DR Congo – Congo River Expedition. A 28 or 16 day Small Group Tour

Holiday in DRC? It’s not an obvious choice and certainly not Africa for beginners. In fact, this is Africa for the very experienced.

The turbulent, surging fl ow of the Congo refl ects the country which currently shares its name. Indeed, the journey from Kinshasa, now a larger French-speaking city than Paris, to Kisangani must surely be the world’s most adventurous river cruise.

Of course, take a copy of Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, read its record of 19th century brutal colonial exploitation, but day by day record your own experiences. Africa’s rivers all have stories, the Congo has inspired more than most.

The ultimate Congo experience – a voyage on

the mighty Congo River from the city of Lisala

to Kisangani. The expedition takes in remote villages, some of the country’s important historical sights, rain forests and of course a chance to meet the local people.

Experience the diff erent sights and sounds of the real Africa as you travel through a land so few travellers have yet discovered. We travel using our river cruiser, an 18-meter long, wooden

boat, equipped with two powerful outboard

engines. The boat is further equipped with safety equipment, sanitary installation, a generator, lighting and freezers. It is operated by a licensed and experienced captain, a mechanic and a sailor. A cook and a tourist guide are present throughout. Evenings and nights are spent ashore, enabling cultural exchanges with the local population.

Accommodation Rating

Please note that this is mostly a campingbased tour. Nights will be spent ashore or close to a village where we can buy fresh produce, prepare dinner and set-up our tented camp. Tents are large and comfortable, 2m in height. Each tent is equipped with self-infl ating mattress and cotton mattress covers and pillows. Travellers should bring their own sleeping bag or sleeping sheet, as well as a towel and toiletries. Please be prepared to assist with setting up the camp.

Hotel accommodation will be provided in Kinshasa, which will be of moderate standard. Rooms will be ensuite with a private bathroom. Generally hotel accommodation will also be provided in Kisangani but as options are limited, camping may be a more comfortable option.

We welcome solo travellers, and single rooms and sole occupancy tents will be allocated at no extra cost.

Food & Drink

On our tours in the Congo you will be accompanied by a cook. Breakfast is usually continental style, including sliced bread and rolls with butter, cheese, ham/salami and jam. Lunch and dinner consist mainly of local specialties. Fresh fruit and local snack foods are served as lunch on board. The main course of dinner normally consists of meat, poultry, fi sh or pasta with vegetables, rice, potatoes or ‘Foufou’, a local side dish made from the manioc plant.

Itinerary

Review the full itinerary at: www.undiscovereddestinations.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/ Congo-River-Expedition-August-2022-TourDossier.pdf

Day 1, 5th August 2022: Arrival in Kinshasa

Arrive in Kinshasa and transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day is left at leisure. Overnight Hotel Invest or similar.

Day 2, 6th August: Kinshasa City Tour

After breakfast visit the wonderful Lola Ya Bonobo project outside of Kinshasa. Later in Kinshasa we explore some of the markets and buildings that make this such a fascinating city. Overnight Hotel

River cruiser

Invest or similar. (B)

Lola Ya Bonobo: Bonobos are a great ape species found exclusively in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They are an endangered species and it is thought that as few as 50,000 individuals may remain in the wild. The project rescues and rehabilitates injured Bonobos caught up by the problem of poaching and the bush meat trade.

The sanctuary also has award winning educational programmes with around 30,000 visitors each year, raising crucial awareness of the plight of these apes and the pressing need to ensure their future existence.

Day 3, 7th August: Kinshasa – Mbandaka (Domestic Flight)

Fly to Mbandaka, capital of the Equator Province, and the starting point of river expedition. We camp overnight in the city, ready to leave shortly on our 11-day voyage bound for Lisala. Overnight tented camp or basic hotel in Mbandaka. (BLD)

Days 4 to 13, 8th to 17th August: Congo River Expedition: First Leg

The first leg of our voyage, upriver from Mbandaka to Lisala is expected to take 9 nights. We will be travelling through a vast area, without roads or airports. The river is a vital-life line for the communities we visit en-route. We will see how the people go about their everyday lives, buying and selling produce from small boats that crisscross the river. The people we meet have little, if any contact with the outside world, and certainly no concept of tourism. It is the genuinely spontaneous encounters which makes the trip so pioneering and a must for intrepid travellers. There are few places left on earth where such encounters are possible. It is a special experience shared by only an elite group of travellers a year. (BLD)

Each night will be spent ashore or close to a village where we can buy fresh produce, prepare dinner and setup our tented camp for the night.

Our transport is aboard a 18m long wooden

Congo River at Yangambi

Congo River - from page 57

boat, equipped with two powerful outboard engines. Although a traditional boat it is of course equipped with full safety equipment, toilet facilities, a generator, lighting and freezers for food and drinks. A cook and an English-speaking guide accompany the trip throughout.

Day 14 and 15, 18th and 19th August: Lisala

We expect to arrive in Lisala today. Lisala is the half way point between Mbandaka to Kisangani. Some of your fellow travellers will be returning to Kinshasa, taking a plane back to the capital the following day. At the same time other travellers will fl y from Kinshasa to Lisala, in order to travel on the second leg of the expedition to Kisangani. Overnight tented camp a few miles on from Lisala. (BLD)

Days 16 to 25, 20th to 29th August: Congo River Expedition: Second Leg

The second leg of our voyage will take us further up river from Lisala, to our final destination, the city of Kisangani. The trip is expected to take 10 nights and as with the fi rst leg, each night will be spent ashore at or close to a village where we can buy fresh produce, prepare dinner and set-up our tented camp for the night.

Highlights of the second leg of the expedition include Bumba, where the river is at its widest, some 20 kilometres across and covered with water hyacinths. Closer to Kisangani we will travel through Yangambi, an important Biosphere Reserve which hosts 32,000 tree species. Wildlife in the reserve includes elephant, river hog and monkeys. (BLD)

Day 26, 30th August: Kisangani

There will be time to explore the city. Founded by Stanley in 1877, highlights include the Tshopo River Falls and the Wagenia fi sheries, set-up in the middle of the rapids. Fishing is carried out by means of a complex structure set amongst the rocks to trap the fi sh. Overnight Hotel Triangle or similar. (BLD)

o River, between Yangambi & Lokutu — Photo: Pascal Maitre

Congo River, Living Stone Falls

Day 27, 31st August: Kisangani – Kinshasa (Domestic Flight)

Transfer to Kisangani’s airport for a scheduled flight back to Kinshasa. Overnight Hotel Invest or similar. (B)

Day 28, 1st September: Kinshasa – Departure from DRC

Tour ends with transfer to airport. (B) 

This is an incredible journey through one of the world’s least explored areas – for us this is the very essence of adventure, and we are proud to offer this iconic trip to our clients. https://www.undiscovered-destinations.com/congoriver-tour/ https://www.undiscovered-destinations.com/aboutundiscovered-destinations-holidays-tours/ Image credit: Tripadvisor, https://topafro. com, responsiblevacation.com, blogspot.com, naturalworldsafaris.com, HubPages, researchgate. net, Pinterest