Country Republic of Congo – The Land of Primates

A land of tropical rainforests with an area three times bigger than Pennsylvania; the Republic of Congo is purified by the Congo River. Located in Central Africa, near the Equator, it shares the boundary with Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cabinda, Cameroon, Gabon, the Gulf of Guinea and the Central African Republic.

Famous for its handmade articles, gorillas and wild chimpanzees (almost 80% of their total population in the world); the Republic of Congo is widely known for its Tapioca (Cassava) crop, iron, phosphate and gold deposits. It is also home to the Odzala National Park, one of the largest and least explored ecosystems of Africa.

Accommodation Options
Republic of Congo offers excellent accommodation in star hotels, beach resorts, budget hotels, youth hostels, lodges and villas mostly located in Brazzaville, Pointe Noire and Djambala. The hotels provide many facilities to the tourists including garden, pool and large screen TVs in rooms.

History
The oldest dwellers of Congo were Pygmy and Bantu tribes who strengthened the trade in the country through the routes of Congo River Basin. The 15th century marked the entrance of Europeans into the territory with Portuguese invasion.  In 1880s, the French took over the reins of Congo, naming it French Equatorial Africa (AEF), making Brazzaville, the federal capital. Congo gained Independence on August 15, 1960 to become the Republic of Congo.

Popular Places
The lush green stretches, the long grasses, steep hills and Congo River make the capital city Brazzaville quite popular among the tourists. The third largest city, Djambala’s proximity to the Lefini Reserve, raises its demand in the tourist circuit. Ouesso, beside the Sangha River, is a must watch for its highest elephant density in Congo. Sembe attracts the tourists on account of its nearby getaways like Asante, Narodni Park, Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve, Volta a Accra and Pevnosti a Hrady. 

The dense rainforests are occupied by different species of monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas and the rare striped antelopes. Pointe-Noire, one of the largest cities of Congo offers an exotic and large variety of mammals that reside in its rainforests.

Getting Around
The most important mode is a ferry/fast boat running from Kinshasa to Brazzaville and vice versa. There are also regular flights from Brazzaville to Nkayi, Dolisie and Pointe-Noire. Brazzaville offers the best yet economic car hires. Mini buses, buses and shared taxis can be caught from most of the villages and towns. The Brazzaville residents remember locations by landmarks and not street names, so a traveler should accompany a tour guide anyhow.

Places of Entertainment
One can also cherish a ferry ride from Ouesso to Brazzaville observing the lifestyle of native Pygmies and witnessing the beauty of surrounding rainforests. The shopping buffs can hang on to Owando, a centrally located city famous for its market.

Language(s) Spoken
French is the official language of Republic of Congo whereas Monokutuba and Lingala are the languages allowed for commercial activities. Kikongo dialect is also equally popular.

Currency
Central African CFA Franc (XAF) was the old official currency of Republic of Congo which changed to Euro on 1 January 1999. For currency exchange one can visit banks or internet cafes. One can also check the news to catch the latest currency exchange rate. 

Group accommodation in Republic of Congo | Cheap hostels & budget hotels