Kinshasa

Kinshasa is the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

[edit] Understand

Kinshasa has the largest population of any city proper in Africa with a population of 10,076,099, and ranks as its third largest metropolitan area. It is also the largest French-speaking city proper in the world (by any other measure, it still ranks second behind the Paris urban area). After decades of armed conflicts imposed by neighboring countries, the infrastructures of the once leading modern African city are now being remarkably restored. Chinese companies are involved in numerous projects of reconstruction throughout the city.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

South African Airways, Kenyan Airways and Ethiopian airlines and Royal air Maroc each have a number of flights per week from their hubs in Johannesburg, Nairobi, Addis Ababa and Casablanca.
Connections to Europe can be made with Air France from Paris, France , Brussels Airlines from Brussels in Belgium,Royal air Maroc from Casablanca in Morocco . Hewa Bora also offered flights to and from Europe until they were placed upon the EU's no-fly blacklist.
The Kinshasa airport used to have a terrible reputation for corrupt officials asking for bribes. They have improved things and it is quite manageable. Just follow everyone else and try not to look like a tourist! A yellow fever vaccination certificate is essential. Watch out for being mobbed by volunteer 'helpers' once you are outside the airport, who will want to carry your bags in return for tips.
Keep in mind that when returning to the airport to leave you can not drive your car or take a cab onto the airport property without paying for parking / access $5 or $10.
A taxi into town will probably cost you $30-$50 (usually without air conditioning!). It is an hour's drive into the centre of Kinshasa. Best option is to get a shuttle offered by one of the travel companies on the right outside the arrivals door.

[edit] By train

The railroad of Congo once covered the entire country during colonial times, but has fallen in to heavy disuse. While there is a central train station in Kinshasa, train service is erratic at best and does not run to many destinations for tourists. Tickets are usually only able to be bought the day of travel shortly before the train arrives and can prove to be difficult to get.

[edit] By car

Apart from the road Matadi to Kinshasa a car is no means for overland travel. You might be successful with a 4x4 in the upper northern region (Bangassou - Nia Nia - Isiro) and maybe the axis Kinshasa - Lumumbashi. All other towns are accessible only by air transport or boat.

[edit] By bus

You can go by bus, which really isn't the best choice.

[edit] By boat

You can arrive by boat from Brazzaville, if you have a visa. There are speed boats that go quickly for a limited number of people, or you can take the barge with local merchants if you have time. Ask to go to "the Beach", which is the ferry terminal.

[edit] Get around

Officially there is a city bus and it has been bolstered recently by some older buses from Belgium being gifted to Kinshasa to improve the routes. This system pales in comparison to the "taxi" system that has risen organically to serve the needs of the people of Kinshasa.
Essentially, these taxis are small buses. They run set routes between embarkation points that are the "stops". The cost between these various points is usually around 350 Francs. If one's destination is through multiple points, different taxis will need to be boarded to complete the route, making the system take a good deal of time during busy traffic hours.
People waiting at the stops will move their hands in a variety of gestures to signal which direction they are going. A taxi will then stop and pick up someone if they are going in the same direction and have space in the taxi.
This system works well for the locals. For visitors and foreigners, it can be quite difficult as one needs to know the hand signs, have knowledge of the routes, be ready to sit in cramped, hot vehicles with many other people, and deal with the potential dangers of these vehicles as many are barely road-worthy. Traveling through this manner absolutely requires local help for those unfamiliar with the system. One will also have to speak French or Lingala as the drivers do not speak English.
There are also traditional taxis for hire. They are available for single runs or can be hired by the day. This can be a tricky business and should be handled with care (especially at the airport) as there are those will take people to remote locations and rob them. Again, help from a local is best or using drivers that others in the area have past experience with and trust. Rates for these taxis vary widely and if one does not appear to be of African descent, there will also be an automatic premium added.

