The Kalandula Falls - An absolute eye feast!

Tripoto
9th Nov 2015
Photo of The Kalandula Falls - An absolute eye feast! 1/7 by Tad Madsen
The "finger" mountain
Photo of The Kalandula Falls - An absolute eye feast! 2/7 by Tad Madsen
Road trip to the Lucala River
Photo of The Kalandula Falls - An absolute eye feast! 3/7 by Tad Madsen
The Lucala falls height
Photo of The Kalandula Falls - An absolute eye feast! 4/7 by Tad Madsen
The Kalandula Falls

I’m basically a travel-lover and have travelled to many tourist places in the past. But the last November took me through a stupendous journey which I can never forget in my life. I feel overwhelmed to describe my wonderful travel to Angola and an unforgettable sight of ‘the Kalandula falls.’ I got to Angola by flight from London and landed at the international airport in Luanda and reached my hotel (The lIha) in the city by a Portuguese cab-driver.

Mine was a trip of 7 days, wherein I had the pleasure of meeting some indigenous people and typical Catholics there who were excellent to be with. The language was strange to me and the food was good, though very different from what I’m used to eating. The main staples are rice and funge (a polenta made from corn) with crayfish and beef. Vegetarians may find it a bit tough there as veggies are not always available.

The next morning after arrival was my visit to the Lucala River and the falls. It was a cool, pleasant and a slightly rainy day, which was tailor-made for a riverside visit. The first thought I had on my mind on seeing the river was, “Oh God! Why wasn’t I born here?” such is the beauty of the place.

Photo of The Kalandula Falls - An absolute eye feast! 5/7 by Tad Madsen

The Kalandula Falls

It’s a definite sight to tour for a nature-lover. Moving on to the exact scenic beauty and history, Lucala River is one of the two tributaries of the Cuanza, which has a rich biodiversity with more than 50 fish species. I stayed at a hotel near the town of Kalandula from where it took me an hour by taxi to reach the falls.

Then here comes the most prodigious part, the sight of The Kalandula Falls. If I had one word on my mouth after seeing the breathtaking visual, it was WOW. They are spectacular at a height of 105 metres and covering a width of 400 metres.

Photo of The Kalandula Falls - An absolute eye feast! 6/7 by Tad Madsen

Lucala falls height

There’s a place where the Lucala River leaves the Kalandula valley that is probably the best curve in a deep valley I have ever seen in my charmed life full of tourism visits. The colonial name they use for these waterfalls there is ‘Duque-de-Braganca. There is also a small aerodrome near the waterfalls, thus making it a better attraction. The villagers suggested me a quick side trip. Driving through the town of Kalandula was exciting too with its old cinema and houses.

A visit to the impressive mission church (Igreja de Sao Miguel), a Portuguese-style church was memorable. All in all, it’s a very good package to visit the waterfalls and the river. The path near the Lukala river is astonishingly amazing, a path which anyone would treasure to pass through. I still remember the amazing feeling I had at the glance of the path by the river.

Photo of The Kalandula Falls - An absolute eye feast! 7/7 by Tad Madsen

Road trip to the Lucala River

All said and dusted, I can still feel the waterfalls and the pleasant sound of the waterfalls reverberates in my ears whenever I close my eyes with peace. Go and visit the unique masterpiece of nature the next rainy season, and I believe you will definitely end up thanking me for suggesting it.