Luengue – Luiana National park, Angola
Luengue – Luiana national park is located in Cuando Cubango province in the south eastern corner of Angola. Covering an area of about 22,610 square kilometers, the park is bounded by River Kavango on the west and southwest, Namibia borders the park on the south, Cuando River on the east and this forms a border with Zambia and lastly Longa – Mavinga national park on the north.
Luengue – Luiana national park was established in 2011 by the National Assembly Decree which proclaimed the Luengue – Luiana and Mavinga national parks. Governed by the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism in Angola, Luengue – Luiana national park is a home to a variety of wildlife including the large mammals like the African bush elephant, black rhinos, common eland, hippos, giraffe, impala, leopard, waterbuck, African buffalo, sable antelope, plain zebras, and others. Also, the park hosts many smaller mammals and bird species especially along the park’s wetlands.
Vegetation of the park
The national park is mainly covered by the open woodland. The common tree species in the park include Burkea, Pterocarpus, Baikiaea, and Erythrophleum in the southern part of the park, and then Erythrophleum, Burkea, Guibourtia and Julbernardia in the northern portion of the park. The trees in the park are spaced and the ground is covered with sparse grass due to the leached sandy soil which holds little water near the surface. The park also has some small areas of dense woodland in the north – central area of it.
Wildlife of the park
Though got effective challenges like poaching and over hunting during the long Angolan civil war, Luengue – Luiana national park still stands as one of the protected areas in Angola with a variety of wildlife. The park is a home to different wildlife including the large and small mammal species. Among the animals in the park include the African bush elephant, giraffe, black rhinoceros, African buffalo, water bucks, common eland, leopards, elands, hippos, sable antelopes, impala, plain zebras and others.
Since the park is surrounded by various water bodies like wetlands, rivers and lakes, it attracts a numerous bird species including the residential and migratory water birds. Among the birds recorded in the park include the Anchieta barbet, the miombo tit, broad tailed paradise, red capped crombec, pale billed hornbill, sharp tailed glossy starling, souiza shrike and many other beautiful and colorful birds.
Best time to visit Luengue – Luiana national park
The park can be visit anytime throughout the year but the best time is during the months of June and September when the country is both cool and dry. During this time, one gets a chance to spot a variety of games during different experiences like game drives and nature walks. A number of wildlife will be sighted along different water bodies in the park.