Top 12 (Best) Places and Things to do in Congo 2023-2024
Top 12 (Best) Places and Things to do in Congo 2023-2024 are Virunga National Park, Kahuzi Biega National Park. Top 12 (Best) Places and Things to do in Congo 2023-2024 include Gorilla Trekking, Hiking and Nature walks, Eastern Lowland Gorilla Trkeking, Monkey Trekking, Chimpanzee Trekking.
Planning to transfer to the Democratic Republic of Congo on your Wildlife Safari Tour, visit the numerous Safari Destinations to enjoy the best Adventures. These offer remarkable wildlife Adventures and Gorilla Trekking Tours to all travelers and the destinations include, Virunga National park, Mountain Nyiragongo Volcano, Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage, Lola Ya Bonobo, Kahuzi Biega National Park, Serpents du Congo, Zongo Falls, Upemba National Park, Okapi Wildlife Reserve.
Mountain Nyiragongo Volcano
Mountain Nyiragongo Volcano is an active strato volcano elevated at about 3,470 metres (11,380 ft) and is among the prominent Virunga Mountains that are in line with the Albertine Rift. The volcano is situated inside the vast Virunga National Park in The DR Congo approximately 20 km North of Goma town, the western border of Rwanda as well as the magnificent Lake Kivu. The crater at the top is about 2 kms wide with a lava lake which is famously known as the most huge lava lake in the world and its depth varies significantly. The lava lake is elevated at approximately 3,250 m (10,660 ft) at a depth of about 600 m (2,000 ft). According to what has been recorded, the volcano as well as its other look alike-Nyamuragira is responsible for most of Africa’s volcanic eruptions.
Virunga National Park
Virunga National Park is suitably located in the vast green DR Congo occupying an area of 790,000 ha that consists of a variety of beautiful habitats which stretch from swamps and steppes to the snowfields of Rwenzori which is at an altitude of more than 5,000 m, and from lava plains to the savannah along the slopes of the volcanoes. Numerous fauna inhabits the park and this includes the Mountain Gorillas which are the most prominent and have made Virunga National Park the world’s prime safari destinations. There are also 20,000 hippopotamuses that stay in the rivers as well as various bird species that migrate from Siberia to this park to until winter ends. It also comprises of numerous active volcanoes as well as marsh lands, low altitude and afro-montane forest belts and exceptional vegetation and permanent glaciers and snow on the majestic Mountain Rwenzori with peaks ending at an elevation of about 5000 m. In a distance, you will spot the massifs of Rwenzori and the Virunga Mountains as well as the endangered Mountain Gorillas that are always in their thick tropical rainforest vegetation.
Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage
Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage is the only Gorilla Orphanage in the world and currently, it inhabits four different Gorillas between the ages of 5-14. There are two different Gorillas that are 9 years old and these were orphaned during the Gorilla killings of 2007 and were found after all their families were killed so the rangers brought them to the orphanage so as to survive. The other two were also rescued from poachers who had hunted them so as to be sold illegally on the black market. These had been separated from their parents who got killed while trying to help and protect them. These include Maisha, Ndakasi, Ndeze and Matabishi. These are fully taken care of through feeding them, treating them in case of illnesses and supporting them throughout their habituation process. The orphanage is being supported by a number of individuals as well as various organizations around the world to ensure the well being of these endangered species of Mountain Gorillas. While at the orphanage, visitors can indulge in many different activities like touring the vegetable garden, visiting and transferring to the Congo Hounds, visiting the co operative to support and talk to the wives of the fallen rangers who got killed while trying to protect the Gorillas or doing nature walks around the orphanage. The Gorillas around Senkwekwe are used to being in the presence of humans and stay here in the orphanage for life while making their own family unit i.e are not taken back into the wild. So visit the Senkwekwe orphanage to spot the Gorillas interacting with each other an experience that will leave you wanting more encounters with the Gorillas.
Lola Ya Bonobo
The lola ya Bonobo was founded by Claudine Andre in 1994 and is situated just South of the suburb of Kimwenza at the Petites Chutes de la Lukaya in Kinshasha DR Congo. The term Lola ya Bonobo means “paradise for Bonobos” in Lingala which is the major language of Kinshasha and around 2012, the place inhabited about 60 bonobos who occupy 30 hectares of primary forest. Transfer to Lola ya Bonobo to interact with our other relative other than the Gorilla and chimpanzee to experience the best while watching these enjoy their habitat to the fullest. You will spot them come out of the forest while the young ones usually wander and dance around the guests making the entire experience very exciting. The Bonobos usually arrive when young after being saved from being sold for bush meat/ pets on the illegal black market. When they reach here, they are taken care of by a human mother and grow fast to be added to a specific peer group and later on to a large mixed age social group. These live in an environment that looks like their natural wild habitat and these hunt for green plants and fruit trees while competing for mating opportunities. These also learn how to move carefully in the thick vegetation forest so as not to step on venomous snakes and portray all the characteristics of their fellows that inhabit the wild. The place is very partial so a few visitors are allowed to spot and interact with the bonobos so as to get a very exceptional experience with them. Each one of them is expected to contribute a tax with held donation to support the well being of the rare species of bonobo. The donation enables the easy rehabilitation, release and educational programs a way in which you are helping the Bonobo conservation so that they don’t run into extinction.
