Democratic Republic of the Congo

Understand

Geography

The DRC is truly vast. At 2,345,408 square kilometres (905,567 sq mi), it is larger than the combined areas of Spain, France, Germany, Sweden, and Norway—or nearly three and a half times the size of Texas. The defining feature of the country is the second largest rainforest in the world. Rivers large and small snake throughout the country and with a poor road network remain the main means of transport to this day. The Congo River is the third largest river in the world measured by discharge—it even continues into the Atlantic, forming a submarine canyon roughly 50 mi (80 km) to the edge of the continental shelf! It also has the distinction of being one of the deepest rivers in the world with depths up to 220 m (720 ft). Because of the huge volume of water, depth, and rapids, the Congo River is home to a large number of endemic species. The Congo River "begins" at Boyoma Falls near Kisangani. Above these falls, the river is known as the Lualaba River, whose longest tributary extends into Zambia. The Obangui River forms the border between the DRC and CAR/Congo-Brazzaville before flowing into the Congo River. The Albertine Rift—a branch of the East African Rift—runs along the eastern border of the DRC. It is responsible for Lakes Tanganyika, Kivu, Edward, & Albert. The rift is flanked by a number of extinct volcanoes and two volcanoes that are still active today. The Rwenzori Mountains and Virunga Mountains along the border with Rwanda are quite scenic, rising in the midst of lush tropical forests and sometimes eerily shrouded in mist. Several peaks are over 4000m (13,000 feet). Mount Nyiragongo contains one of only four continuous lava lakes in the world. The only part of the country not covered by lush forests is the south, around the Kasai Province, which c

See

The Democratic Republic of the Congo, often called the "Heart of Africa" in terms of vastness, is the largest nation in sub-Saharan Africa and one of the most enigmatic countries on the continent. Much of the DRC is wild, but its attractions include a multitude of varied cultures and a beauty of tropical landscapes, which include rainforests scattered with waterways and captivating wildlife. The "Academie des Beaux-Arts" is often considered a touristic site and is in itself and with its gallery a good place to meet the famous artists of this country. Big names like Alfred Liyolo, Lema Kusa oder Roger Botembe are teaching here as well as the only purely abstract working artist Henri Kalama Akulez, whose private studio is worth a visit.

Do

Congo is the centre of popular African music. Try visiting a local bar or disco, in Bandal or Matonge (both in Kinshasa), if possible with live soukouss music, and just hit the dance floor.

Buy

Money

The local currency is the Congolese franc, sometimes abbreviated FC and sometimes just with a capital F placed after the amount (ISO international currency code: CDF). The currency is freely convertible (but impossible to get rid of outside the country). Banknotes are issued in denominations of FC50, 100, 200, 500, 1,000, 5,000, 10,000 and 20,000. The only Congolese bank notes in circulation in most places are the 50, 100, 200 and 500 franc notes. The

Getting there

Entry requirements The Democratic Republic of the Congo is not one of the easiest countries to enter, even for citizens of various African countries. The DRC has very few visa-free arrangements in place, and thus visas are required for almost everyone. Citizens of Burundi, Rwanda, Republic of the Congo, and Zimbabwe can enter the DRC visa free for up to 90 days. Citizens of Kenya, Mauritius and Tanzania can obtain a visa on arrival, valid for only 7 days.

Visa application requirements DRC visas are expensive (The DRC embassy in the United States charges $100 for a single entry visa), so plan and prepare accordingly. Although requirements vary from country to country, you must submit the following to obtain a DRC visa:

A completed visa application form A passport-sized photograph An invitation letter from your host or tour guide (hotel reservations will suffice) A copy of your flight itinerary A copy of your passport.

Additional requirements If you have visited the DRC in the past, you are required to submit copies of DRC visas you've obtained in the past. If you are of Congolese origin, you are not required to get an invitation letter. A yellow fever vaccination card is mandatory.

Information You can find the visa requirements on the Interior Ministry website (in French). However, getting a visa—like most government services—isn't straightforward and can be a messy process, with different officials telling you different stories in different places around the country and at different embassies/consulates worldwide. And then there are immigration officials trying to get more money out of you for their own gain. What follows are the requirements that seem to be in place as of June 2012, although you may hear stories telling you otherwise. If arriving by air (

Getting around

With an area covering 2,345,409 square kilometres (905,567 sq mi) and inadequately developed infrastructure, the DR Congo can be a very tough country to get around in.

By car

DRC's roads are best described as tremendously underdeveloped. The country's entire road network is notorious for being difficult to drive on and poorly maintained, primarily due to the Congolese government's negligence. The DRC has few paved roads for its population and geography — neighbouring Zambia and Botswana have many more. During the rainy season, the roads become muddy, making most long-distance road journeys virtually impossible. Going from one city to another can take several weeks. Driving around in major cities like Kinshasa is fine.

By plane Due to the immense size of the country, the terrible state of the roads and the poor security situation, the only way to get around the country quickly is by plane. This is not to say that it's safe. DR Congo's share of world air traffic is less than 0.1%, but it has accounted for nearly 4% of total air accidents from 2010-2019. But flying is still a better alternative to travelling overland or by boat. The largest and longest-operating carrier is Compagnie Africain d'Aviation, with service to Goma, Kananga, Kindu, Kinshasa-N'djili, Kisangani, Lubumbashi, Mbandaka, Mbuji-Maya, & Entebbe(Kampala), Uganda. Air Kasaï operates from Kinshasa-N'Dolo to Beni, Bunia, Goma, & Lubumbashi.

By truck As smaller vehicles are unable to negotiate what remains of the roads, a lot of travel in the Congo is done by truck. If you go to a truck park, normally near the market, you should be able to find a truck driver to take you where ever you want, conflict zones aside. You travel on top of the load with a large number of others. If you pick a truck carry