[edit][add listing] See

Go see the bonobos by Lac de ma Vallée, Chutes de Zongo in Bas Congo and Bombo Lumene on the road to Kikwit. A BBQ on a sandbank on the Congo River is definitely also a must. Renting a boat for a day with a driver and all the gear (tables, chairs, a suntent and a BBQ) will set you back around 150$ at the Yacht Club Kinshasa. The boat can take 8 people, so if you share the cost it is quite affordable. A truly unforgettable experience if you don't forget the meat and the Primus!
Don't forget to get some arts in Le marché des valeurs, sometimes called marché des voleurs... the first calling means market of value, the second in changing only one letter means market of thieves. Be prepared to haggle and don't pay the initial asking price that will be at least 60-75% over the final price if not more. For some more upscale art you can go to the Academie des Beaux Arts on Avenue Pierre Mulele (formerly Avenue 24 Novembre) or to Symphonie des Arts: towards Kintambo on the Boulevard du 30 Juin, turn right after the elephant when you see the barrier on your right... then it's on your left hand accross from the big colonial villa. A more time consuming but far more interesting and personal way to get to know the artists of the country would be to visit their private studios. Prices are high even there for paintings of Lema Kusa, Henri Kalama or Nshole, but worth every penny considering the quality of their works and their international career.
A more relax and fun way to buy street art is to have a beer at Surcouf: it's on the street off the boulevard 30 Juin towards Justice off the INSS building. Sit at a table and have a drink (Primus is recommended) and the artists will come and show all kinds of artworks all the time. The same rule on negotiating applies as at Marché des valeurs.

[edit] Kinkole

Kinkole is a small village in the eastern part of the city's rural area. It's on the RN1 (Boulevard Lumumba), further than the airport. It has a nice restaurant area where you can enjoy all the local food on a terrace. A lot of people come here to relax so there's a lot of people trying to get you into their business. If you go closer to the river there's a fisherman market where food from the river is brought. Be careful if you want to take pictures, you'll probably have to pay someone first as this is considered the international border.

[edit] Jardin d'Eden

Jardin d'Eden is a restaurant and music bar by the shores of the Nsele river, in the eastern part of the city's rural area. It is further than Kinkole, after the airport. There is a really relaxing athmosphere there. You can eat, listen to the live band playing Congolese classiscs or even take a boat on the river Nsele. The food and drinks are affordable for middle class.

[edit] Money/Currency

The US Dollar (USD) is the prevalent currency for most transactions of any significant quantity. Payment in USD for a purchase will likely return change to you in USD for denominations greater than $5-$10. Lesser amounts, and any remainder, will be paid in Congolese Francs (approx 900 CF per 1 USD - as of 22 MARCH 2010). Credit cards are not widely accepted -- do not count on them to keep you afloat. Only major hotels (ie The Memling) and some Supermarkets will accept them (if there are no connectivity issues). Cash can be withdrawn from the PRO CREDIT Bank with a valid international VISA ATM card. Denominations are distributed in USD and/or CF. Ensure that you have notified your bank of your intentions to travel in order to ensure seamless and unhindered use of foreign ATMs.

[edit][add listing] Do

Plenty of cyber cafes exist, so don't worry about staying connected.
The Association Belgo-Congolais (ABC) rents out videos (VHS and DVD).
Go for a walk/jog along the river in front of the British /German embassies.
Go to church on a Sunday morning like most of the locals do.

[edit] Learn

Lingala is the local language spoken in this region beyond French. Learning a bit goes a long way to befriending locals.

[edit] Work

[edit][add listing] Buy

The good supermarkets are the following: Peloustore located on the boulevard (big orange/yellow building with green letters). Good vegetables and all dry goods that you can find in Belgium. Expresse located on the boulevard, a little off from Peloustore. Here you can find good vegetables and the best "charcuterie", cold cutt meat? City Market If you turn on the corner of Expresse you will see this large supermarket on your left hand. It has the best bread in town. Alternatively across from it you will find excellent bread (and more) in Patisserie Nouvelle, which also has good lunch possibilities. Hasson et Freres located just off the roundabout near the central station: the street just before turning on the boulevard: this is definitly the best place to get your meat: the "filet pur" is the best meat you can get!

