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Places to Visit in Mbandaka, Équateur, Congo, Africa

Mbandaka is a city in the Équateur Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is situated around 700 km northeast of the country capital, Kinshasa. Located on the Congo River, Mbandaka coordinates with 0°02′52″ N latitude and 18°15′21″ E longitude. The climate of Mbandaka is classified as tropical rainforest, with no specific dry season and average monthly temperature oscillates between 23° C and 26°C.

Its position on the river bank and surrounded by the scenery of the Ngiri Reserve, Mbandaka is renowned as one of the tourist favor cities in DRC, especially famous among nature lovers and adventure enthusiasts.

History of Mbandaka:

Welsh journalist and explorer Henry Morton Stanley was the founder of Mbandaka, who founded it in 1883 under the name ‘Équateurville’ as its position near the Equator Line. The name was changed to ‘Coquilhatville’ by the Belgians during their beginning of colonial rule in DRC. Mbandaka got its current name in 1966 after the country’s independence.

Connectivity to Mbandaka:

The Mbandaka Airport is situated around 6 km southeast of the city centre. The airport operates flights from/to Gemena and Kinshasa, served by Compagnie Africaine d’Aviation.

Mbandaka can be reached directly by road from Kinshasa and other southern and western Congolese cities.

Visitors can hire car from the local travel agency for airport travel, to move within the city and sightseeing purposes.

Food and Shopping in Mbandaka:

Mbandaka is relatively an upgraded city with all basic facilities including modernized shops and restaurants spread up all around the city. There are also many traditional shops and restaurants in Mbandaka.

Things to do in Mbandaka:

• Visiting museum and botanical garden
• City tours
• Shoppping

Tourist Attractions in Mbandaka:

Botanic Garden of Eala:

The Botanic Garden of Eala is considered as one of the best botanical gardens in Central Africa, situated in the suburb of Eala, around 7 km east of the heart of Mbandaka. Founded in 1900, the botanical garden is home to around 5,000 plant species in the area of 370 hectares.

The Catholic Mission station of Bamanya:

The Catholic Mission station of Bamanya is located around 10 km east of Mbandaka’s city centre. It houses a large research center dedicated for Central African history, which was first established by Fathers Gustaaf Hulstaert and Honoré Vinck.

Mbandaka Museum:

The Mbandaka Museum is a national museum, situated in the city of Mbandaka. The museum is concentrated on showcasing the history and culture of both Mbandaka and DRC with well preserved artifacts and artworks.

University of Mbandaka:

The University of Mbandaka is the major educational organization and cultural centre in Mbandaka. Established on 1 October 2004, the university currently trains around 800 students from all around the province.

List of other places of interest near Mbandaka include:

• Mount Nyiragongo
• Kahuzi-Biega National Park
• Boyoma Falls
• Maiko National Park
• Lake Edward
• Garamba National Park
• Virunga National Park
• Livingstone Falls
• Lola ya Bonobo
• Maiko National Park
• Jardin d’Eden
• Salonga National Park

When to visit Mbandaka?

Probably from December to February is the best time to visit Mbandaka to enjoy different outdoor activities.

Hotels in and around Mbandaka:

Mbandaka houses a limited number of tourist favor hotels, so below is listed hotels in Mbandaka, where all types of upgraded hotels ranging from budget options to star rated hotels are located. The prominent hotels in Mbandaka are listed below:

• Hotel Royal
• Hotel Amaritsah
• Grand Hotel Kinshasa
• La Difference Plus
• Fleuve Congo Hotel
• Hotel Memling
• Havre de Paix
• Hotel Belle Vie
• Hotel Ave Maria
• Residence Le Consul
• Hotel Pour Vous
• Castelo Hotel
• Guest House de Ma Campagne
• Guest House San Pedro Kinshasa
• Guest House Residence

Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Masi-Manimba, Kwilu, Bandundu, Congo, Africa

Masi-Manimba is a town belonging to the Kwilu District in Bandundu Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Lying between 4.778995° S latitude and 17.907715° E longitude, Masi-Manimba is the administrative centre of the Masi-Manimba Territory and houses a population of around 31,800 (as of the 2012 census).

Masi-Manimba is located on the Lukula River at an elevation of 595 meters, around 380 km east of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Masi-Manimba has an airport, bus station and all other essential facilities. Masi-Manimba is also known among tourists as it is one of the gateways to the natural tourist destination Réserve de chasse (around 100 km).

How to reach Masi-Manimba?

There is an airport in Masi-Manimba but flights are probably not regular. It would be better if tourists reach N’djili Airport in the capital Kinshasa first and then use bus or taxi or rental car to get Masi-Manimba. The N’djili Airport is located around 370 km from Masi-Manimba and handles flights from/to Johannesburg, Casablanca, Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Brussels, Paris and Istanbul.

Masi-Manimba has a good connectivity by bus to Kinshasa, Kikwit and Kenge. Minibuses and rental cars are the options to get around Masi-Manimba.

Food and Shopping in Masi-Manimba:

There are no large shopping malls and restaurants in Masi-Manimba but the town houses many traditional shops and restaurants with locally produced colorful handicraft items, food pockets and clothes.

Things to do in Masi-Manimba:

• Visiting surrounding villages
• Traditional shopping
• Hiking

What to see in Masi-Manimba?

Masi-Manimba Airport:

The Masi-Manimba Airport is one of the important landmarks of the town of Masi-Manimba, lying around 1,952 feet above sea level and its runway measures a length of 4,100 feet. Apart from travelers, the airport is also frequented by visitors for its nice construction and pleasant environment.

