In short: in the episode of Rendez-vous en terre inconnue broadcast on 29 September 2026 on France 2, Tony Parker and Laury Thilleman travelled to southwestern Angola, on the edge of the Namibe Desert, to meet the Ovakuvale, a semi-nomadic herding people. According to our guides, who know the area well, filming took place near Tchitundu-Hulu, a rock art site in Namibe Province.
The show always keeps its guests' destination secret until departure. This time, the former basketball star discovered Angola, a country still very rarely visited. Here is where he went, who he met and what the region is like.
Where did Tony Parker go in Rendez-vous en terre inconnue?
For the show's 34th episode, Tony Parker and Laury Thilleman shared the daily life of the Ovakuvale in southwestern Angola. The official presentation places the adventure on the edge of the Namibe, often described as the oldest desert in the world. The pair stayed there for nearly two weeks, in a life shaped by the weather, the land and the livestock.
The production did not reveal the exact location. Palanca Safaris travels regularly in this region: according to our guides, the episode was filmed in the Tchitundu-Hulu area, in the municipality of Virei, about 150 km south of Moçâmedes. Out of respect for the privacy of its inhabitants, we do not name the village of the family who hosted the pair.
Tchitundu-Hulu, the paintings "fallen from the sky"
Tchitundu-Hulu is one of the most important rock art sites in Angola. In the local language, its name means "fallen from the sky". The complex brings together several sites on inselbergs (isolated rocky hills rising from the plain), in a dry and stony landscape. It contains about 2,000 engravings and 250 paintings, in white, red, ochre and sometimes black.
Studied since 1952, these works are more than 4,000 years old according to documentation work carried out on the site, and much of their meaning remains a mystery. The site has been classified as Angolan historical and cultural heritage since 1996 and has been on UNESCO's World Heritage Tentative List since 2017.
The communities living nearby watch over these places, long held in respect by the people of the region. Visitors who arrived unannounced have already had to turn back: a visit must be prepared with a guide known to the inhabitants.
What Tony Parker experienced with the Ovakuvale
In an interview given after filming, Tony Parker describes a stay without a phone, without screens and without news of the world, a first for him. He slept outdoors under the stars for the first time, on the sand, then in a small tent, despite the rain and some difficult nights. Rather than complain, he says he enjoyed it, wondering when else in his life he would ever do something like this.
With his hosts, he shared the daily tasks of a herding people: fetching water, milking cows, collecting dung. One of his favourite moments was teaching basketball to the village children, who had never heard of the sport. Planned as a short sequence, it went on much longer because they were so eager to learn.
Having left shortly after his father's death, he describes the trip as a pause that reconnected him with what matters. He says he has stayed in touch with a young man from the community and hopes to return one day with his children.
Who are the Ovakuvale?
The Ovakuvale, also known as the Kuvale or Mucubal, are semi-nomadic cattle herders of Namibe Province. Their lives revolve around the herd, water and pasture, in an arid environment. They are recognizable by their elaborate headdresses and adornments.
To learn more, read our article on the tribes and peoples of southern Angola and our guide Peoples and Cultures of Angola.
Can you visit the Tchitundu-Hulu area?
Yes. Our 10-day Southern Circuit crosses this part of Namibe, between the Namibe Desert, the rock paintings and the lands of the herding peoples. The expedition is run in bivouacs, with nights in tents in the heart of the landscape, a French-speaking guide and a local guide.
This circuit is not meant to recreate the show or to meet the family that was filmed: every encounter takes place with the agreement of the communities, at our guides' pace.
Discover our Southern Circuit and request a quote
Sources
- France Télévisions, "Rendez-vous en terre inconnue avec Tony Parker chez les Ovakuvale"
- UNESCO, "Site archéologique de Tchitundu-Hulu"
- Wikipedia, "Tchitundu-Hulu"
- Ver Angola, "As misteriosas pinturas rupestres que caíram do céu no Namibe"
- Ver Angola, "Angola com luz verde da UNESCO para avançar com mais três candidaturas"
- Forbes África Lusófona, "Arquivo Nacional de Angola recebe acervo documental sobre Tchitundu-Hulu"
