MUPA NATIONAL PARK.

Mupa National Park is one of Angola’s parks that were gazetted in December 1964. This park is found in Cunene Province and is sometimes referred to as the Cunene River National park.

It covers an estimated 660,000 hectares bordered to the north by Colui river and the famous Cunene river occupies much of the western boundary. Much of the park is under low-lying hills and river valleys filled with large shrub thickets, miombo bushveld and savannah on the river banks. A mosaic of the deciduous Xeriense savannah and bushveld are significant.

Wildlife.

The park was previously set apart to protect the Giraffes, Giraffe camelopardalis angolensis a species that survived in the park by the 1974. Other animals that lived in the park include the wild dog, spotted hyena, lion and leopard among others. Surviving mammals in the park include bats. The decline in wildlife population in the park is attributed to increased human settlement in the park, civil war, nomadic livestock herding and mineral discoveries. About 18,000 people live in the park and are mainly engaged in agriculture and cattle breeding

Some of the birds in the park include the Miombo tit parus, Wren-warbler, pale billed hornbill. Wattle crane, short tailed glossy starling and the chestnut-backed sparrow among many others.

Accommodation.

Vichua Laudge.

Vihua Lodge – Hotel & Safari Park ensuring guests enjoy an Angolan safari experience. The lodge consists of 40 superior rooms, 10 standard room and three suites. Guests regularly see kudu, zebra, giraffe, wildebeest, springbok, impala, bambi, common eland and Oryx in the park. Additional facilities include a swimming pool, bar and dining area, gym and conference room.

LONGA-MAVINGA NATIONAL PARK.

Mavinga is a National Park in Kuando Kubango Province in south-eastern Angola. It covers an area of 46,076 square kilometres (17,790 square mi). The Park was proclaimed in 2011 along with the neighboring Luengue-Luiana National Park, which measures 22,610 square kilometres (8,730 square miles). The two parks are contiguous and managed as a single unit. The parks were created to conserve the areas’ high ecological and biological value. Mavinga forms the western border of Africa’s largest conservation area, the Kavango-Zambezi Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (KaZa TFCA).

HISTORY OF THE PARK.

Wildlife populations were drastically reduced during the Angolan Civil War (1975 to 2002). The Park was proclaimed in 2011 along with Luengue-Luiana National Park.

CLIMATE AND GEOGRAPHY OF THE PARK.

The region has a Tropical Savanna Climate. Average annual rainfall varies from about 600 to 1000 mm.

The road network within the park is fairly well developed, though many of these roads are either in poor condition, or inaccessible because of landmines remaining from the Angolan Civil War.

FLORA AND FAUNA.

There are five identified habitats in the two parks: open woodland, dense woodland, open grassland, aquatic vegetation, and cultivated land.

Dense miombo woodland occurs between the Longa and Cuito rivers and dominated by Brachystegias, Julbernardia, Guibourtia, and probably Cryptosepalum species. Cultivated land is prominent in the northern areas around the towns of Longa and Cuito Cuanavale.

The three-decades long Angolan Civil War contributed to the serious decline of the once abundant wildlife communities, particularly larger mammals. VERISSIMO (2008) states that more than 150 species of mammals occurred historically in Kuando Kubango.

FIRE.

The landscape of Mavinga National Park is characterized as a fire-dependent Savanna. Lightning during the rainy season can ignite fire. Fires ignited by subsistence farmers’ resident in the park also occur.

Kavango-Zambezi Trans- Frontier Conservation Area.

The park falls within the Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA), which embraces contiguous parts of southeast Angola, northern Botswana, northeast Namibia, southwest Zambia, and western Zimbabwe (Figure 1). It contains a mosaic of protected areas, interspersed with extensive communal lands in which small-scale pastoral and agro-pastoral land use is practiced.

Accommodation.

Grand Hotel Halong.

See why so many travelers make Grand Hotel Halong their hotel of choice when visiting Halong Bay. Providing an ideal mix of value, comfort and convenience, it offers an array of amenities designed for travelers like you. Grand Hotel Halong offers guests an array of room amenities including air conditioning, and getting online is possible, as free WiFi is available. The hotel offers a concierge and room service, to make your visit even more pleasant. The property also features a pool and a lounge. Close to Bai Chai Bridge (1.4 mi), a popular Halong Bay landmark, Grand Hotel Halong is a great destination for tourists. While in Halong Bay be sure to experience local ribs favorites at Linh Dan Restaurant. If you are interested in exploring Halong Bay, check out a history museum, such as Quang Ninh Museum. We’re sure you’ll enjoy your stay at Grand Hotel Halong as you experience all of the things Halong Bay has to offer.