Democratic Republic of Congo Safari Holidays

The Democratic Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, or simply either Congo or historically Zaire, is a country in Central Africa. It is, by area, the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa, the second-largest in all of Africa, and the 11th-largest in the world.

The Democratic Republic of Congo possesses a wealth of scenic highlights, ethnic diversity, and complex history. Inaccessible for many years due to conflict, the country once again draws adventurous and confident travellers looking for a different type of vacation. For those who can forego the usual home comforts and quickly adapt to challenging conditions, the rewards of a holiday in the Democratic Republic of Congo are numerous–trekking through unspoiled forests, spotting endemic wildlife, and meeting welcoming, inspiring people.

Dominated by the planet’s second-largest rainforest, which sprawls across hundreds of thousands of miles of the Congo River Basin, with glacial mountains and savannah elsewhere, the DRC is enormous and supports a staggering array of wildlife and cultures.

It’s no secret, of course, that the DRC has suffered tumultuous ups and downs over the course of its long history – a history that stretches back some 80,000 years. As was so often the case, with the coming of colonialism (in this case Belgian), the area’s wealth of resources led to conflict and systemic abuse, which, since independence in 1960, have continued to experience repercussions. Fortunately, the DRC is enjoying a period of considerable peace and stability, even in the historically volatile east, and the growth of tourism is only helping to consolidate; its economic and cultural benefits are clear.

And that’s great news, as the DRC really is a stunning country. The second-largest African nation, it is also eleventh in the world overall, and within its gigantic area, there’s enough to keep the Africa-enthusiast busy for a lifetime.