Social ConventionsCasual clothes are widely suitable, although scanty beachwear should be confined to the beach or poolside.
Photography: A permit is required. Even then, local authorities are likely to be sensitive. Avoid official areas, airports and riverbanks.
International Travel:Getting There by AirAirlines serving Congo (Dem Rep) include
Air France,
Air Gabon,
Cameroon Airlines,
Ethiopian Airlines,
Kenya Airways,
KLM and
South African Airways.
Departure TaxCDF500.
Main AirportsKinshasa (N’Djili)
(FIH) is 25km (15 miles) east of the city.
To/from the airport: Buses run to and from the city. Taxis are available.
Facilities: 24-hour bank/bureau de change, post office, restaurant and car hire, but all services are erratic and unreliable.
Getting There by WaterThe international port is
Matadi on the Congo River. There are no passenger services to or from Matadi at present.
Ferries usually operate across the Congo River from Brazzaville to Kinshasa, although services are sporadic at present. In peacetime, there are ferries along the Oubangui River to the Central African Republic.
Getting There by RailIn peacetime, there are rail services to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Lobito in Angola; and connections to Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa.
Getting There by RoadMost of Congo’s (Dem Rep) borders are closed or very dangerous. Even in peacetime, the roads are mostly in bad condition and impassable in the rainy season. There are connecting roads to surrounding countries, the major routes being through Sudan, Uganda and Zambia.
OverviewThe following items may be imported into Congo (Dem Rep) by persons over 18 years of age without incurring customs duty:
• 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 227g of tobacco.
• One bottle of alcoholic beverage.
• A reasonable amount of perfume for personal use.
• Cameras if temporarily imported by tourists.
Note: Radios, audio equipment and gifts are subject to duty.
Prohibited ImportsAn import license is required for arms and ammunition.
Internal Travel:Getting Around By AirThere are connections from
N’Djili Airport (Kinshasa) to over 40 internal airports and 150 landing strips. Small planes may be available for charter.
Getting Around by WaterOver 1,600km (1,000 miles) of the Congo River are navigable and, in normal circumstances, there are services from Kinshasa to the upriver ports of Kisangani and Ilébo. Services at present, however, are unreliable owing to political instability and fuel shortages.
Getting Around by RailThe main internal railway runs from Lubumbashi to Ilébo, with a branch to Kalemie and Kindu, and from Kinshasa to the port of Matadi. Rail services are generally subject to disruption. There is no air conditioning, but there are couchettes and dining cars on the principal trains.
Getting Around by RoadTraffic drives on the right. Owing to poor maintenance, the roads are among the worst in Africa and only achieve a fair standard around the main towns. It is wise to check that bridges are safe before crossing. Vehicle thefts, including hijackings at gunpoint, occur.
Bus: Services run between the main towns but are crowded and unreliable.
Taxi: Available in Kinshasa but unreliable.
Car hire: Available on a limited basis at the airport.
Documentation: International Driving Permit required.
Getting Around Towns and CitiesConventional
bus services in
Kinshasa can be severely overcrowded.
Minibuses and converted
truck-buses also offer public transport, and are known as
fula fulas. Pick-up trucks are known as ‘
taxibuses’. A better standard of transport is provided by
shared taxis, which are widely available. There is little or no public transport in most other large centers.
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