22 Day Congo River Cruise By Boat

We will organise a domestic flight for you either in Goma or Kinshasa, and fly to Kisangani. a city lying at the central heart of Africa’s great rainforests, 3rd largest city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the provincial capital of Tshopo, founded by Sir Henry Morton Stanley in January 1877. Arrive and transfer at the hotel, Dinner and over night.

After Breakfast you will set off for a city tour, you will visit Tshopo River Falls and the Wagenia fisheries, set up amid river rapids. Fishing is carried on using 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 do their business in pirogues, plying among rapids and rocks. Their agility and daredevil boldness are an unfailing source of amazement. back at the Hotel, dinner and overnight

After Break Fast, transfer to Yangambi by Boat, during this trip, you will pass through past pockets of lush green secondary forest, semi-deciduous secondary rainforest, climax forests with Brachystegia laurentii flora and marshland forest, inhabited by colorful birdlife and animals, Arrive late in the afternoon, Visit the Yangambi Biosphere Reserve a center for research. The Center 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. Dinner and overnight in Tents.

Lokutu (sometimes spelled Lukutu) formerly named Elisabetha, is a village in Tshopo province, Located on the west bank of the Congo River. On our arrival we will take Luch thereafter go to visit Feronia Palm Oil Plantation, the largest plantation in the Democratic Republic of Congo covering 63,560 hectares (157,100 acres), established in 1920. The plantation is situated alongside the Congo River. back at the camp dinner and overnignt

Afret Breakfast, take our boat and leave Lokutu the village of the Lokele, a tribe living on the banks of the river to Mombongo. Mombongo is the hamlet in Congo-Kinshasa, located some 106 km to the south-east from Bumba. En-route we will see how local people 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. Arrive late in the evining, dinner and over night

Take Your Breakfast, thereafter head to Bumba where you will meet Bafoto pygmies. In this village 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. Interact with Pygmies, dinner and overnight.

Afret Break fast Take our Boat and Embark to Lisasa. The city of Lisala, is situated along the Congo River, this city gained prominence during the colonial era due to its strategic location for transportation and trade. The name Lisala, therefore, became synonymous with this bustling and vital hub. Lisala is the capital of the Mongala Province in northwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Congo River flows through the city. It is the birthplace of president Mobutu Sese Seko, who ruled Congo (which he renamed Zaire) from 1965 to 1997. on our arrival we have walk in the city, Visit the Cathédrale Saint-Hermès, the cathedral episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lisala. take dinner and over night.

in the Morning After Breakafast Embark in our boat and head to Iate village, From here The river expands, either by flowing round countless islands, or by spreading out into what settlers call “pools”. Stanley met some cannibals here. The trip is expected to take 4 Hours and as with the first leg, the 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. walk in the village Interact with locals. Dinner and overnight.

Embark in our Boat to Moleka after Brakafast, We will have time to explore the congo Bassin Forest wich houses approximately 10, 000 species of tropical plants and 30 percent are unique to the region. Endangered wildlife, including forest elephants, chimpanzees, bonobos, and lowland and mountain gorillas inhabit the lush forests. 400 other species of mammals, 1,000 species of birds and 700 species of fish can also be found here. The Congo Basin has been inhabited by humans for more than 50,000 years and it provides food, fresh water and shelter to more than 75 million people. Nearly 150 distinct ethnic groups exist and the region’s Ba’Aka people are among the most well known representatives of an ancient hunter-gatherer lifestyle. Their lives and well-being are linked intimately with the forest. arrive walk in the village, dinner and overnight.

Morning After Breakfast proceed to Bolobo, a vilage located on the Congo River in Mai-Ndombe Province in the western part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with a polation estimated at 31,366. The predominant tribe is that of the Banunu people, who originate from upriver and whose Bobangi language was the former trade language for the area. Lingala, one of the four national languages of the DRC, is now used for trading and intertribal communication. Other local tribal groupings include the Bateke (the natives of this area) and Batende, who have their own Bantu languages. Bolobo was visited by Henry Morton Stanley on his trip down the Congo River in the 19th century. arrive and Intaract with local Paole. Dinner and overnight.

