Driving in Angola

Infrastructure and conditions

Driving in Angola

Since the end of the Civil War in 2002 the streets in Angola are in a state of disrepair. Therefore, driving in Angola is quite dangerous and not recommended for foreigners.

Around 70% of the country’s entire infrastructure was destroyed during the Civil War and still only about 5,500 km of the highways are paved. This is why you should not drive without an experienced driver. Especially during the rainy season from November to April driving is extremely dangerous. You should always stick to the main roads and use a car with four wheel drive. Many roads are under construction or still very unsafe. In addition, special attention has to be paid to the landmine warnings by the side of the road.

The minimum age for driving a car in Angola is 18 years. If you have a valid driving licence of your country and an international one, you are allowed to drive in Angola. Only very few people own a private car because it is too expensive.

You drive on the right hand side and seatbelts while driving are mandatory. There are only a few rules on the road and few traffic lights. Be careful, local people tend to ignore rules and drive in an aggressive manner!

It is useful to have a basic knowledge of Portuguese since it is the language of the road and direction signs.

Do not leave your car overnight on a street, better park in a private garage and do not leave valuables in the car.

However, if you prefer to discover Angola on your own and rent a car, most companies will not only provide you with a car, but a driver as well. International car hire companies such as Hertz, Avis, Budget, Europcar and Sixt have their offices in Luanda. You can check out the prices here .

Further reading

Does this article help?

Do you have any comments, updates or questions on this topic? Ask them here: