What are the top destinations to explore in Congo with a self-drive vehicle? Lying in Central Africa is the untapped Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), formerly called Zaire, home to abundant natural resources. DRC is home to a diversity of wildlife and is one destination every nature lover should consider a must-visit. Multiple tourist destinations exist in the Democratic Republic of Congo and each has unique attractions for nature enthusiasts to explore.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is a great destination with tourist places that offer visitors up close to the world’s distinct apes, Big 5 game, and other natural wonders. On Congo safaris with self-drive vehicles or guided tours, expect to explore primate trekking destinations, enriching wildlife sites, and places that guarantee you ultimate adventure.
In terms of wildlife, Congo remains untapped and holds diversity of animals worth exploring. The different wildlife to expect to find on the Congo tour include leopards, lions, cape buffaloes, elephants, rhinos, okapis, Eastern lowland gorillas, mountain gorillas, bonobos, and many bird species. As per this article, we shall focus on top destinations to explore in Congo with a self-drive vehicle, and here are some of them;
Virunga National Park
Virunga National Park is one of the best destinations in Congo that any nature enthusiasts should consider on their bucket list of places to explore in Africa. Lying in the Eastern part of Congo, Virunga is the oldest park formed back in 1925, and is also an extensive protected area with a land area coverage of 7800 sq. km. Virunga National Park is a UNESCO heritage site and is home to abundant wildlife, birds, and other natural landforms.
The notable wildlife species to explore in the Virunga National Park include mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, mantled Guerezas, chimpanzees, bush elephants, topis, duikers, leopards, okapis, and more. Other attractions in this park are Virunga Volcanoes such as Nyiragongo Volcano, Nyamuragira, and Mikeno, etc.
Birds –over 706 species of birds exist in the Virunga National Park. These include endemic species such as the Rwenzori batis, blue-headed sunbird, Shelley’s crimsonwing, dusky crimsonwing, collared apalis, red-throated alethe, regal sunbird, archer’s ground robin, handsome spurfowl, Kivu ground thrush, and Rwenzori turacos.
Other birds include olive long-tailed cuckoos, Diederik cuckoo, African goshawk, white-headed wood hoopoe, Klaas’s cuckoos, hadada ibis, cinnamon bracken warblers, black-faced rufous and grey-crowned cranes.
On a comfortable 4×4 self-drive safari vehicle, it is possible to access Virunga National Park from Goma City or Kigali in Rwanda.
Kahuzi-Biega National Park -KBNP
Situated in the Eastern part of Congo, Kahuzi-Biega National Park is the only destination where you can engage in guided Eastern lowland gorilla trekking. Kahuzi-Biega is 6000 sq. km and protects Eastern lowland gorillas, plus other wildlife and birds. The additional animals to find in Kahuzi-Biega National Park include the Mount Kahuzi climbing mouse, Alexander’s bush squirrel, bush buffaloes, Bongo antelope, Eastern chimpanzees, and Bush elephants.
Visitors on Congo tours in Kahuzi-Biega National Park can engage in Eastern lowland gorilla trekking, hiking, nature walks, and birding.
Garamba National Park
Located in the far Northeastern Congo, Garamba is one of the best parks with diverse wildlife. This protected area is dominated by savanna, grassland, and woodland which offer refuge to abundant wildlife. It is among the oldest parks in Congo and also a designated UNESCO heritage site. Some of the wildlife in Garamba include hippos, bush elephants, giraffes, white rhinos, and over 280 species of birds.
Lola ya Bonobos Sanctuary
Lola ya bonobo is without a doubt the only sanctuary where you can find the orphaned bonobos. This sanctuary lies in the Southern suburb of Kimwenza and was founded in 1994 by Claudine Andre. This is where a total of about 60 bonobos survive.
Salonga National Park
Salonga is lying within the Congo River basin and covers about 36,000 sq. km making it Africa’s biggest tropical rainforest reserve. Due to its location, access to this park is possible by water that is on the Congo River. Salonga protects a diversity of endemic species including dwarf chimpanzees, forest elephants, African slender-snouted/false crocodiles, and the Congo peacock.
Okapi Wildlife Reserve
Okapi is one of the enriching wildlife safari destinations in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This protected area covers 14,000 sq. km with the largest part of it consisting of thick forests. It is popular for the rare okapi plus other wildlife such as forest genet, elephants, chimpanzees, huge forest pigs, forest buffaloes, Anubis baboons, pygmy antelopes, gigantic pangolins, African dwarf crocodiles, and more.
Senkwekwe
Located not far from Mikeno Lodge is the stunning Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage. It is the one place not to be missed after mountain gorilla trekking adventures in the Virunga National Park. Senkwekwe is the only orphanage of mountain gorillas worldwide and serves as the rehabilitation and conservation center in the D.R. Congo.
Lake Kivu
Lake Kivu is shared between Rwanda and Congo. It is one place with dozens of stunning islands including the c-shaped Tchegera Island and Idjwi –the largest island. Visitors can get to Lake Kivu by road and then embark on a boat ride to explore its enriching and spectacular islands.
Kinshasa
Kinshasa is a beautiful city in the Democratic Republic of Congo with over 11 million inhabitants. It is known for its rich music history and great cultural diversity. It is best known as the cradle of Congolese rumba –the famous genre of dance music shaped by many international influences.
Kinshasa is strategically situated in an area where you can explore other attractions/sites including Lola ya Bonobo, home to the threatened Bonobos. Other places to visit in and around Kinshasa city include the National Museum of Kinshasa, Palais de la Nation, the Zongo waterfalls, art galleries, Lac de Ma Vallee, or explore the Kisantu botanical garden/snake farm.
Conclusively, there are many places to explore in Congo not only with a self-drive vehicle but also by boat. With the above top destinations, anyone planning to spend their next holiday in Congo has a place to explore. Each of the top destinations in Congo has something unique for visitors to explore and experience. Plan and book the best Congo safari tour with the local expert for long-lasting memories.
