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.
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. No meals nor guided arrangements are included today.
Days 2-3: Kinshasa – Mbandaka (Domestic Flight)
Fly to Mbandaka, capital of the Equator Province, and the starting point of river expedition. We stay 2 nights 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 14: 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 they go about their everyday lives, buying and selling produce from small boats that criss-cross 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 set-up our tented camp for the night. Tents are large and comfortable, 2m in height. Each tent is equipped with self-inflating mattress and cotton mattress covers and pillows. Travellers should bring their sleeping bag or sleeping sheet, as well as a towel and toiletries.
Our transport is aboard a 18m long wooden 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 15: Lisala
We expect to arrive in Lisala today. Lisala is the home town of the former President Mobutu and 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 fly 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: 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 first 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 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 27: Kisangani – Kinshasa (Domestic Flight)
Transfer to Kisangani’s airport for a scheduled flight back to Kinshasa. Overnight Hotel Invest or similar. (B)
Day 28: 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. Formerly referred to as ‘Kin La Belle’ – meaning ‘Beautiful Kinshasa’, the many years of turmoil has tarnished this image. But slowly, Kinshasa is regaining its splendour. Overnight Hotel Invest or similar. (B)
Day 29: Kinshasa Departure
Tour ends with transfer to airport. (B)
**** PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS SCHEDULE MAY CHANGE EN ROUTE DUE TO LOCAL FACTORS ****
Dates & Price.
Please call us to book the DR Congo River Expedition
2023 Dates
Full Tour (29 Days) – 4th Aug to 1st Sep 2023 – £8245 per person
Part 1 – Mbandaka to Lisala (17 Days) – 4th Aug – 20th Aug 2023 – £6395 per person
Part 2 – Lisala to Kisangani (16 Days) – 17th Aug – 1st Sep 2023 – £6595 per person
2024 Dates – Provisional
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