On this day, we will wake up in the morning enjoy our Breakfast, thereafter Embark in our boat and transfer to malonga village. From here is where you will start to realise that The Congo River can tick a lot of impressive feats off its list: as Africa’s most powerful river, the second most voluminous river in the world, the fifth longest, the deepest in world and It even passes through the second-largest rainforest in the world. arrive walk in village dinner and overnight.

After Breakafast we will Embark to Bandaka town in our wooden boat, we will spend two night in town, we will have enough time to walk in the city exploring what it has to offer including a visit of where the line of Equator passes, Bamanya Catholic Mission station: A research center for Central African history, located 10 kilometers east of Mbandaka, and Eala Botanic Garden: A botanical garden with around 4,000–5,000 species, located about 7 kilometers east of Mbandaka. Mbandaka is located near the confluence of the Congo and Ruki rivers. It is the capital of Équateur Province. The city was founded in 1883 by British explorer Henry Morton Stanley under the name Équateurville. Mbandaka is largely populated by people of the Mongo ethnic group, although people from many different tribes and regions live in the city. The main languages spoken in Mbandaka are Lingala, French, and Mongo. spend two night in this City

Embark in our Boat after taking our Breakfast, and head to Malanga village. from Malanga Up to Lukolela the river narrows again. This feature is known as the Liranga Narrows. this area used to have several cacao plantation. Unfortenatly the plantation suffered from the isolation due to the civil war in 1997 t0 2002. arrive take dinner and Overnight.

After Ab earkly Break we will proceed to Lukolela in Our Boat. Lukolela is a town in Équateur Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the Congo River bank. It is opposite the Republic of Congo town of Loukolela. 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. arrive and Overnight.

Today after Breakfast we will take our boat and head to toYumbi a town and territory of Mai-Ndombe province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. the town lies on the eastern bank of the Congo River between Bolobo and Lukolela. The town of Yumbi is the headquarters of Yumbi Territory and has a population of approximately 50,000. walk in the town and overnight.

After Breakfast Embark in our Boat and proceed to Tshumbiri in Mai_Ndombe at the shore of the Congo river. Mai-Ndombe is one of the 21 newest provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the 2015 repartitioning when the former Bandundu province was split-up into the new provinces of Mai-Ndombe, Kwango, and Kwilu. Mai-Ndombe was formed from the Plateaux and Mai-Ndombe districts, with the town of Inongo being elevated to the capital city of the new province. Arrive, walk in the village, dinner and overnight.

Wake up in Morning at 8.00 am, Take our breakfast, thereafter leave the town of Tshumbiri and proceed to Kwamouth, a small town in Mai-Ndombe province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the headquarters of the Kwamouth territory. The town lies at the mouth of the Kwah River, the last stretch of the Kasai River after it has been joined by the Fimi River, where it enters the might Congo River. arive late in the afternoon, walk in village interact with Locals, dinner and overnight.

In the Morning at 8.00AM Proceed to Maluku one of the 24 communes that are the administrative divisions of Kinshasa, the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. From Epuna a Village Located not far of Kwamouth to Maluku, 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 the hotel in Kinshasa. Dinner and Overnight.

After Break Fast at 9.00Am go for a city tour of Kinshasa, the capital city 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 you visit 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 Statue of Patrice Lumumba the father of the independence of Congo. Dinner and Overnight.

After Breakafast, at 9.00AM we will visit The ya Bonobo Sactuary. Founded by Claudine Andre in 1994, Lola ya Bonobo is a chimpanzee sanctuary just outside of Kinshasa. Lola ya Bonobo means ‘paradise for bonobos’ in Lingala, the main language of Kinshasa In 2007, Lola ya Bonobo is home to 52 bonobos who live in 30 hectares of primary forest. The Bonobo Chimanzees are endangered and are found in the wild only in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the world. Along with the Common Chimpanzee, the Bonobo is the closest extant relative to humans. Since the two species are not proficient swimmers, it is possible that the formation of the Congo River 1.5–2 million years ago led to the speciation of the Bonobo. They live south of the river, and thereby were separated from the ancestors of the Common Chimpanzee, which live north of the river. This 2 hour walking tour will allow you to see baby Bonobos under the care of the sanctuary staff, and adult Bonobos in the wild making sex every second. Back to Kishasa, Relax, take dinner and overnight.

Today you will be transferred to the airport where you will be checked in for your flight back home. End of the tour