Kisangani City Tour

The tour will start by visiting the old Stanley Hotel built in 1939 and known as Kisangani Hotel since 1966. The next stop will be the colorful Kisangani port. Kisangani Tour will take you to the Congo’s most important inland port after Kinshasa, an important commercial hub for river and land transportation. Besides, Kisangani Port is a major market and distribution centre for the north-eastern part of the country. It used to join Yangambi, surrounding islands such as Mbiye, and to reach the far west capital city, Kinshasa.

Alongside the Congo river and in down town, we are going to visit old/abandoned colonial buildings. These are old and historical buildings with wester architectures built by colonials. This includes: the imposing Hôtel des chutes (one of the oldest from 1900, actually abandoned), The abandoned La villa Regina (considered to be the oldest colonial building), the stunning Kisangani Mosque (Built in 1980 with thanks to the former Libyan President financial help, Mouammar Kadhafi), and the abandoned Late President Mobutu residency.

Our following stop will be the visit of this monumental colonial architecture that faces the Congo River. It is our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, the oldest Catholic Church built in the city in 1899. However, it has been restored several times to ensure it keeps its stunning face. The last damages caused to the building were from the three battles between the Rwanda and Uganda armies to control the Kisangani port on the Congo River.

From the cathedral, we are directly going to have a look to some historical monuments for Congo Heroes as well as Colonials chiefs in the city. Some are even located close abandoned buildings. The main are: • The Popular Henry Morton Stanley monument was from 1883. However, due to nationalist movement after the Congo independence, it was destroyed few years after the independence, as well as the one of King Leopold II and Albert I. The remaining Stanley monument is the Comte Carton de Wiart Fountain, also known as « Stanley Fountain » because of the continuously flowing water from the ground. This historical place facing the abandoned Hotel des Chutes, is something you will admire to see. • Le Peron Liégeois (1953): The monument is a replica of the same monument in Liège, Belgium. It was a way for people from that city and then living Belgian-Congo to represent themselves their home city. • The Hero Lumumba monument, an important leader of independence history. He was assassinated in 1961 near Lubumbashi, then Elizabethville.

Before Wagenia falls and Mbiye Island, we are going to visit Wagenia falls. As Kisangani was one of the most important and strategic cities in the region, this made the Kisangani National Museum, a unique place you can find old collection of ancient Congolese and East African archaeological & ethnological objects.

Considered by many to be the most spectacular aspect of Kisangani, the visit to Wagenia falls and the local fishermen will remain one of the main memorable experience you will retain from your stay. It exposes you to traditional fishing practices old of over two centuries, unique and specific to this population.

Located 3kms on South-East of Kisangani City and downstream wagenia falls, Mbiye is an island ecosystem of 14km in length and 4 km in width on its largest part. Inhabited by a mosaic of tribes (Kumu, mbole and walengola) and non-natives, this large island in the Congo river is one of the green lungs of the city of Kisangani. This is a unique place where you will be immersed in the incredible forest ecosystem, dryland forest, flooded forest, and swampy forest: an ecosystem with a well-preserved dense forest. We will take a pirogue to the Mbiye Island and return by road. First, we are joining Wanie Rukula to visit the place where Belgians put the sign indicating the passage of the equator in 1958. It is located close the intersection of the Congo and the Maiko Rivers in the mid of the bush. The permission of the Governor is required prior the visit. After this, we are going to return to Kisangani.

The Last stop will preferably be at a local Restaurant. At this time, you can enjoy Congolese food and mainly a freshly taken fish, cassava leaves, ugali and so many surprises… We can have this on Mbiye island or in Kisangani on your convenience.