[edit][add listing] Eat

Lots of restaurants for 'expats' exist, where you can pay in dollars but it is very expensive. Don't be surprised to pay up to $20 for a pizza (and $40 at the hotel for one).

[edit] Budget

• Al Dar, near the hotel Memling. A Lebanese restaurant in the center of town. A shwarma sandwich runs about $3, and they have taboule, hummus and desserts as well.

Many cheap roadside stalls exist, primarily outside of downtown's Gombe.

• La Bloque, Bandalungwa. One of the better known being roadside stalls.
• Mama Colonel, Bandal. An excellent restaurant. The menu has only 4 items - chicken, fish, fries and plantain - but they are barbecued to perfection.

[edit] Mid-range

The freshwater prawns from the Congo river are incredible - called Cossa Cossa on menus (as distinct from imported saltwater prawns which are Gambas) - generally served with a garlic and chili (pili-pili) butter sauce. A plate of these will set you back around $25-$40 dollars depending where you eat.

• 3615, on the main Boulevard (next door to the Peloustore supermarket). Has an outdoor area as well as an airconditioned indoor area; and excellent food - from pizza to steaks and fish. Average price for a main dish plus drink costs around US$20. Dozens of prostitutes, quite fun to watch, but if you are a man alone you will get hassled!
• Association Belgo-Congolaise (ABC). Serves meals for about $10 in a nice outdoor terrace, though sometimes the quality of meals is questionable and the kitchen can close early. The menu includes traditional dishes such as river fish and fried plantains, or international fare like cheeseburgers and spaghetti. Food takes a long time to come. You can also espresso coffee rather than Nescafe.
• Marie Kabuang – A bit difficult to find on the first floor of the Sultani Hotel (Avenue de la Justice), but totally renewed restaurant. Very stylisch and modern. Breakfast and lunch (international food) for only 15 USD, guarantee for a fast service, excellent taste.
• Cercle Elaeis/ La Paillotte. Traditional and international food. Outdoor dining with view on the pool. Expensive but great country-club type setting. Packed with visiting expats and Lebanese families hanging by the pool on weekends.
• Chez Gaby. Portuguese-style. At the upper end of the mid-range - the food is varied and excellent and if you want to splash out, you can also order imported items like foie gras and european wines.
• Chez Philo. Offers a number of Congolese dishes on the menu as well as the standard belgian-style fare. Good prawns (Cossa)
• La Piscine. Outdoor tables arranged around a swimming pool-great settings and mediocre food in the $20-$30 range if you choose restrainedly. Greek items an pizza as well as the usual dishes.
• Girassol (just off the Boulevard), turn across from Sonas, on the corner where Icare travel is located; take the most right street; it's on your right. The best cossa cossa in town!
• Le Roi du Cossa 220 Ave Mpolo (just off the Boulevard), Gombe. A Portuguese restaurant is always a good bet for seafood, and this is no exception. Some say these are the best Cossa Cossa in town.
• Green Gardenbest indian restaurant in town, in a great garden setting. Both North and South Indian cuisines in a lovely outdoor setting. Open every day, serve dosa at any time of day. Opposit Chez Delice, behind La Piscine, paralell to Boulevard.
• Pizerria Extreme: reasonably cheap pizza's and other dishes. Turn off the boulevard at the Express supermarket corner... it will be on your left hand
• Pizerria Opoeta and Greg's bar: on the road towards the golf course: closest thing to an international pub. Good pizza's as well. Excellent seafood thanks to the Portuguese proprietors.
• Mangoustan restaurant at the Memling Hotel: monday thru friday serves lunch buffet for $40 with a large variety of Belgium and international dishes, and on friday evening offers a lavish cheese and charcuterie buffet for $40 with a varying wine-by-the glass selection. Good value. Safe parking facilities. good to make reservations

[edit] Splurge

The more expensive restaurants are in Gombe.

