few regions remain unsafe. This is what the German Foreign Office and our own experience say:

  • Luanda: armed robbery and theft occur at any time of day, including in busy places such as shopping centres, restaurants and hotels. Carry only the cash you need for the day, and leave jewellery and watches at home.
  • Regions to avoid: where possible, do not travel to Cabinda, Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul. The diamond areas and the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo remain unsafe.
  • Demonstrations: strikes and protests over the cost of living happen in the big cities, especially Luanda. Keep away from them.
  • Photography: be careful photographing public buildings, and ask guards or uniformed staff first. Airports, ports, bridges and military sites are off limits.
  • Landmines: clearance has made huge progress, but in some rural areas stay on roads and marked paths, and ask locally.

Before every trip, read your own government's current advice for Angola — for Germans, the Auswärtiges Amt; for British travellers, the FCDO. Conditions can change quickly.

Getting around

Domestic flights

The quickest way to cover Angola's distances — Luanda to Lubango, Benguela or Malanje. Schedules change, so confirm close to the date.

By road

Main roads have improved, but standards vary and driving can be aggressive. Travel only in daylight. In the rainy season, many roads in the east, north and south become impassable. Outside the cities there is often no mobile signal and little breakdown help.

In Luanda

Use arranged drivers or your hotel's transport. The shared minibuses, the candongueiros, are not suitable without local knowledge and Portuguese. Ride-hailing apps exist, but do not meet international standards.

When to go

  • Dry season, about May to September: the cooler, often grey cacimbo on the coast. The easiest time for road travel.
  • Rainy season: starts in the north around September and in the south towards the end of November, lasting until about April. Expect heavy rain and flooding.
  • Kalandula Falls: most powerful towards the end of the rains.
  • Highlands: Lubango and the plateau stay cooler all year; nights can be cold in the dry season.

Check today's weather in Luanda — and compare it with yours — on our home page.

Questions people actually ask

Do Germans need a visa for Angola?

No, not for tourism. German and other EU citizens can stay up to 30 days per trip without a visa, and up to 90 days in a calendar year. You need a passport valid for six months, a return ticket, a hotel booking and a yellow fever certificate.

Which airport do I fly into?

Dr António Agostinho Neto International Airport (NBJ), about 40 kilometres from central Luanda. Since March 2026 all scheduled passenger flights use it.

Is there a direct flight from Germany?

Yes. Lufthansa flies non-stop from Frankfurt several times a week, in a little over eight and a half hours.

Is Angola safe for tourists?

Most of the country is stable, but crime in Luanda is a real issue and Cabinda, Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul should be avoided. With sensible precautions and arranged transport, most visits pass without problems.

Can I pay by card?

In big hotels and some restaurants, yes. Elsewhere, bring euros or dollars in cash and change them at the airport, a bank or your hotel.

Do I need to speak Portuguese?

It helps a great deal. Outside the big hotels, English is not widely spoken; a few words of Portuguese make every day easier.

Airport pickup and tours

The simplest way to start an Angolan trip is a booked pickup at the new airport, and a local guide for your first days. These are bookable transfers and tours across Angola. Entrance fees are included in the tour price. Tips for guides and drivers are not included, but they are welcome.

Tour links are affiliate links: if you book, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Sources

Page updated . Entry rules, flights, prices and security conditions change — always confirm with official sources before you travel. All text © Remo Kurka.