Angola: Serra de Leba aka Leba Pass

The Leba pass is one of the most stunning and spectacular roads and viewpoints in Angola with truly stupendous views! The pass in on the road from Lubango to Namibia and the coast and the road drops from the Leba escarpment, one of Angola’s most dramatic geographical features down to the plains below – a vertical drop of nearly 1,000 m (over 3,280 ft). The Leba Viewpoint at the top of the pass offers views of the cloud-clad switchbacks and mountain cliffs, waterfalls and rivers, and rugged terrain all around. There are also many birds and lizards and we even spotted a rock hyrax (a marmot-like furry animal that is actually a direct relative to elephants). The road snakes its way down the steep escarpment in a series of tight switchbacks, making it both a marvel of engineering and a dramatic visual experience as you descend (past the many aging trucks that never make it up or down without a breakdown).