M'banza Congo

On the traces of the former Kingdom of the Congo

M’banza Congo (once known as Carmona) was once the capital of the Kingdom of the Congo in the 16th century. Today's Angola is made up of different kingdoms such as Congo, Ndongo, Matamba and others together.

These kingdoms were separated centuries ago, but this changed with the arrival of the Portuguese. Some tribes no longer had royal successors, others had to band together to survive, others fell victim to slavery and were gradually wiped out.

M’Banza Congo is known for the ruins of the Cathedral of the Holy Savior (São Salvador).

The 15th century building is considered the oldest colonial church in sub-Saharan Africa. According to a local legend, the Kulumbimbi (Cathedral of San Salvador) was built overnight by angels.

The origins of the city located in northwest Angola date back to the 13th century. The site of Mbanza Congo, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, includes archaeological relics of the former Kingdom of the Congo, which existed from the 14th to the 19th centuries, and buildings from the Portuguese colonial period.

Day 1

We leave Luanda heading north to M’banza Congo (Uige).

We will make our first stopover on the trip in Nzeto, a small provincial town.

Later in the day we visit the N´zau Evua cave in the Nkiende region. In the colonial past, they served as a refuge for fighters against the foreign occupiers. Then we enjoy the Bombo Falls on the Cuilo River.

After arriving in M’banza Congo we will get to know the city and the surrounding area better and learn the first information about the history before we get deeper into it the next day.

Day 2

Today we start with the famous Kulumbimbi. The Cathedral of the Holy Savior (São Salvador), built in 1549, and the associated old town have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017.

Afterwards we visit the Museum of the Kingdom of the Congo, the Yala Knuwu (holy tree), Sungilu (place associated with the funeral ceremonies of the kings) and the church Nossa Sra. da Conceição.

After getting to know the city and its impressive history, we will return to Luanda.