Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kinshasa
Airport Meet and Greet service. Airport to hotel transfer and short tour briefing. Overnight Residence Mutchimba or similar
Day 2: Sightseeing in Kinshasa
City tour of Kinshasa, the capital of the D.R.Congo. The tour offers you the opportunity to visit, photograph and learn about the major historical, cultural and natural highlights the city has to offer. Kinshasa, the capital of the D.R.Congo, used to be referred to as "Kin La Belle" - meaning "Beautiful Kinshasa". The many years of turmoil have broken down on this image. But slowly and surely, Kinshasa is regaining its splendour. Some of the major sites include the "Grand Marché", the tomb of former President Laurent Kabila, the "Academy des Beaux Arts" for those who like African art, the rapids of Kinsuka just downstream from the city and the Bonobo Reserve, a sanctuary for orphaned bonobo-monkeys, one of the five Great Apes, and the closest to mankind. Overnight Residence Mutchimba or similar.
Day 3: Kinshasa to Kisangani
Hotel to airport transfer for scheduled flight to Kisangani
Airport to hotel transfer. Overnight Kisangani hotel
Day 4: Sightseeing in Kisangani
Kisangani was founded by Sir Henry Morton Stanley in January 1877. Memorable sites include the Tshopo River Falls and the Wagenia fisheries, set up in the midst of river rapids. Fishing is carried on by means of a complex structure set among the rocks. Lianas attached to cross poles act as stretchers for the nets submerged in the foaming water. The fishermen go about their business in pirogues, plying among rapids and rocks. Their agility and daredevil boldness are an unfailing source of amazement.
Overnight Kisangani hotel
Day 5: Travel by boat: Kisangani – Yangambi ( 90 km )
Our River Cruiser is a 34-meter long, wooden boat, equipped with two powerful outboard engines. This traditional type of boat is further equipped with safety equipment, sanitary installation, a generator, lighting and freezers. The boat is operated by a licensed and experienced captain, a mechanic and a sailor. A cook and a tourist guide are present to pamper our clients. Evenings and nights are spent ashore, enabling cultural exchanges with the local population. Overnight tented camp
Day 6: Travel by boat: Yangambi – Lokutu (95 km)
The Yangambi Biosphere Reserve is a centre for research .Secondary forests with Pycnanthus angolensis and Fagara macrophylla, semi-deciduous secondary rain forests, rain forests with Gilbertiodendron dewevrei, climax forests with Brachystegia laurentii and marshland forests dominate the biosphere reserve. The site is very important from a biodiversity point of view since it hosts about 32,000 tree species. The elephant (Loxodonta africana cyclotis), the river hog (Potamochoerus porcus) and monkeys (Cercopithecus spp.) are among the most threatened species.
Although there are no figures on the number of inhabitants of the area, some economic activities take place within the biosphere reserve boundaries such as agriculture, hunting, fishing, the production of canoes as well as some gold extraction. Numerous soil, silviculture and climate studies as well as experiments on the regeneration of the vegetation cover have been carried out.
Overnight tented camp
Day 7: Travel by boat: Lokutu – Mombongo (83 km)
Lokutu has about 20.000 people.We visit the Lokutu Oil Palm Plantation. We arrive in the region of the Lokele, a tribe living on the banks of the river. Overnight tented camp
Day 8: Travel by boat: Mombongo – Bumba (106 km)
In Bumba, the Congo river broadens out to its widest part, some 20 kilometres across. The river is covered with water hyacinths and practically paved with innumerable islands, through and around which the fishermen's pirogues ply. The water hyacinth is thought to have been introduced into Congo in 1960 by a South-American Missionary who brought seedlings of this flower in his luggage. It proliferated so wildly that the missionary tossed a few excess plants into the river. This innocent gesture has produced incalculable results, since the river hyacinths have become a real hazard to navigation. The region of Bumba is also the home of the Bafoto Pygmies.
Overnight tented camp
Day 9: Travel by boat: Bumba – Lisala (117 km)
Lisala is the home town of the former President Mobutu Sese Seko. He was born here in a small municipal maternity clinic. A broad trunked tree - a "Libanga" - commemorates this event with a plaque: "This tree commemorates the birth of the Father of the Zairian Revolution, Mobutu Sese Seko, born on 14 October 1930."
Overnight tented camp
Day 10: Travel by boat: Lisala – Iaté ( 109 km)
Iaté: beautiful fishermen lake village. Kind population.
Overnight tented camp
Day 11: Travel by boat: Iaté – Moleka ( 95 km )
The river expands, either by flowing round countless islands, or by spreading out into what settlers call “pools”. Stanley met some cannibals here. Overnight tented camp
Day 12: Travel by boat: Moleka – Bolombo ( 121 km )
Overnight tented camp
Day 13: Travel by boat: Bolombo – Malonga ( 77 km )
Makanza is formerly New Antwerp. Here the river Overnight tented camp
Day 14: Travel by boat: Malonga – Mbandaka ( 105 km )
The Congo crosses the Equator shortly before Mbandaka. Mbandaka is the biggest town, 730.000 souls, between Kisangani and Kinshasa. It is the region of the Mongo tribe. Overnight tented camp
Day 15: Travel by boat: Mbandaka – Malanga (90km)
Mbandaka is the capital of the Equatorial Province, on the left bank of the Congo in the angle formed by the left bank of the Ruki River and the bank of the Congo. Mbandaka was established on 17th June 1883, by Stanley and Van Gèle. Slightly north of Irebu the Congo forms a vast delta about 14 km broad. This is the point at which the Ubangi joins the Congo. Overnight tented camp
Day 16: Travel by boat: Malanga – Lukolela plantation (101 km)
Up to Lukolela are Mpoto and Sungu followed by gombe where the river narrows again. This feature is known as the Liranga Narrows. Visit of a cacao plantation. The plantation has suffered from the isolation due to the civil war.
Overnight tented camp
Day 17: Travel by boat: Lukolela – Croissement (99 km)
At Lukolela the river narrows and is bordered by cliffs of a height of 20 – 25 m. Lukolela was established by Stanley on 12th September 1893. The river maintains a width of 6 – 9 km and is studded with islands. Overnight tented camp
Day 18: Travel by boat: Croissement – Kalengé ( 110 km )
Yumbi: Early catholic mission. There are rock outcrops at the bottom of the navigation channel. At Bolobo the width of the river is reduced to less than 2 km. Overnight tented camp
Day 19: Travel by boat: Kalengé – Epuna (155 km )
Epuna is not far from Kwamouth. Kwamouth is on the left bank at the confluence of the Kwa, the name of the Kasai River where it joins the Congo. Overnight tented camp
Day 20: Travel by boat: Epuna – Maluku (89 km )
The River runs through what has been called the channel or passage, where the banks are steep and the river is wedged in between the foothills of the Crystal Mountains. Islands are few and there are nio sand-banks. We arrive in Maluku. Here the Congo becomes the Pool Malebo. Transfer to hotel in Kinshasa.
Day 21: Kinshasa
Hotel to airport transfer departure
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Arrangement:
- Airport Pick-up and Drop-off Service
- All transfers as mentioned in the program
- French- / English-speaking Guide
- accommodation in Hotel in Kinshasa and Kisangani
- accommodation in a Tented Campement in the interior
- Bed&Breakfast Meal plan in Kinshasa
- Full Board Meal plan in the interior
- Drinks excluded
Also see tour packages in:
Africa
Zaire
Congo
Rainforest
Boating and Sailing
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