Congo, known to everyone to be the Democratic Republic of the Congo is located in Central Africa. The name Congo was given in 1997 and the country is still sometimes referred to as Zaire which was its old name. Countries such as Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania are its eastern neighbors while Zambia and Angola lay to the south. It is the second largest country in Africa and holds the title of being the eleventh largest in the world. Its many attractions make it a favorite among tourists and guarantees a well spent vacation.
The second largest river in the word, it’s very famous for its sights and for the challenge it offers for adventurers. There has been few who have sailed through the whole river but it’s a big challenge and adrenaline rush for the adventurers. Simply hire a boat and row to enjoy the whole experience!
Travel by:
30 minutes by car (20208 Congolese franc)
Distance from Kinshasa: 642 km
The port city of Congo and the second largest city, it is known for its wide array of beaches which allows for water sports such as surfing, sailing etc. You can explore the town while you are at it but if you really want an adventure, just head for the beaches.
Travel time:
10 hours 26 minutes by car (1655793 Congolese franc)
17 hours and 25 minutes by flight (1834 Congolese franc)
Distance from city center: 236. 3 km
The gardens are crisscrossed with trails and pathways for pedestrians and vehicles. It was revamped between 2004 to 2008 with the support of the European Union and National Botanic Garden of Belgium. It has more than 3000 local and introduced species in the nature park. The herbarium is one of the oldest and richest in Congo and there are other attractions such as the orchid shade house, cactus greenhouse etc.It’s a great place to go and enjoy the fruits of nature.
Travel by: car
Time taken: 4 hour 24 minutes
Distance from city center: 142.6 km
As the name suggests, the sanctuary houses different bonobos, which are a species of apes and helps them thrive. The sanctuary is open to visitors and they can come to meet the apes and make some bonds with them. For a day’s outing, it’s a perfect spot.
Travel by: car
Time taken: 2 hours and 55 minutes
Distance from city center: 2743 km
The active volcano in Congo makes for a great sightseeing tour. Located inside of Virunga National Park, its crater has two cooled lava benches and the lava lake is a sight to behold. Thought there haven’t been any active eruptions, the lave lake has been known to rise. It’s always advised to be careful near it and if you don’t think you can handle it, go for the national park which has many other attractions.
Travel by: flight
Time taken: 6 hours and 30 minutes
Distance from city center: 641.3 km
The beach is famous for its coast and the white sands. People visit the beach to pass the time surfing, walking or running by the shore, spending time with friends or family. Couples are seen spending time frequently by the beach.
Travel by: car
Time taken:
10 hours and 21 minutes
Travel by: flight
Time taken: 21 hours + 9 minutes to reach the beach
Distance from city center: 644 km
One of the main beach breaks in Pointe Noire, there is a stretch of white sand. With heavy corrents and shorebreaks, it’s a good place to surf. There is a good peak at the northern end of the beach and you can easily take a boat into the sea if you feel like it.
Travel by: car
Time taken:
10 hours and 30 minutes
Travel by: flight
Time taken: 21 hours + 19 minutes to reach the beach
Distance from city center: 386 km
45 km south to Pointe Noire, this is another great surf zone but it has more muddy and sandy tracks rather than what you expect from a traditional beach. It does have four different spots, a good beach break peak, mellow slopes and two more break points in the south and north. Overall, it’s a great place to go to with friends and family.
Travel by: car
Time taken:
8 hours
Travel by: flight
Time taken: 18 hours + 19 minutes to reach the beach
use car, takes 2 hours
A department store and supermarket in one, this store will give you the local products as well as some imported ones should you look for those. You can easily spend the day by roaming around the interiors and even indulge in buying some clothes.
use car, takes 2 hours
A department store and supermarket in one, this store will give you the local products as well as some imported ones should you look for those. You can easily spend the day by roaming around the interiors and even indulge in buying some clothes.
use car, takes 2 hours and 11 minutes
The mainstream mall in Congo, it is located in the middle of the city of Kinshasa and has a collection of great fashion boutiques, entertainment areas and food court. There is also a playground for kids and adults to roam around and have fun in.
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
A restaurant which serves Nepalese and Indian food. The prices are cheap and the main courses are spicy and tasty. Their interiors match the name of their restaurant and you are sure to get a good deal here.
20 Ave Tombalbaye, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
An Italian restaurant with reasonable prices, they serve authentic food to the point where they employ Italian chefs. It’s a great place to sit around and spend some time in peace.
+243 815 141 111, Closed on Tuesday. Open 12.30 AM to 3 PM, 6.30 to 11 PM on other days.
Moambe
A sauce dish prepared from pericarp of palm nuts. Palm nuts are fruit of the African oil palm and can be found everywhere. This dish is a favorite among the locals.
FuFu
A sticky dough dish that is made of cassava flour. It is a staple dish akin to rice and beans.
Mwambe
A method of cooking meat with a peanut sauce, chicken is usually used and this dish is more available in restaurants due to the high cost of meat.
It is decidedly more club like than the other two with dim lighting and an open dance floor for everyone. Food is available as well as drinks and they play great music so that you can hum along. They also have free WIFI and a restaurant area if you don’t want to be close to the party people.
A pizzeria and sports bar together as one, it has pizza as well as meat and seafood. There’s a great place to watch games on television or play darts with your friends. The pizza is great and you can easily spend a couple of hours here, watching your game, drinking and eating pizza.
Ave Du Cercle, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, +243 819 922 909
A simple bar, Sky Lounge boasts great ambience and drinks which are sure to keep you occupied. Thought mainly a bar, you can also dance if you want to or simply hang out with friends. Food is available but there is no fixed menu for it.
Boulevard Du 30 Juin, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, +243 810 187 100
The drinking age for alcohol is 18 and the alcohol limit in blood is 0.05.
Drugs are illegal but Congo is known for its illegal trade of drugs.
Homosexuality is legal. Prostitution is illegal but the government does not attempt to stop it.
Before your visit to Congo, it’s better to get yourself vaccinated as the health care isn’t consistent in the country. Vaccinations for hepatitis A and B, yellow fever, diphtheria etc are advised. It’s best not to visit countryside’s without the vaccinations and a medical kit.
As for safety, it is true that there are armed bandits around and so you should be careful not to flaunt your belongings. It’s better to not walk around with too much cash.
Congo in the old days was inhabited by the ancient Negrito people who were pushed into the mountains by Bantu and Nilotic invaders. It was only after the feat by American correspondent Henry M Stanley who navigated the Congo River in 1877 that the country was opened for exploration. The correspondent proceeded to make treaties with native tribes so that King Leopold II of Belgian could gain the title of the territory in 1885.
An army coup was staged in 1960 and Congo passed over to the Katagan forces leading to political unrest. Congo followed several more decades of unrest until finally the rebels surrendered in 2013 after which it has slowly begun to gather itself.
Congo has several languages which include, French, Swahili, Kituba, Lingala and Tshiluba.
