DR Congo
DR Congo – Congo River Expedition. A 29, 17 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 flow of the Congo reflects 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 different 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.
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.
Itinerary.
Day 1 - Kinshasa
Arrive in Kinshasa, capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and transfer to hotel accommodation. Overnight Hotel Sultani or similar.
Day 2 – Kinshasa City Tour
After breakfast visit the wonderful Lola Ya Bonobo chimpanzee project, just beyond Kinshasa’s southern suburbs. Later, in Kinshasa we explore the districts, markets and buildings that characterise one of Africa’s most fascinating megacities. Formerly referred to as ‘Kin La Belle’ – meaning ‘Beautiful Kinshasa’, many years of turmoil have tarnished the city’s image. However, slowly Kinshasa is striving to regain its splendour. Overnight Hotel Sultani or similar. (B)
Day 3 - Kinshasa to Mbandaka
Today we fly to Mbandaka, capital of DRC’s Equateur Province and the starting point for our Congo river expedition. We camp overnight in the city, ready to embark in the early morning on our voyage to Lisala. Overnight tented camp. (BLD)
Days 4 to 14 – Congo River Expedition: Part One
The first part of our voyage, upriver from Mbandaka to Lisala, is expected to take 10-nights. We travel through a vast area, without roads or airports. The river is a vital lifeline for the communities we visit en route. We will observe how they go about their everyday lives, buying and selling produce from small boats that criss-cross the Congo. The people we meet have little, if any, contact with the outside world, and certainly no concept of tourism. Genuinely spontaneous encounters make this pioneering journey a must for intrepid travellers. There are increasingly few places on the planet where this kind of experience is possible. (BLD)
Our vessel is a 34m wooden boat, equipped with two powerful outboard engines. Although traditional in design, 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 voyage throughout.
Each night is spent ashore or close to a village where we buy fresh produce, prepare dinner and set-up our tented camp. Walk-in tents are large and comfortable, and equipped with a self-inflating mattress, cotton mattress covers and pillows. Travellers should bring their own sleeping bag, sleeping sheet, as well as towels and toiletries.
Day 15 and 16 – Lisala
Today we expect to arrive in Lisala, the hometown of Mobuto Sese Seko, President of Zaire from 1965 to 1997. Much can be written about the cruelty and excess of Mobuto’s despotic rule. Lisala is also the halfway point between Mbandaka to Kisangani. Some passengers will be returning to Kinshasa, taking a plane back to the capital tomorrow. At the same time, others will be joining the boat, flying from Kinshasa to Lisala, in order to travel on to Kisangani. Overnight tented camp a few kilometres outside Lisala. (BLD)
Days 17 to 26 – Congo River Expedition: Part Two
The second part of our voyage takes us upriver from Lisala to our final destination, the city of Kisangani. The journey is expected to take 10-nights and, as with the voyage to Lisala, 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. Highlights include Bumba, where the Congo is at its widest, some 20 kilometres across, and covered with water hyacinths. Closer to Kisangani we travel through Yangambi, an important Biosphere Reserve which hosts 32,000 tree species. Wildlife in the reserve includes elephants, river hogs and monkeys. (BLD)
Day 27 – Kisangani
Founded, as Stanleyville, by journalist and adventurer, Henry Morton Stanley in 1877, Kisangani is the farthest navigable point upstream on the Congo River – over 2,000km from its mouth on the Atlantic coast. Within the last fifty years the city has seen more than its fair share of troubles, being seized by Simba rebels during the Congo crisis in the 1960s and witnessing the war that gripped the DRC in the 1990s. Today Kisangani’s half a million inhabitants are edging their way towards recovery. A visit here is not only fascinating but integral to gaining a greater understanding of DRC. After exploring the town, we visit Tshopo River Falls, and the village of Wagenia, whose fishermen maintain a unique system of bamboo fish traps set among the Congo’s rapids. Overnight Hotel Triangle or similar (BLD)
Day 28 – Kinshasa
Today, after almost a month, the end of the journey may be hard to reconcile. Transfer to Kisangani’s airport for a scheduled flight back to Kinshasa. Overnight Hotel Sultani or similar. (B)
Day 29 - Kinshasa
After breakfast the tour ends with transfers to the airport for onward flights. (B)
Dates & Price.
Please call us to book the DR Congo River Expedition
2023 Dates
Full Tour (29 Days) – 8 Aug to 1 Sep 2023 – £8245 per person
Part 1 – Mbandaka to Lisala (17 Days) – 8 Aug – 20 Aug 2023 – £6395 per person
Part 2 – Lisala to Kisangani (16 Days) – 17 Aug – 1 Sep 2023 – £6595 per person
2024 Dates
Full Tour (29 Days) – 2 Aug to 30 Aug 2024 – £9070 per person
Part 1 – Mbandaka to Lisala (17 Days) – 2 Aug – 18 Aug 2024 – £7035 per person
Part 2 – Lisala to Kisangani (16 Days) – 15 Aug – 30 Aug 2024 – £7255 per person
Tour Notes
Important Information - Provisional Tour Dates 2024
2024 dates are provisional, and could change +/- 3 days depending on flight schedules. Please do not book flights to Kinshasa until advised to do so by Undiscovered Destinations.
Congo River Journey - (Part 1) Mbandaka to Lisala
The DR Congo River Expedition can be taken in two seperate parts. The first part is a 16 day tour from where you are on the river from Mbandaka to Lisala.
This costs from £6395 per person. Contact us for further details or download the tour dossier below.
Congo River Journey – (Part 1) Mbandaka to Lisala Tour Dossier
Congo River Journey - (Part 2) Lisala to Kisangani
The DR Congo River Expedition can be taken in two seperate parts. The second part is a 16 day tour from where you are on the river from Lisala to Kisangani.
This costs from £6595 per person. Contact us for further details or download the tour dossier below.
Congo River Journey – (Part 2) Lisala to Kisangani Tour Dossier
Minimum Group Size
This group tour operates subject to a minimum group size of 4 travellers.
Single Supplement
No Single Supplement Applicable.
Flights
Return flights from London to Kinshasa start at £800. Contact us for a quotation.
Download PDF.
Download the full tour dossier for this trip here.
For expert advice get in touch now with our passionate,
well-travelled team.
+44(0) 191 296 2674 from THE UK
1-800-614-2967 from THE US & CANADA
1-300-956-415 from AUSTRALIA
Tour inclusions.
- Arrival and departure transfers
- Domestic flights
- All accommodation
- Services of English speaking guide / tour leader
- Meals as listed (B – Breakfast, L – Lunch, D – Dinner)
- Entrance fees for sites listed as part of the itinerary
Tour exclusions.
- International flights
- Any airport taxes
- Travel Insurance
- Visas
- Drinks
- Tips (Discretionary)
- Items of personal nature