Solo Traveling to Congo

Solo Congo or the democratic republic of Congo is located in the central region of Africa. The country is the second largest in Africa and ranked 11^th in the world. Whenever travelers hear about Congo safaris the question that comes to their mind is “Is the democratic republic of Congo safe?”. The country is a great destination for travelers to encounter during the safari. Though with its political instabilities, the country has several destinations that solo travelers need to follow during their safaris to the country. Travelers are supposed to plan accordingly and do research about the country.

Is Congo safe for solo travelers?

The country is one of the most challenging destinations for solo travelers where safety concerns exist. Solo travelers are supposed to consider the following before traveler traveling to Congo.

Travelers are supposed to acquire local guides to take them through the country.
Travelers are supposed to know the current situation in the country since it is usually affected by political instabilities on the eastern side.
Infrastructure-like roads in the Congo are unreliable.
Travelers are advised to use the local currency since there are limited banks and ATM services around the country.
Travelers are supposed to check on the government travel advisory website.

What are the requirements for travelers on their solo Congo safaris?

Travelers are supposed to know the following before traveling to Congo for the safaris and the requirements include;

Visa which is acquired from the Congolese embassies or online.
Valid passport which is at least 6 months before expiry.
Vaccination cards for different diseases like COVID-19, yellow fever, malaria, and many others.

How can a solo traveler deal with the language barrier while in Congo?

While traveler on their solo tours to the Congo, usually face challenges of the language barrier. Kiswahili and French are the major languages that are used to communicate. Travelers are supposed to know any of these languages while on their safaris to ease communication. French is the official language which is used.

What are the major destinations that travelers on solo safaris to the democratic republic of Congo?

While in the solo tours in Congo, there are several destinations which travelers engage in for the safari and these include;

Kahuzi Beige National Park

Kahuzi Biega National Park is home to the eastern lowland gorillas and is located in the eastern democratic republic of Congo. The park is near Lake Kivu at the border of Rwanda. The park comprises several volcanic mountains which include Kahuzi and beige. This is where the park’s name originated. The park was established in 1970 covering about 6000 meters and this makes it the largest park in the democratic republic of Congo. The park is also the home to several chimpanzees.

Lwiro Sanctuary

this sanctuary is the chimpanzee rehabilitation center and is also home to orphaned chimpanzees in the democratic republic of Congo. This area is near the Kahuzi Beige National Park. The orphaned chimpanzees are usually rescued from the poachers and those who keep them as pets. These primates are brought when they are in bad condition and they are rehabilitated to be introduced to the forests again.

Lake Kivu

This is one of the large freshwater lakes that are within the eastern Congo at the border of Rwanda and the democratic republic of Congo. The lake is a great destination for boat safaris, swimming, birding, and many others.

Virunga National Park

Virunga National Park is located in the Virunga region within the Albertine Rift Valley. The park was established in 1925 to protect the large primate gorillas. It is one of the most diverse and oldest national parks in Africa. It became a world UNESCO site in 1979. The park is made of several volcanic features and wildlife. The wildlife that travelers encounter in the park includes gorillas, chimpanzees, forest elephants, and many others.

Nyiragongo active volcano

The volcano is one of the most active volcanoes which is within the Virunga National Park. The eruption of this lake once happened in 1882 and since that time it has erupted 32 times up to the current time in May 2021. The mountain has a lava lake which usually hikers tend to camp around.

Lola ya bonobos sanctuary

This is the only place in the world where travelers encounter bonobos. The bonobos are part of the primates that travelers can encounter on their solo safaris to Congo. The bonobos are considered to be pygmy chimpanzees which are endemic species found in the country.

Garamba National Park

Garamba National Park is also on the eastern side of the democratic republic of Congo. The park was established in 1938. The park is vast several wildlife like giraffes, buffaloes, hippos, and many others. This is one of the savannah parks of Congo which is available for game viewing, birding, and many others.

What are the activities that travelers engage in their solo safari in Congo?

there are several activities that travelers engage in during their solo safaris to Congo and they include;

Gorilla Trekking

The gorilla trekking offers a close encounter with the gorillas in the Virunga National Park. The activity starts with the briefing within the park headquarters and the activity takes about 2 to 7 hours of the day. Travelers take 1 hour to view the gorillas maintaining a distance of 7 meters.

Lowland Gorilla Trekking

The lowland gorilla trekking is one of the activities that takes place in the Kahuzi Beige National Park. The low-land gorillas differ from the mountain gorillas.

What is the best time to visit Congo for the solo safari?

Congo is available for travelers throughout the year. The best time to visit the country is in the dry season June to September and December to February. This is the best time since the area is dry and clear to support safari activities and also there is low rainfall. During the wet season, the area can be visited but travelers are supposed to plan adequately. In this season, travelers have more time to engage in the activity since there is less traffic.