The Congo is a huge and beautiful country with a great diversity of nature, animals, culture and is home to hundreds of tribes, each with their own language. There is so much to see and do, but it is also very difficult to travel in Congo.
In this trip we focus on the best of Kinshasa, Bas-Congo and we also take a trip to Kisangani on the other side in the north of Congo and beautifully located in the greenery on the Congo River.
As there are only two flights per week to Kisangani and back, we have to adapt our program to the flight schedule. We try to adapt the program to the flights and put the trip to Kisangani at the beginning of the trip.
We begin our journey in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo and one of the fastest growing cities in the world. It is the largest urbanized area in Africa after Cairo and Lagos. We explore the rapids of the Congo River, we walk around the center and visit several historical sites. The next day, we fly to Kisangani, where we will stay two full days. We visit a number of historical sites, the waterfalls and also pass by the Congo River to Yangambi, an abandoned research center built entirely of brick in colonial times. The center is perfectly preserved and is sponsored by the Africa Museum of Tervuren, Belgium. There is also a nice library to visit.
The name Kisangani comes from Swahili and means the city on the island. Under Belgian rule, the town was called Stanleyville, after Stanley and it was an important export point for palm oil and nuts. Under Mobutu, the name changed to Kisangani. Currently, it is one of the most important commercial cities along the Congo River. There is a series of cataracts (rapids) called the Boyoma Falls.
Formerly known as Stanley Falls, Boyoma Falls (Wagenia Falls) are a series of seven cataracts, each no more than 5m high, stretching over 100 km along a bend in the Lualaba River between the river port towns of Ubundu and Kisangani in the Province Orientale of the Democratic Republic of Congo. They form the largest waterfall by volume by annual discharge in the world, surpassing both Niagara Falls and Iguazu Falls.
The Wagenia peoples are indigenous fishermen who have developed a unique technique of river fishing. They build a huge system of wooden tripods across the river. These tripods are anchored in holes dug naturally in the rock by the flow of water. Large baskets of fish traps are anchored to these tripods, which are lowered into the rapids to ‘sift’ the water for the fish. It is a very selective fishing method because these baskets are quite large and only large fish are caught. The two main cataracts are the first under Ubundu, which forms a barely accessible narrow winding stream, and the second which can be seen and visited from Kisangani. At the base of the rapids, the Lualaba is known as the Congo River.
We then fly back to Kinshasa, where we visit the bonobo reserve, as well as the N’sele safari park north of Kinshasa. After that, we will travel for a week through Bas-Congo where we will drive to the Atlantic Ocean and visit the mangrove park in search of manatees. Along the way, we stop at places of historical interest as well as waterfalls.
Congo is a beautiful country and your trip will be unique, but know that you must be flexible and patient. Always expect the unexpected in Congo. Traveling to Congo is very different from traveling, for example, to Rwanda, Kenya or South Africa. Heavy rain showers, road collapses, power outages, an overbooked hotel, a canceled flight, monstrous traffic jams, .. so many things that can influence the program. It is important to be prepared for this, to be flexible with changes and not to worry. Be sure to bring a power bank, mosquito repellent, sunscreen, sunglasses, cap, extra towel, bactigel, medicine, wet wipes and a torch with enough batteries to avoid a lot of frustration. Don’t forget a good dose of humor and patience!
Make sure that you have been vaccinated against yellow fever and that you have your vaccination card with you, that you have also been vaccinated against COVID and that you have the necessary PCR test results with you if necessary if the airline asks you. We are not responsible for delayed or canceled flights. We try to Follow the schedule as closely as possible, but keep in mind that this can always change and some flexibility is needed.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kinshasa
Our team will meet you at the airport and drive you to your hotel.
Day 2: Explore Kinshasa
Today you will discover the capital of Congo-Kinshasa. You will see the Congo River for the first time and we will walk along some historical and important buildings. In the afternoon we eat a good local lunch and if you wish, we can also discover the nightlife of popular neighborhoods in the evening!
Day 3: Kisangani
Today we fly to Kisangani. You will be met by our local team who will take you to your hotel. You will have a free evening in Kisangani.
