The country's landscape consists mainly of broad tablelands varying from 915 to 1,525 metres in altitude; a high plateau in the south ranges from 1,220 to 2,300 metres. The highest point in Angola is Mount Moco (2,615 metres) in the Benguela region and Mount Navil (2,480 metres) in the Cuanza Sul.

All year round good tropical weather, large rivers, beautiful waterfalls and inviting beaches offer peaceful moments in perfect harmony with nature. The climate is hot and humid but surprisingly dry owing to the cool Benguela Current which prevents moisture from easily condensing into rain. Frequent fog prevents temperatures from falling at night even during the completely dry months from June to October. There are beaches near the cities, with or without coconut palm trees and some almost deserted of people, but on all beaches the sand is white and the water clear, clean and warm. 30 years of war has not changed the warm hospitality characteristic of the Angolan people. Good fish, meat, shellfish, with strong spices and many culinary specialties complimented by competent chefs, result in one of the best gastronomies of Africa.

Kissama National Park (Quicama) lies in northwestern Angola. The park is approximately 70 km from Luanda. The park covering a surface area of 12,000 km² is bordered on the west by 120 km's of the Atlantic Ocean's west coast. The Cuanza River forms the northern boundary, while the Longa River constitutes the southern border. What is now Kissama National Park was formed as a game reserve in 1938. It was proclaimed a national park in January 1957. The park once was home to an abundance of large game animals such as elephants and Giant Sable, but after wide-scale poaching during 25 years of civil war, the animal population was virtually eliminated. In 2001, the Kissama Foundation, a group of Angolans and South Africans, initiated Operation Noah's Ark to transport animals, especially elephants, from neighboring Botswana and South Africa. These animals, who were from overpopulated parks in their home countries, adapted well to the move. Noah's Ark was the largest animal transplant of its kind in history and has given the park momentum to be restored to its natural state.

Luanda is the capital and largest city of Angola. Located on Angola's coast with the Atlantic Ocean, Luanda is both Angola's chief seaport and administrative center. It is the world's most expensive city for expatriates to live in and, with a population of approximately 4.5 million, is the capital city of Luanda Province. Luanda is divided into two parts, the baixa de luanda (lower Luanda, the old city) and the cidade alta (upper city or the new part). Lower Luanda is situated next to the port and has narrow streets and old colonial buildings. Luanda is the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishop. It is also the location of most of Angola's educational institutions, including the private Catholic University of Angola and the public University of Agostinho Neto. It is also the home of the colonial Governor's Palace and Estádio da Cidadela, Angola's main stadium, with a total seating capacity of 60,000.

Iona National Park (Parque Nacional do Iona) is situated in Namibe Province of Angola. It is about 200 Km from the city of Namibe and, at 9420 km², the largest in the country. Before the Angolan Civil War, Iona was an "animal paradise, rich in big game". However, as is true for most Angolan national parks, illegal poaching and the destruction of infrastructure have caused considerable damage to the once rich park. The park is also known for unique flora and incredible rock formations.

Cameia National Park is located in the Moxico province of Angola, located at about 1,100 m above sea level. It shares its name with the nearby municipality of Cameia. The Cameia–Luacano road forms the northern boundary of the park with the Chifumage River forming the southern portion of the eastern boundary and the Lumege and Luena rivers the south-western boundary. Much of the park consists of seasonally inundated plains that form part of the Zambezi river basin, with the northern half of the park draining into the Chifumage river. There are also extensive miombo woodlands, similar to those in the Zambezi basin of western Zambia. The park is a sample of nature not occurring elsewhere in Angola. Two lakes, Lago Cameia and Lago Dilolo (the largest lake in Angola) lie outside the park boundaries and both have extensive reed beds and grassy swamps that are rich in aquatic birds. The area now known as Cameia National Park was established as a game reserve in 1938 and proclaimed a National Park in 1957. The wildlife in the park has been almost completely wiped out after the civil war wrought devastation to the park, including uncontrolled poaching and the destruction of infrastructure. There is a serious lack of staff, resources and support for the park.

Mupa National Park is located in Angola's Cunene province in the south. It was proclaimed a National Park on 26 December 1964 while Portugal still occupied Angola. It is significant for its expected wide avifauna. Many Angolans reside within the park, which, along with nomadic pastoralists and mineral prospecting threatens to destroy the park's birdlife. According to one article, "Even though the park was initially proclaimed to protect the giraffe sub-species, Giraffa camelopardalis angolensis, by 1974 none were left. Other mammals which occurred, include lion, leopard, wild dog and spotted hyena".

Benguela (São Felipe de Benguela) is a city in western Angola, south of Luanda, and capital of Benguela Province. It lies on a bay of the same name. Benguela was founded in 1617 by the Portuguese under Manhoel Cerveira Pereira. It was long the centre of an important trade, especially in slaves to Brazil and Cuba. Ships anchor about one and a half km off the shore, in 7 to 11 m depth and transfer loads to smaller boats which use five or six jetties in the town. However the nearby deep-water sheltered harbour of Lobito is a much larger port. Lubango is the capital city of the Angolan province of Huíla.