Formerly Zaire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the second-largest country in Africa and one of its richest for wildlife and landscape. It has most of the Big Five — lion, leopard, buffalo and elephant — though rhino are effectively gone from the country. It is better known for species found almost nowhere else: the okapi, the bonobo, Grauer’s (eastern lowland) gorilla and the Congo peafowl. Its culture is rich too, shaped by African, Arab and French influences.
The beautiful Congo
Here are eight places worth visiting in the Congo.
Virunga National Park
Virunga, in the east of the country, lies in the Albertine Rift and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the oldest national park in Africa and one of the most biodiverse.
Virunga National Park
It holds more than 3,000 plant and animal species, 300 of them found only in the Albertine Rift. Primates include mountain gorilla, chimpanzee, red-tailed monkey and mantled guereza, and you may also see forest elephant, okapi, duiker, topi, lion and leopard, plus many rare birds. The park has three main areas: Lake Edward, the Rwenzori Mountains and the Mikeno volcano sector.
Mount Nyiragongo
Nyiragongo is an active stratovolcano of about 3,470 m inside Virunga, holding one of the world’s largest lava lakes. Its lower, forested slopes support a range of wildlife.
Mount Nyiragongo
A short but demanding hike takes you to the crater rim, where you can look down on the lava lake, especially striking after dark when it glows against the night sky.
Lake Kivu
Lake Kivu, one of the African Great Lakes, lies on the border with Rwanda, with scenic drives between the towns along its shores.
Lake Kivu
Its shoreline is broken by dozens of islands. The small, C-shaped Tchegera island, close to Virunga, is a good place to rest after gorilla tracking, while Idjwi, the lake’s largest island, is quiet and laid-back.
Kinshasa
Kinshasa, the capital, is a city of over 11 million, busy and full of energy. It faces Brazzaville, capital of the neighbouring Republic of Congo, across the river, and is a major commercial centre. Its heart is Gombe, with restaurants, hotels and embassies.
Kinshasa, Congo
There is plenty to see: the National Museum, the parliament building, the Roman Catholic cathedral and the Palais de la Nation. The Marché Central in Matonge is one of the busiest markets, selling fruit, vegetables, herbs, grains and Congolese fabrics, and a good place to meet locals.
Lola Ya Bonobo
Lola Ya Bonobo, near Kinshasa, is a sanctuary for orphaned bonobos, many taken in after their mothers were killed for bushmeat or after being sold on the black market.
Bonobos at Lola Ya Bonobo
It covers 30 hectares of forest, with feeding stations where staff track the apes, and it takes volunteers who want to help.
Congo River
The Congo River, once the Zaire, is the second-longest in Africa and, by volume, one of the largest in the world, carrying more water than any other African river along its 4,370 km. A cruise between Lisala and Kisangani is a fine way to see it, passing remote villages, historical sites, rainforest and river life.
Congo River
For something more local, you can take a short trip in a handmade pirogue. The river is also rich in fish and popular for fishing.
Kahuzi-Biega National Park
Kahuzi-Biega, in South Kivu, is a large tract of tropical forest between the Congo Basin and the Albertine Rift, running from the basin to Bukavu. It protects Grauer’s (eastern lowland) gorilla and is one of the most biodiverse places in Africa.
A mountain gorilla spotted in Kahuzi Biega National Park
It holds more than 130 mammal species, many of them endangered. The two extinct volcanoes it is named for, Kahuzi and Biega, offer good hiking.
Garamba National Park
Garamba, in the north-east, is one of Africa’s oldest protected areas, a mix of savannah, woodland and grassland.
A Kordofan giraffe in Garamba National Park
It holds forest and bush elephant, hippo and Kordofan giraffe. Its famous northern white rhinos, sadly, are now believed extinct in the wild. Around 280 bird species are recorded, and the park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, remains important for other endangered species.
These eight give a good sense of the Congo, from gorillas and volcanoes to the great river and the capital.
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