• Papageno at the Memling hotel. Great food. Belgium-French influences with a few Congolese dishes. Rather pricy but worth it, generous portions and great service. Safe parking on hotel premises
• Caf-Conc. The most expensive restaurant in the DRC, allegedly!
• Ciboulette. Second most expensive.. it's in the Elais compound on your right hand
• Chez Nicolas
• Le Cercle Gourmand. High class restaurant, belongs to the golf club
• Grand Hotel - very ordinary and overpriced hotel food. $25 for very good breakfast buffet. Food and service at the poolside bar have been improved recently and are not too bad.

[edit][add listing] Drink

Local beer - Turbo King is a darker beer, regular lagers are Primus (which some feel is the best local beer, brewed by the local Heineken brewery) and Skol. European Mutzig comes in smaller bottles! A bit more expensive, and slightly harder to find as it is brewed in Lubumbashi by Simba Breweries, is Tembo, a tasty amber ale preferred by locals and expats alike. Tembo garners the highest ranking for a DRC beer on ratebeer.com. Lots of expensive French and South African wine available in restaurants and supermarkets. Portuguese plonk goes for as low as $3 a bottle at grocery stores catering to expats (Peloustore, Express, etc.).
Kinshasa becomes alive most nights when residents head to Matonge, a place filled with dancing bars, restaurants and night clubs. Lately Bandal and Bonmarche are the more popular "quartiers" to visit the local bars and "discotheques". Go to a local nightclub and learn how to dance Congolese rhythms. Get ready to shake your booty! For those that prefer to stay in Gombe, the following offer good possibilities:

• Bar L'Entr'Act The Memling's main bar. Classy setting. Business during the day, try their wild Congolese tea infused with lemongrass, a must. Cozy lounge in the evening with jazz, blues, soul music in the background. Happy hour from 6pm-8pm on fridays and saturdays, where they do BOGO nights for draft beers and kwilu rhum cocktails and world music
• Ibiza Bar Jazz bar for live music. Dancing starts around midnight. Small, smokey atmosphere, a really proper old-fashioned jazz bar.
• Chez Ntemba. A hopping place after midnight.
• Mambo
• Standing - small western-style bar and disco.
• VIP Bar - larger western-style disco - mirror and disco-ball on the ceiling ! On the main boulevard close to 3615
• 3615 vibey but sleazy nightclub on the boulevard. Banned to UN personnel because it is full of prostitutes.
• Savanana on the boulevard in the Gecamines/Sozacom building, the highest building in Kinshasa, close to the central station. Definitely an interesting experience for those that dare confront the local girls.
• Bar of Sultani Hotel – The style bar of the Sultani Hotel has been changed and is now providing a comfortable feeling and (jazz) partys every Friday, live music, no ticket to pay. Prices for drinks start at about 8 USD for cocktails.
• Bar La Piscine (Hotel Memling), Ave de la Rep du Tchad (off the blvd du 30 Juin), ☎ 0815557700. 12.00pm-10.30pm. The Memling Hotel's pool bar, nice food, has a upper terrace, a little oasis overlooking the pool with semi-private little gazebo's - great little romantic hangout! The pool bar & charcoal grill definitely serves the best burger and bbq in town. Safari BBQ in dry season. Does BOGO nights/Happy Hour on fridays and saturdays for draft beers and kwilu rhum cocktails from 5 to 7pm. Live Jazz on wednesday evenings. Enclosed, guarded parking on the hotel property  edit

[edit] Water

Do not drink from the tap. Bottled water is readily available. Also, when cleaning your teeth make sure that you use bottled water.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Accommodation in Kinshasa can be very expensive. A consequence of the past problems mean that many organisations only recognise two hotels as having international standards. So the Memling and the Grand have a virtual monopoly. Prices of these two can be in excess of $300 per night plus breakfast.

