About 115 km west of Malanje, the Pedras Negras are unmistakable: huge volcanic outcrops scattered across an otherwise empty plain, looking nothing like anything else in the region. You can drive right to their base, scramble around the lower slopes, and with a guide reach viewpoints over the surrounding country.
A small village sits among the rocks, and there are old Portuguese inscriptions, fortifications, and the so-called footprints of Queen Nzinga preserved as a sacred site. Plan for a long day from Malanje, take a full tank of fuel, and travel with someone who has done the drive before.