Serpents du Congo
Serpents du Congo is a snake farm situated 28 km from down town Kinshasha with beautiful snakes that are caged and reserved for tourists who would wish to encounter and experience the various snakes on the African continent. The snakes here are both poisonous and non poisonous as explained by the owner/ experienced guide who will feed you with the relevant information. While here you will have an opportunity to hold some snakes in your hands especially the less violent ones. You should book prior to the visit so as to reserve an appointment and ensure to call the owner to give you the exact directions to the place/ farm.
Zongo Falls
Situated in Bas-Congo about 130 km from Kinshasha, the Zongo Falls are very beautiful to spot while on holiday vacation in the DR Congo. They are one of the best safari destinations to transfer to while in the DR Congo. Around the waterfalls is scenic vegetation terrain that is so good to spot and this extends into the Congolese rainforest which is dark, real and raw from all the other rainforests in Africa. The waterfalls are a perfect place to transfer to if you want to escape the real town life hustles and bustles requiring one only 4 hours to travel from Kinshasha on a perfect clear road which will lead you onto one with potholes, a little stony/ sandy ridges along the borders / middle of the road. At the waterfalls is a river that pours water at a distance of 65 meters high and this is so amazing with shattering noise, echo serenade which make the waterfall very spectacular to spot as well the various birds of the air that are always flying around the area. These waterfalls are very important to the people of Matanda village who act as the proprietors of this area.
Lake Kivu
Lake Kivu is one of Africa’s largest lakes and is situated in a location between the DR Congo and Rwanda which are the countries that use it for many purposes. There are two fingers that run along these countries. The lake has the 10th largest inland island hence making it a very exceptional place to visit while on safari vacation in one of these two countries. The water color of the Lake appears blue just like the sky making cruising and spotting the lake a very wonderful experience.
Lac de Ma Vallée
Lac de Ma Vallée is a candid artificial lake situated in a pastoral surrounding covered with verdant green vegetation and requires one only one hour and a half drive from the city. It is a stunning place to encounter and experience for all travelers looking to have a serene calm encounter in the DR Congo. Around the lake are fine routes one can take if they are interested in nature walking as well as those interested in fishing can carry their own equipment so as to enjoy catching some of the fish that lie beneath the water. Facilities like peal boats and water bikes are available for hire for those that want to sail down the Lake for a different of adventure. There is also a restaurant that serves delicious food at affordable prices.
Musee National De Kinshasa
Musee National De Kinshasa is situated along Avenue du 24 Novembre Kinshasha and inhabits a collection of Zairian art along with other historical artifacts hence being the number one national museum of the Congo Houses. The Museum also inhabits the bronze bust of Leopold II and can be spotted by all tourists that get here while on holiday vacation safari in the vast DR Congo.
Upemba National Park
Situated in the Congo’s Katanga province, Upemba National Park is a vast park with verdant forest enfolded by various water bodies like Lake Upemba and River Lualaba. The lake is inhabited by very many different aquatic bird species, crocodiles and hippopotamuses. The area also inhabits the members of the local mining community who are also cattle farmers and fishermen.
Congo River
Before referred to as Zaire river in the west central Africa, the Congo River has a length of 2,900 miles (4,700 km) making it the second longest river after River Nile in Africa. It elevates in the moorlands of the North East of Zambia between Lake Tanganyika-Tanzania and Nyasa-Malawi as well as River Chambeshi at 5,760 feet (1,760 metres) ASL and a distance of approximately 430 miles (700 km) away from the magnificent Indian Ocean. The course of the river takes the form of the gigantic counterclockwise arc to the Northwest, West and Southwest before depleting into the vast Atlantic Ocean at Banana (Banane) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The drainage basin covers an area of 1,335,000 square miles (3,457,000 square km) which is almost the whole are of DR Congo. The river has various branches hence making Congo a very beautiful country since it comprises of Africa’s vast network of traversable waterways which are kind of challenging to cross due to a sequence of 32 cascades over the river’s lower course for example the Inga Falls. The Congo Rfjhyyt,iver is a wonderful water body to visit while on safari holiday adventure in the vast greenery DR Congo.
Okapi Wildlife Reserve
The Okapi Wildlife Reserve was founded in 1992 then listed in 1996 as a World Heritage Site and this was to protect the natural habitat of the unique rare Okapi as well as numerous plants and animals and the cultural lifestyle of the indigenous people. The reserve occupies an area of 13, 700 square kilometers of the magnificent vast Ituri Forest with numerous plant and animal diversity in Africa in the North East of the DR Congo. The wildlife species that occupy the reserve include a huge population of the unique Okapi, forest elephants, chimpanzees, forest buffalo, 13 different species of primates, leopard, bongo antelope, water chevrotain and very many different species of birds, insects. The presence of this wildlife reserve has provided good standards of living to the Mbuti and Efe pygmies since most of the gains got from the reserve benefit the community. There are about 5,000 of the estimated 30,000 okapi that live in the reserve which includes spectacular scenery with amazing waterfalls on the Ituri and Epulu rivers. One fifth of the Ituri Forest a Pleistocene refuge dominated by dense evergreen « Mbau » and humid semi-evergreen forests is also protected by the reserve since the vast part lies in the reserve’s area. There are also swamp forests which grow along the waterways, reimbursements that are referred to as “edos” in the local language and inselbergs.