In Namibe Province, between the cities of Namibe and Tombwa, on the right bank of the Curoca River, is one of the most emblematic icons of Angolan nature, the arc lagoon.
Just about 20 km from the coastline, it stretches over a strip of more than 10 km, on the edge of the Curoca estuary, in an area where the gorge is rocky and formed by sandstones with a 60-80m difference in level. It includes 3 lagoons, the middle one of which is the most famous, due to the existence of Arches created naturally in sandstones, and which gave the name to the paradisiacal place.
Considered by many as an aggressive but impressive landscape, it constitutes an immense habitat for animal species, perhaps endemic, and a flora rich in varieties.
The Lagoon is fed by the Curoca River, which sometimes does not have enough flow to fill the lagoon. The lagoon was without water for 7 years due to the constant droughts that plagued the country, having only received water in 2018.
To get to this place, you will have to travel from Luanda to the capital of the Province of Namibe, Moçamedes, and from there take a trip of about 1h30 hour in a 4x4 vehicle, as most of the route is done on a sandy road.
Here live some families of the local tribes, where the head of the community, Soba, is like the guardian of the place. Upon arriving, we have to go to Soba and ask for permission to visit the place, always accompanied by a member of his community. It is also traditional to leave a contribution to Soba.
It is one of the references in terms of tourism in this province. Annually, it is visited by thousands of tourists, including tourists from cruise ships that have a mandatory stop in their visits to this wonderful place.
