Domestic and International Climbers Converge for Humpata Climbing Festival

Humpata: Around 50 climbers from Angola and various other countries kicked off the third edition of the International Climbing Festival on Saturday in the municipality of Humpata, Huíla province, starting with an art and culture fair. According to Angola Press News Agency, the festival is organized by Climb Angola and its partners and runs until August 3rd, bringing together climbers, tourists, and enthusiasts from Angola and countries such as Portugal, the United States, South Africa, the Netherlands, England, and Japan, among others. The 11-day event, held at the Serra da Leba Viewpoint, includes a diverse program featuring training sessions on route setting, rescue operations, and advanced climbing techniques. The festival's activities also encompass climbing sessions, highlining, camping, hikes to waterfalls, visits to the Tundavala Fissure, trash cleanup campaigns, movie nights, and live music. Joo Lopes, president of the Association of Tourism Promoters and Operators (HOUTOR), one of the event's organ izing partners, mentioned that some tourists are already on-site, with more expected to arrive soon. Lopes explained that training sessions for technicians from the provincial branches of Angola's National Institute of Medical Emergencies (INEMA) and the Civil Protection and Fire Service will focus on cliff rescues in the mountains, aiming to enhance their response capabilities for such incidents. Plans are also in place to improve existing trails and create new ones, alongside conducting trash cleanup campaigns at Cristo Rei and the lower section of Serra da Leba. The festival emphasizes the importance of raising awareness among visitors about caring for these tourist sites and avoiding littering. By promoting cultural exchange and adventure tourism in Angola, the event highlights the natural potential of the Serra da Leba Viewpoint, renowned as one of the country's premier rock climbing locations in the Huíla region.