[edit] Budget

• Hotel de La Gombe
• CAP (Centre d'accueil protestant)
• Hotel Phenix (Barumbu district) Rooms cost $20/10,000F. Power is intermittant and water brought in buckets. Get a room that opens up to the outside. Everyone knows this large building on the main road.
• Procure St Anne This catholic monastery has a large compound right in the middle of town, close to the river and H&F supermarket, opposite American and Portuguese embassies. They have basic, but spacious rooms with air-conditioning and showers. Restrooms shared. Single rooms cost $40, breakfast included. Dinner is optional for approx. $10. Very nice, quiet garden and comfortable bar.

[edit] Mid-range

• Hotel Fontana Inn. A well-run and well-located place frequented by NGOs and UN types. Rooms range about 60 USD. (Now called the Ave Maria. Still good value for Kinshasa)
• San Pedro Hotel Kinshasa, Av. 18 Parcelles nr 16 Quartier Palais des Marbres (Palais des Marbres Ngaliema), ☎ +2439714444, [1]. checkin: 13h00; checkout: 11h00. Confort maison d’une résidence privée. Situé à Kinshasa sur l’avenue 18 Parcelles dans le quartier résidentiel du Palais des Marbres, San Pedro est une résidence privée, d’un charme discret et d’un confort simple, réaménagée en petit hôtel, idéal pour les voyageurs à la recherche d’une atmosphère intime et paisible comme à la maison. $60-$100.  edit

• Residence Marika. A simple 3-star hotel just off the main Boulevard, with swimming pool.

[edit] Splurge

• Hotel Memling, tel. +243 817001111, [2]. Probably the best and second most expensive hotel in town. Has been around since 1937, and has since then maintained its place as the city's Number One venue - now that's a real reference, on this side of the river. Wireless Internet throughout, nice but small pool, bar and restaurants, good Belgium food. Expect to pay $300/night plus $28 for breakfast and $30 for 24 hour access to Internet ($75 for week). Hertz car rental are at the hotel, along with mobile phone companies, gift shops and the usual souvenirs. Excellent conference facilities, the hotel is located within 5 to 10 minutes of the city's main business and political ventures.

• Grand Hotel, [3]. - The Grand Hotel is the other fancy hotel in town - well located near the river, embassies and the Presidential residence; it is frequented by locals as well as internationals assisting with the DRC's transition. It claims to be DRC's only 5* hotel, but the only 5* feature is the price ($300+/night plus tax). Extremely expensive and not particularly good food, with slow service. The are two accommodation blocks. The old one is now being completely refurbished. Slow wireless internet is available for $70/week.

• Sultani Hotel, [4] - The Sultani Hotel is a new hotel in the city center of Kinshasa, close to the River Congo. There is wireless Internet included in the price and provided throughout the hotel. Prices start at $175 for a room. The price/quality ratio is very attractive compared to the other hotels. The hotel offers a business lunch for $15 which is quite rare to get in the very expensive city Kinshasa. The team is motivated and speaks English, French, German, and Chinese. Tel: +243 89 816 6000 or +243 81 885 3318 – E-mail: info@sultanihotel.com

• Hotel Pyramide, [5]. Hotel Pyramide is a small, but luxury hotel, about 5 km out of the center of Kinshasa. All rooms have a bathroom with Jacuzzi, warm water, hairdryer and a Fridge. In march 2008 however, there was only cold water available and in insufficient quantities to take a proper shower or bath. Most rooms are very spacious (some are like a small apartment) and dispose of flatscreen TVs and one or two air-conditioning units. The hotel has no fax. Internet was said to be available but was this not tested (there was a PC at the reception desk with internet connection, but not for residents). The hotel also has an e-mail address, but the on-duty receptionist was unable to access it ...

