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Guide to Kinshasa, Zaire
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Click to go to Flight Prices for Kinshasa
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KinshasaKinshasa
Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, or Zaire, is located only a few miles south of Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo's (Not Zaire. We know, the situation is ripe for confusion.) star city, separated naturally by the Congo River. The titles Congo and Zaire have often replaced one another throughout recent history, what with civil strife and shifting power circles putting the nation(s) into anything but a solid state. If you're wandering either Kinshasa or Brazzaville, you'll that it's to your benefit to use their designations as national references. Kinshasa is a large capital packed with colorful cultural traditions, heckling merchants, crowded walkways, and lots of strange, yet appetizing dishes. It is located in the DRC's westernmost cove and only 200 miles from the Atlantic, making it by default the country's largest market hub, where produce, fish, and other items are all transported to its streets from the oceanic ports supplying the region. It's easy to get caught up in the loud sounds of the vibrant, almost festive marketplaces of Kinshasa, but you should pry yourself away from the mangos and corn to see why the capital is the capital. The most popular site in all of Kinshasa apart from its well-known social hubs is the city's university. Kinshasa University, as its officially known, is a complex of semi-historic structures which, like many other establishments of its kind, is home to much older items than itself. Yes, the university has a museum comprised mostly of local ancient discoveries that - take it from us - are certainly worth seeing.
When to go:
Near the western end of central Africa, both the DRC and the RC are home to temperatures of no ordinary kind. Bring along all your whites for the ride if a scorching is something you think you can do without. Like much of central and southern Africa, Zaire is a multitude of topographical delights. Plains are in great numbers and there's assuredly no shortage of rough, mountainous terrain either. This - as I'm sure you've already deduced - brings the idea of a genuine safari adventure to full tilt, and hikers are treated to a similarly bounteous playground in which they can discover species for the first time and attain scenic views that'll surely do justice to the term vacation. By far the best time of year to head for Zaire, spring is a season all can appreciate. Days may not be as long as those in high season, but who wouldn't like to be without sunburn to spoil one's stay?
Getting there and around:
We guess it's no surprise that Kinshasa and is over-the-border neighbor both sport airports of their own, but on the face of things, such centers sitting relatively close to one another seems a bit redundant, yes? Anywho, Kinshasa's terminal offers connections to a wide range of international cities, and you're best off going with a taxi for the airport-to-city transfer after you've checked in. While rental car agencies can be found both at Kinshasa's airport and inside its grid, the congestion of the city is really only navigable by the capital's veteran drivers; you'll be lucky to come out unscathed. Taxis are more or less the approved method of travel among visitors, and chances are you'll save a bundle by leaving the pedal-work to the pros here as well.
Attractions:
We certainly recommend at least a few trips to Kinshasa's markets, if not to purchase a sole item, but to do a good number of meet-and-greets with locals to familiarize yourself with some simple customs. Even some good food preparation tips are quite easily obtainable. Seen too many stalls and looked into every nook and cranny inside the Kinshasa University's museum? Well, if you can't find anything else of great interest inside the capital, it's good thinking to wander past its limits and trek to the banks of the Congo River. Also, a series of tribes resides beyond the border of Kinshasa; simply put, culture shock awaits.
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