Huambo.
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Overview

Huambo is a city in Central Angola, and capital of the Huambo Province. It is one of the largest provincial cities in Angola, comparable in size with Lubango and Lobito/Benguela. Once called Nova Lisboa, it was designed in 1912 to be the new capital of Angola, and the beauty of that era is still apparent. Angola's civil war took a massive toll on Huambo and its surrounding areas, leaving most buildings in the city full of bullet holes. Reconstruction efforts have changed the face of the city, and the economy is booming as businesses reinvest.

Understand

Huambo sits in the center of the traditional area of the Ovimbundu people (who speak Umbundu). During previous centuries the Ovimbundu were organized into several independent kingdoms. The Portuguese came into contact with these kingdoms in the 1500s, and the Ovimbundu soon proved themselves to be capable traders, creating trade networks from the Portuguese port town of Benguela all the way into modern-day Democratic Republic of Congo (Katanga province) and Zambia. At the beginning of the 1900s, the Portuguese turned from economic to military interests, and soon conquered the Central Highlands. It was in the immediate aftermath of this conquest that Huambo city was built.

Portuguese General Norton de Matos resided at the Quibala fortress while he laid plans for the new city of Huambo, established in 1912. The current layout of the city bears the marks of his Portuguese-style organization, with a monumental rotunda surrounded by government edifices, a beautiful central garden areas, and a commercial division with a clear grid street plan. These areas were devastated during the civil war, but the current government has rehabilitated the area very quickly, giving it an Angolan flair on top of the Portuguese design.

The old Portuguese center of the city is now surrounded by Angolan "bairros" which swelled during the war years with refugees from the surrounding countryside. The bairros are crowded and disorganized, and most roads are still packed dirt. With every month that passes, the municipal administration builds more roads, connects more houses to city electricity, and repairs more of the city... but there is still a lot of work to do.

Get in

TAAG operates flights from Luanda to Huambo (and vice versa) at least once a day. Flights also arrive on a much reduced schedule from Lubango, Ondjiva, and occasionally other cities.

The Huambo airport, Aeroporto Albano Machado, lies 3.5 km south of the city center. Motorcycle taxis will be waiting to take you anywhere you want to go, but don't let yourself be overcharged. 200 kwanzas should get you anywhere in the main city area.

Passenger trains on the CFB (Caminho de Ferro Benguela) arrive from Kuito twice a week, and probably from Benguela too. The train schedule constantly changes as the last repair work is still being done on the railway, so check schedules and availability once you've arrived in the country.

is about 1.5 km northeast of the city centre.

Huambo Expresso: buses to Luanda (08:00, 18:00; 18:30, 20:00, 21:30, 22:30, 12 000 Kz, 10-11 hr as of June 2024) and all other major cities. AngoReal sends about 3 buses each morning from Luanda (Rocha Pinto) to Huambo and vice versa - they leave when they fill up, starting about 05:30. Interprovincial "taxis" also provide a more flexible public transportation option, though considerably more dangerous. Many blue-and-white vans and Land Cruiser taxis run the route between Luanda and Huambo, and between every other city destination you might want. You just have to ask locally until you find the location where they load up. Vehicles can be found leaving at all times of day or night. Be warned, though: taxi drivers are not known for their safety consciousness nor the mechanical reliability of their vehicles!

If you have your own vehicle, you can get to Huambo on the main highways in the following (roughly estimated) time frames: From Luanda, 8 hr From Lobito or Benguela, 4½ hr From Lubango, 6 hr From Kuito, 2 hr From Menongue, 4½ hr

Get around

The city center is small enough to be explored by foot.

Otherwise, the easiest way to get around Huambo is on motorcycle taxis. They wait at every corner, or you can flag one down as he drives by. Prices should be standard depending on the distance (usually 100, 200, or 300 kwanzas), but you, as a visitor, won't know what's fair.

Be aware that motorcycle drivers are not necessarily safe. Many accidents occur. Ensure that the motorcycle you choose looks in decently good repair and has two good quality helmets. Don't climb on a motorcycle taxi without wearing a helmet.

Blue and white taxi vans are another option, useful if you need to cross from one side of the city to another. They run predetermined routes, and can sometimes be slow because they wait for the taxi to fill up. Listen for a taxi calling your destination. You can get off earlier on the route, but you'll still pay 100 kwanzas.

Because of the dangers inherent in all forms of public transportation in Angola, it may be better to just plan to walk most of the places you're going. The center of the city is not large, and the climate is usually pleasant (except when it's raining). A 30-minute stroll will get you from the Cidade Alta (uptown) to the Cidade Baixa (downtown).

If driving, be very careful of motorcycles, which will appear suddenly on every side of you. They aren't careful, so you have to be. Many left turns are prohibited, even if not clearly signposted, but you may be able to argue your way out of a traffic ticket by highlighting the lack of signage.

See

Praça de Agostinho Neto. This large and beautiful rotunda is surrounded by the governor's palace, the principal government edifices (easily recognized by their pink color), and the central post office. In the middle of the rotunda is a large monument to the nation's first president, Agostinho Neto. Neto was both a soldier and a poet; the statue pays tribute to both sides of the man - he is dressed in military uniform, but seated on the ground writing. Take the time to read the inscription at his feet. Feel free to take pictures of the monument, but try not to point your camera obviously at the surrounding government buildings, so as not to attract unwanted suspicion. Also, make sure to revisit the Praça at night, when it is (usually) attractively lit.

Jardim da Cultura. A 5-minute walk south-east from the Praça de Agostinho Neto is the Jardim da Cultura. This is Huambo's central park, gorgeously redone in 2008/9. With some luck, you'll find the water fountains spraying, the music playing, and at night, the lights dancing. On the weekend you'll find the park full of locals enjoying the evening. You'll probably also encounter newlyweds taking their wedding photos here. Congratulate them by saying parabens! (pronounced: pah-rah-baynsh).

Sé Catedral do Huambo. White and blue cathedral

Jonas Savimbi house. Ruins of the house of Jonas Savimbi, former leader of UNITA during the civil war. Walls are ridden with bullet holes. Next to the house is the provincial UNITA party office.

Buy

Mercado do Himalaya. Market with fresh vegetables, fruits, fish, electronic repairs.

Eat

If you're ready for a drink or a bite to eat, the immediate environs of the Jardim da Cultura provide several options. Otherwise, head eastward. First, you'll encounter several metals statues from the Portuguese era.

Café Novo Imperio. Café with slow service but good cheap local food and fresh fruit juices.

Sleep

Hotel Ekuikui I. Luxury 4-star hotel. Free pool, free parking. The water in the bathrooms is lukewarm but not hot. The Internet connection is sporadic both in the bedrooms and in the lounge.