Day 4: Yangambi
Today on the menu: Yangambi, the former research center of the Belgians in the middle of the greenery on the Congo River. We will go there by motorized canoe, a real adventure! (breakfast included)
Day 5: Explore Boyoma Falls
Today we visit the historic center of Kisangani, the botanical garden and we meet the fishermen of Boyoma Falls. It will be a beautiful day full of new impressions.
Day 6: Return to Kinshasa
We fly back to Kinshasa, where you have a free evening.
Day 7: Lola Ya Bonobo
After breakfast, we travel to the beautiful bonobo reserve just outside Kinshasa where we get to know these fascinating animals. We learn all about the project and take a nice walk on the large estate. We return in the afternoon and then you have a free evening in Kinshasa.
Day 8: On safari in the N’sele
The N’sele Safari Park has only been open for a few years and is supervised by an enthusiastic Belgian-Congolese conservator who does everything to supervise the park as well as possible. It is a vast area of the Batéké plateau where many animals have been reintroduced. We visit it and enjoy the scenery while looking for elephants, zebras, antelopes and more. In the afternoon, we enjoy a delicious meal at the beautiful restaurant. At the end of the afternoon we return to Kinshasa
Day 9: Kisantu
Today we head to Kisantu, a beautiful town with an impressive brick cathedral and some other well-preserved colonial buildings. After this introduction, we also walk through the beautiful botanical garden. Then we will drive to Mbanza-Ngungu where we will spend the night.
Day 10: The old trains of Mbanza-Ngungu and Inga-Dam
In the morning we go to the old Mbanza-Ngungu station and we visit the old trains with, among other things, a Belgian-made locomotive. We then continue to Inga, where we stay in a simple residence of the power station.
Day 11: Inga Dam and Boma
In the morning, we visit the huge Inga dam and after our lunch, we leave for Boma, the old capital. We have a visit to the historic center and then we spend the night there.
Day 12: Muanda
After breakfast, we’ll head to Muanda, just in time for a delicious lunch of perfectly grilled prawns or fish. In the afternoon, you are free to relax or take a walk on the beach.
Day 13: Mangrove Park
In the morning, we visit the beautiful mangrove park with a boat. We also get to know the inhabitants of the shell islands and taste the shellfish soup. We return in the early afternoon and after a short rest, we return to Boma where we will spend the night.
Day 14: Kimpese Falls
We have a five hour drive ahead of us after breakfast and a late lunch in Kimpese. Then we will visit the scenic Vampa Falls and continue camping at the site. We make a campfire and enjoy a delicious barbecue.
Day 15: Return to Kinshasa
We return to Kinshasa and depending on how fast we are moving, we have lunch in Kasangulu or Kinshasa. In the afternoon, we visit Bilembo and the Securities Market where you can buy beautiful souvenirs.
Day 16: Departure
We’ll take you to the airport and make sure you are checked in safely.
** Make sure that you’ll have enough time to take a PCR-test if needed. Add another day if necessary. We advise to have at least one or two buffer days after the programme in case of any delays.
Included:
– All activities, entrance fees and tolls
– A professional guide with an official license
– All transportation
– All accommodation
Not included:
– International flights
– PCR test
– Airport taxes
– Meals and drinks
– Visa
– Domestic flights
Traveling in Congo is very expensive due to poor infrastructure. Many of our trips only become affordable from 3 to 4 people. We also offer group visits for several formulas. You can also request a group visit yourself, please contact us. Our prices are based on current circumstances, but these are subject to change and are primarily target prices. All prices are based on a shared room. If you want a single room, there will be an additional charge. Please note that it is not allowed to share a room with a person of the same sex in Congo. We are of course sorry for this and do not agree with this, but have no influence on this. We are not responsible for the consequences if our customers do not comply.
Accommodation is in midrange hotels or in park lodges. If you want a more luxurious formula, let us know.
Check out our group trips to Congo to see if this trip (or a similar trip) is also listed as a group trip with a fixed departure.
