Iona National Park- Travel Tips

What to See, How to Plan & Tours

Iona National Park, located in the south-western corner of Angola, forms the northern edge of the ancient Namib Desert and connects with Namibia's Skeleton Coast National Park to create a vast transfrontier conservation area. Covering 15,150 km², Iona was declared a national park in 1964 but suffered significant setbacks during decades of conflict, which led to the loss of key wildlife species and infrastructure. Since peace was restored, efforts have been made to rehabilitate the park, including the reintroduction of Angolan giraffes in 2023 and 2024. The Angolan Government's partnership with African Parks in 2019 aims to ensure the park's long-term ecological, social, and economic sustainability. Positive community engagement and sustainable management practices are essential to the park's ongoing recovery and the wellbeing of local communities, predominantly the Himba people.