Best places to visit in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Democratic Republic of the Congo Essentials

The Democratic Republic of the Congo contains a vast landscape of ecological and geological wonders. This collection features active volcanoes like Mount Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira in the Virunga Mountains, alongside the world-renowned Kahuzi-Biéga National Park. It highlights the Lola ya Bonobo sanctuary near Kinshasa and the expansive Congo Basin. Key landmarks include the seven cataracts of Boyoma Falls, the massive Inga hydroelectric dams, and cultural sites such as the Force Publique Memorial and the historic Kisantu Botanical Gardens.

Ivtorov / CC BY-SA 3.0

Mount Nyiragongo

Mount Nyiragongo is an active stratovolcano with an elevation of 3,470 m in the Virunga Mountains associated with the Albertine Rift.

J. Flynn / Public domain

Kahuzi-Biéga National Park

The Kahuzi-Biega National Park is a protected area near Bukavu town in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Vanessawoods / Public domain

Lola ya Bonobo

Lola ya Bonobo is the world's only sanctuary for orphaned bonobos. Originally founded by Claudine André in 1994, since 2002 the sanctuary…

MONUSCO Photos / CC BY-SA 2.0

Congo Basin

The Congo Basin is the sedimentary basin of the Congo River. The Congo Basin is located in Central Africa, in a region known as west…

Ad Meskens / CC BY-SA 3.0

Boyoma Falls

Boyoma Falls, formerly known as Stanley Falls, is a series of seven cataracts, each no more than 5 m high, extending over more than 100 km…

Alaindg / CC BY 2.5

Inga dams

The Inga Dams are two hydroelectric dams connected to one of the largest waterfalls in the world, Inga Falls.

Vberger / Public domain

Stade des Martyrs

The Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecôte, or commonly referred to as the Stade des Martyrs, is the national stadium of the Democratic Republic…

Unknown / Public domain

Force Publique

The Force Publique was the military of the Congo Free State and the Belgian Congo from 1885 to 1960.

Pandries / CC BY-SA 3.0

Kisantu Botanical Gardens

Founded in 1900 by Brother Justin Gillet, these gardens in Kongo Central province span 225 hectares. The site features a collection of tropical plants, ancient trees, and a specialized cactus greenhouse, serving as a center for botanical research and conservation.