The hook
One of the world's great rivers and one of Africa's largest, most electric cities face each other here: the mighty, deep-flowing Congo, and Kinshasa, a roaring metropolis that gave the world Congolese rumba.
01Why it's worth it
The Congo River is one of the planet's mightiest, the deepest river in the world and second only to the Amazon by the volume of water it discharges, draining the vast rainforest heart of the continent, and travelling on it, or simply standing where it sweeps past, is to feel the scale of central Africa. On its south bank sprawls Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and one of the largest and fastest-growing cities in Africa, an intense, chaotic, creative megacity that stares across the water at Brazzaville, the capital of the other Congo, the closest pair of capital cities in the world. Kinshasa's greatest export is its music: this is the birthplace of Congolese rumba and soukous, rhythms that shaped the sound of the whole continent, and its nightlife, style (the flamboyant sapeur dandies), and artistic energy are legendary. The DRC is a genuinely difficult, sometimes unstable country to travel, requiring effort, patience, and care, and much of the east is dangerous. But the river and the city together offer a raw, unforgettable encounter with the pulse of central Africa.
02How to experience it
Approach the DRC as challenging, immersive travel, with local contacts and current advice, as conditions vary and much of the country is difficult. In and around Kinshasa, experience the river, the markets, and above all the music and nightlife that gave the world Congolese rumba. Keep expectations flexible and safety front of mind.