DR Congo

DR Congo
DR Congo🇨🇩

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Traveling to DR Congo? Read This First.

DR Congo is vast, spectacular and high-risk — gorillas in Virunga, a lava lake at Nyiragongo and the great river at Kisangani, alongside some of the world's sternest travel warnings. Check your own government's current advisory before you go, and only travel where it is safe to do so. If you do travel, install your CGOO eSIM before you fly so you are connected the moment you land.

Choose the Plan That Fits Your Trip

  • Fixed data or unlimited: pick from the plan grid above by trip length and data use — fixed-data plans for maps, messaging and light browsing, unlimited plans for heavy use and hotspotting.
  • Instant delivery: your QR code and installation link are emailed within minutes of checkout. Install before your flight; validity starts on the day you activate.
  • Coverage note: coverage is strongest in Kinshasa and other cities and thins fast outside them — download offline maps before heading out.

Travel Highlights

  • Virunga National Park: mountain gorillas in Africa's oldest national park — visits depend on the security situation and the park being open.
  • Mount Nyiragongo: the lava lake at the summit of the active volcano near Goma, reached on a guided overnight hike when open.
  • Boyoma Falls: the rapids of the Congo River at Kisangani, where fishermen work the falls from wooden canoes.
  • Kinshasa: the capital's music scene, markets and the National Museum — go with local guidance, especially after dark.
  • Lola ya Bonobo: the bonobo sanctuary in the forest just outside Kinshasa, home to orphaned bonobos.

Getting Around

  • Airport: N'djili International Airport (FIH) serves Kinshasa — use a hotel-arranged or pre-booked car, not a street hail, for the trip into town.
  • Ride-hailing: Yango operates in Kinshasa, with car, moto and tricycle classes — app rides booked in advance are safer than street hails.
  • Taxis: taxis are unmetered, so agree the fare in Congolese francs before getting in, and do not hail taxis off the street — use privately booked or hotel cars.
  • Long distance: domestic flights link Kinshasa with Lubumbashi, Kisangani and Goma, and river boats run the Congo when security allows; roads are poor and a 4x4 is recommended.

Safety and Practical Tips

DR Congo carries severe travel warnings: violent crime is very high in Kinshasa, including street robbery and kidnapping, and armed conflict continues in the east (North and South Kivu). Many governments advise against all travel to the east and against non-essential travel elsewhere. Check your own government's current advisory before you travel, and do not travel to the areas it names.

If you must travel, do not walk alone at any time, especially at night, do not display valuables or cash, use hotel-arranged or app-booked transport only, and keep copies of your passport separate from the original. Medical facilities are limited — carry comprehensive travel insurance with evacuation cover.

Entry and Visa

Entry rules depend on your passport: most visitors apply for an eVisa before travel, and rules can change at short notice. Check the current visa, passport-validity and onward-travel requirements for your nationality with the nearest Congolese consulate before you travel.

Weather and Climate

  • Kinshasa and the west: equatorial and humid, with daytime temperatures broadly around 25–30°C.
  • Wet season: October to May brings the heaviest rain around Kinshasa, which can flood roads.
  • Dry season: June to September is the drier window and the most practical time for travel in the west.
  • The east: the Kivu highlands are cooler, with daytime temperatures broadly around 20–25°C.

Money and Payments

  • Currency: the Congolese franc (CDF) is the official currency, though prices are often quoted in US dollars too.
  • Cash first: cash is essential — carry small-denomination francs, and agree the currency and amount before paying, as drivers quoting in dollars and switching rates at payment is a known scam.
  • Cards and ATMs: cards are rarely reliable and ATMs are few outside Kinshasa's big hotels, so do not rely on them; Wise works wherever Visa or Mastercard is accepted, with no CDF balance claimed here.
  • Tipping: tipping is modest — rounding up a fare and a small tip for guides and drivers is appreciated.