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**roamingyak** · #1 16 Apr 2010

Is the piste(s) better if you cross at Songololo (and head for M'Banza Congo) or at Matadi?

All I have spoken to that have come through Matadi say it is terrible - some suggest that the Songololo route might be getting some piste upgrading to turn it into the main commercial route through?

Any suggestions?

Either way it is raining most days ;-p

**Matt Roach** · #2 16 Apr 2010

The Songololo to Mbanza Kongo track was fine two weeks ago. There were a few rutted sections, but nothing impassable. There were also several 2WD local cars on this route which seemed to have no major difficulties.

**mossproof** · #3 16 Apr 2010

Agreed, piste was fine. A bit slippery after a night of rain but firm and flat.They might close the route to foreign vehicles (!) on saturdays for a market, at least that's what they told us on sat afternoon. We camped there with no hassle at all, but the fufu wasn't well cooked at the restaurant!
Would like to hear from someone who's been via Matadi to compare notes....

**mossproof** · #4 16 Apr 2010

PS Watch out for cops with speed guns on the beautiful flat 4 lane highway between Lobito and Benguela - they've just been issued with them and are getting all the practice they can!

**roamingyak** · #5 16 Apr 2010

OK thanks - I'll do that route then (in a landy by the way).

Matadi crossing isn't a great piste from what I hear, hence the post.

From Mbanza Kongo to the coast/good roads is one day on pistes also?

Then around Luanda on the ring road and head south.......?

I meet these guys who said going via Matadi wasn't great (but looks ok to me):
Angola - 21 March to 04 April

**Ride Far** · #6 17 Apr 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by roamingyak.org

OK thanks - I'll do that route then (in a landy by the way).

Matadi crossing isn't a great piste from what I hear, hence the post.

We did the Matadi route in 2009. It's fairly technical ... hilly, rocky, rutted. OK for bikes. 4WD OK but a 4WD following us suffered a suspension problem with the tough terrain and was stuck for a day for repairs. 2WD no way.

There are a handful of settlements but no other vehicles that we saw. We were riding many miles without seeing anyone. Enjoy ~~

**roamingyak** · #7 20 Apr 2010

On the Reise Know how map of Angola, it suggests there is a DRC Angola crossing at Kizeng/Banza Sosso.

This crossing is closer to Kinshasa(?) and the map suggests a good piste(?) down towards Uige - possibly saving a day over slogging through the pistes to the coast?

Anybody know anything of this route, or is it just map fantasy?

Google comes up with nothing in English....

**mossproof** · #8 3 May 2010

Sorry for late response. A post a couple of months ago on here was pretty accurate. Mbanza C to Nzeto: Good tar or good piste
Nzeto to Mussera approx: Sandy and rough - slow in Landy. Also lots of tsetse fly (oh for aircon...!)
Mussera southwards: sandy and broken tar
Caxito sw to Luanda: good tar. Take the right hand turn
Luanda ringroad? Don't know - had to go straight in, but there was a sort of flyover thing that looked inviting!
Luanda to Benguela and on to Quilengues: Pretty good tar
Quil. to Cacula: Mostly good, about 50km bad
Cacula to Quihita: Good tar
Quihita to Humbe: Really sh1t mostly. Some detours, but they're no better than the road and might get boggy...
Humbe to border: Good tar
Make sure you get some Rand/Nam dollars on the Angola side of the border - taxes only payable in these and no moneychangers on Nam side. Logic? German rules, but it's still Africa!
Afraid I don't know about the Uige route other than similar rumours about trucks using this route so it must be good, (or not!)
Safe travels.

**IanC** · #9 16 May 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by mossproof

.....A bit slippery after a night of rain but firm and flat......

You ain't joking!! I was going great from Songololo, and had in mind to carry on to N'Zeto that afternoon. Then 10 miles from M'banza, the most violent thunderstorm started, the road was like a river, front wheel kept totally jamming with mud (as solidly as if the brakes were full on), I just couldn't keep the GS upright. 2hrs 20mins later, soaked to the bone in the pitch black I arrived in M'banza, had to use the hotel's hosepipe to wash down all my riding gear!

Made up for lost time next day tho, rode to N'Zeto (great) and then on to Luanda in the afternoon (a truly abysmal "road" - but at least no mud). You don't need to go to Caxito, fork right towards the coast about 22 miles prior where the tarmac starts, just after a bridge. Luanda Yacht club were great, allowed me to camp there and wouldn't take any money. Just as well given the horrific price of hotels there...

Going towards the Namibian border, the only really bad bit was from Cahama to Humbe. Quihita to Cahama was nicely graded where they were doing roadworks. And the road from Luanda to Lobito (once you're clear of Luanda) is a lovely stretch of winding, undulating tar.