• Faden House tel +243 81 99 43 331 or email faden.house@yahoo.fr. A small guesthouse which offers a welcome contrast to the awful Grand Hotel, across the street. Great location in Gombe, a block away from the River Congo (great walking/jogging route) and many of the European embassies. About the same price as the Grand Hotel, but here the price includes free wifi in all the rooms, and no harassment from drunk foreign soldiers or local prostitutes. A calm oasis in Kinshasa. Some English spoken. Only 9 rooms (avoid rooms 1 and room 3). Also a well-used conference facility, and the quality of service deteriorates when staff are occupied with a function there. There are small fridges in the rooms, but no safe deposit facility; and only a couple of French/Congolese TV channels.

• Le Voyageur definitely the best hotel in town, located next to Elais; unfortunately it tends to be fully booked well in advance. All Elais amenities can be used.

[edit] Contact

[edit] Stay healthy

Don't drink the local water. Bottled water seems to be cheap enough but sometimes hard to find for a good price. The best way is if you are staying in an upscale hotel that provides it with the room just tip the housekeeping staff to get extra bottles put in your room (usually if you tell them while giving them the money that works the best, and after the first 2 days of asking for the water you usually don't have to worry about telling them anymore, just give them the $5 a day).
Make sure you have all required vaccinations - i.e. yellow fever, typhoid, etc.
Mosquitoes can be a problem in the entire city. Malaria medication should be taken.

[edit] Stay safe

When traveling by car, always lock all the doors before you set off, as it is not uncommon for opportunist thieves to try to open them and snatch belongings. For the same reason, keep bags and valuables out of reach and out of sight.
It is highly recommended that you have someone with you at all times that is a local (besides while being in your hotel). Cab drivers will usually stay with you too when going to local shops and making quick stops and will serve as your translator if you get a good one. Be careful with any equipment you have with you such as digital cameras and video equipment. Be careful also of what you take pictures of. Even if they say no photos only at the airport and of government buildings, a lot of times the police and UN people will get upset if you are taking videos at other places where technically it is supposed to be ok to do. Just be sure to have plenty of locals with you that know what they are doing and can provide security and a way out if you get stuck or in trouble. Follow their advice and pay attention when out and about. When in doubt about taking a photo of something don't until you get very clear instructions that it is ok. Don't keep cameras in open view unless you've been cleared to take a photo (which is just like taking a photo to them it seems). Also be equally prepared for hostility and positive reactions when taking photos.
If you are approached by people claiming to be police, be wary. If they are not in uniform, they are probably not police but are most likely hoping to relieve you of your money and valuables. A common tactic is for a group of men in a car to show a fake police identity card and ask you to go with them to the police station. Do not get in the car; just walk away. Be prepared to run. Never lose your temper, but keep negociating in a friendly way; in the end, they will give up.
Recent road scams have included a group of fake police officers in an unmarked 4x4 vehicle that will pull over unsuspecting people driving alone in cars, then forcibly take them in to their vehicle, drive them out to the country, rob them of everything and leave them stranded. While the main targets have been UN staff in obvious white UN vehicles, all foreigners driving should be wary of this group or others operating like them. For general safety, people should never drive alone in vehicles, especially after dark.

[edit] Cope

BBC World Service radio broadcast in English, French and Swahili in Kinshasa on 92.6MHz.

[edit] Get out

If departing from Kinshasa's N'djili International Airport, a fee of $50.00 (USD) must be paid (a receipt is issued) before entering the terminal. Visitors are allowed to go with you into the terminal if they pay a USD 10.00 fee.
There is also a lounge on the second level where you can take a drink or eat while awaiting your flight. Be advised that announcements are not always made in a timely manner about flight departures or arrivals. In previous years visitors to the upstairs lounge could stand overlooking the tarmac but security concerns have increased the distance between the open air viewing and the lounge itself.