Stirring a 'pot' of crude oil that occurs naturally at the Libongos Oil Seeps.

*Please note that this field trip is now full.
The Angola Field Group will have a geological field trip north of Luanda on Sunday, January 24. The trip will be led by Geologist Tako Koning, returning back to Luanda at approximately 5:00 PM.  We will leave Luanda at 7:00 am (sharp) and travel to Barra do Dande and visit outcrops consisting of Cretaceous-age fossiliferous, marine sedimentary rocks. From there we will travel northeastwards to the Lifune River to the historically well known Libongos oil seeps and asphalt quarry.  We will then travel southwards to Caxito to the water falls at Sassa where Precambrian granite outcrops and where we will have lunch.  The field trip will conclude with a visit to the hydroelectric dam on the Dande River at Mabubas.

Sedimentary outcrop at Barra do Dande.

This field trip will also stop at Pangila Bridge to review some of the historical events which occurred in this area including the Quifangondo battle on November 10, 1975 between FNLA and MPLA just prior to Angola achieving independence on November 11, 1975.

There is a provincial border crossing on this trip so you must bring your original documents and proof of a valid visa.  All field trips with the Angola Field Group are at your own risk.

Crude oil sample. Records indicate that as early as 1820, the Portuguese shipped out barrels of asphalt probably from the Libongos seeps.

Our meeting point and further details will be provided once you sign up for the trip. To sign up email: angolafieldgroup@gmail.com as soon as possible since space is limited.

If you have room in your vehicle for passenger/s, please indicate. There are many vehicle-less people who would appreciate the opportunity to explore some of the countryside.

Evidence of oil. The first drilling for oil was carried out in 1915 by the Portuguese company “Companhia de Pesquisas Mineras de Angola” along the banks of the Dande River.

Visit this website’s Geology page for more photos of previous geology field trips.

Mabubas, a hydroelectric dam sabotaged by UNITA that once watered vast fields of sugar cane that used to grow in this area.

Picnicking beside Dande River below the dam during a previous Field Trip to the area.