Réserve de chasse:

The Réserve de chasse is a nature reserve, situated near the town of Kenge, around 100 km west of Masi-Manimba. It is a heaven for adventure sport enthusiasts and nature lovers with diverse floral and faunal species. It is advised visitors to hire a guided tour for the easy exploration of the reserve.

Kinshasa:

Kinshasa is the capital city of DRC, located around 380 km west of Masi-Manimba. Kinshasa is a city with many notable manmade and natural tourist attractions like Stade des Martyrs, The People’s Palace, Livingstone Falls, University of Kinshasa and Pool Malebo. Buses are generally plying between Kinshasa and Masi-Manimba.

List of other places of interest in Masi-Manimba and Kinshasa (around 380 km) include:

• University of Kinshasa
• The People’s Palace
• Stade des Martyrs
• Pool Malebo
• Livingstone Falls
• Zongo Falls
• Ma Vallee
• Musee National de Kinshasa
• Symphonie des Arts
• Lola ya Bonobo
• Fiesta Club
• Cercle de Kinshasa
• Mercato delle Stoffe Africane
• Kinshasa University
• Serpents du Congo

Best time to visit Masi-Manimba:

The best time to visit Masi-Manimba depends on visitors’ interest, although the most popular time to visit Masi-Manimba from June to September.

Hotels in Masi-Manimba:

Masi-Manimba is home to very few standard hotels, so most tourists visiting Masi-Manimba refer the capital city Kinshasa’s hotels for accommodation, which is also recommended for visitors. The prominent hotels in Kinshasa (around 380 km from Masi-Manimba) include:

• La Difference Plus
• Hotel Belle Vie
• Hotel Royal
• Havre de Paix
• Grand Hotel Kinshasa
• Hotel Amaritsah
• Fleuve Congo Hotel
• Hotel Memling
• Castelo Hotel
• Hotel Pour Vous
• Hotel Ave Maria
• Residence Le Consul
• Guest House de Ma Campagne
• Guest House San Pedro Kinshasa
• Guest House Residence

Tourist Places to Visit in Kolwezi, Congo, Africa

Kolwezi is a city situated in the Katanga Province in the African country the Democratic Republic of the Congo, around 300 km northwest of the country’s second largest city, Lubumbashi and 2000 km southeast of the country’s capital and largest city, Kinshasa. Kolwezi lies around 1,448 meters above sea level, between 10°43′ S latitude and 25°28′ E longitude and sprawls over an area of 213 sq. km. The economy of Kolwezi is centered on mining activities, mainly on copper and cobalt mining. Kolwezi is home to the University of Kolwezi and the Kolwezi Airport.

History of Kolwezi:

Kolwezi was founded during the Belgium colonial rule in 1937 as centre of the High Katanga Mining Association’s western mining group. Kolwezi was also the scene of the Battle of Kolwezi.

Conenctivity to Kolwezi:

Kolwezi Airport is situated around 6 km away from the midpoint of Kolwezi city and receives flights from Lubumbashi, served by Compagnie Africaine d’Aviation and Korongo Airlines.

There is direct road connectivity from Lubumbashi to Kolwezi, catered by daily buses and minibuses. The local transportation of Kolwezi is served by minibuses, taxis and rental vehicles like cars and bikes.

Food and Shopping in Kolwezi:

There are a limited number of shops and restaurants found in the city of Kolwezi, of which most are traditional options. For more options, Lubumbashi (around 300 km from Kolwezi) is a perfect option, where all sorts of modernized and traditional can be found.

Things to do in Kolwezi:

• Day tours
• Shopping
• Fishing
• Visiting mining sites

Tourist Attractions in Kolwezi:

University of Kolwezi:

Founded on 1 October 2004, the University of Kolwezi is one of the identities of Kolwezi. Earlier called University Centre of Kolwezi, the university is allowed for visitors with a prior permission to know the local culture and history.

Lake Nzilo:

The Lake Nzilo is a manmade lake, situated around 16 km northeast of the city of Kolwezi. The lake measures a surface elevation of 1,200 metres and surface area of 200 square kilometers. It is a great sightseeing spot for visitors.

Musonoi Mine:

The Musonoi Mine is a mining complex located near the city of Kolwezi. Visitors are welcome to mine to explore the local mining process with a prearranged tour or permission at the site.

Upemba National Park:

Situated to the northeast of Kolwezi, the Upemba National Park is spread over an area of 11,730 km² with diverse geographical features, riparian zones, marshes, lakes and wetlands. Shoebill and Wattled Crane are the major bird species found in the park. It was established in the year 1939.

List of other places of interest in and around Kolwezi include:

• Kolwezi Airport
• Lualaba River
• Maiko National Park
• Lake Edward
• Mount Nyiragongo
• Boyoma Falls
• Jardin d’Eden
• Salonga National Park
• Okapi Wildlife Reserve
• Kahuzi-Biega National Park
• Garamba National Park
• Virunga National Park
• Livingstone Falls
• Lola ya Bonobo
• Maiko National Park

Best time to visit Kolwezi:

Throughout the year is best, especially during the dry months between June and September is best to visit Kolwezi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Hotels in and around Kolwezi:

JIT Guesthouse and Hotel Le Manguier are the two well known hotels in Kolwezi with basic and upgraded facilities and services. Visitors can also refer Lubumbashi city to find star rated hotels. Buses are generally frequent between these cities. The list of hotels in Lubumbashi (around 300 km from Kolwezi) includes:

• Hotel Lubumbashi
• Grand Karavia Hotel
• Park Hotel
• Hotel Cosmopolite
• The Riverside Hotel
• Hotel Planet Hollybum
• Bougain Villa
• Guest House Mwamini
• AMS Guest House
• Hotel Belle-Vue