Entry requirements
- Congo safari visa.
Tourists should first purchase a visa that permits them to get into the country and these are obtained before entering the country. Also, tourists should first purchase a safari package to be granted a Congo tourist visa.
This should be obtained by the individuals planning on entering the country at least 10 days before coming into the country.
- Entry currency restrictions
Tourists planning on entering Congo should consider that they are allowed into the country with $5400 upfront.
- Exit currency restrictions
When the tourists get into the country and exchange their dollars and other currencies for the Congolese franc, they should have a fixed sum changed because the country doesn’t permit the export of its national currency.
People and Culture
Ranging from their music style, dress code, sculptures, theaters, literature among others its without doubt that its sense of art is exquisite in the whole of Africa. Originally the country had one tribe called Teke that later subdivided to make three groups. Currently, the country has over 250 ethnic groups speaking over 250 languages which was brought by colonialism and led to the division of the people that the country is still facing to date.
French is the country’s official language used in meetings, businesses, and academics but it also has four main national languages including Lingala, Swahili, Tshiluba and Kikongo. People in Congo follow various religious trails but majority are either protestants or Catholics. Some of the interesting cultural practices include headshakes instead of handshakes, shaving a widow’s head, and throwing a child’s milk tooth on the roof among others.
Packing list
- Passport
Going to a tourist center without a passport yet you’re not a resident is like going to the garden without a hoe. This is because tourists are supposed to present their passports while acquiring gorilla trekking permits and accessing other national parks.
- Hiking boots
This should be on the packing lists of all travelers coming to Congo because of the nature of the country which is characterized by dense rainforests, mountains, and rough terrains hence tourists should think about protecting their feet and ankles from strains of the jungle.
- First aid kit
This carries basic medication like ankle strain medicine, stomach aches are some of the ailments travelers might encounter during the safaris.
- Photographic equipment
Machines like cameras, and smartphones shouldn’t be missed on any of the safaris a person is making in Congo because there is a lot to capture and keep memories of the dazzling beauty found in the Congo wilderness.
- GPS navigation system
This works best for tourists without guides or for tourists on community walks. Since most of these areas are rural and remote, some areas are occupied by bushes, plantations which makes tourists easily lose their way back home to their lodges but in situations where one owns a GPS, they can easily navigate their way back to their destination with ease.
- Power banks
Tourists should endeavor to come along with their electronic gadgets charged, come around with extra batteries and also carry with them power banks since most of the areas are rural implying that most areas are faced with electricity difficulties.
- Personal wi-fi hotspots
Internet connectivity is still poor in most African countries including Congo therefore travelers should come along with personal wi-fi connectivity systems where they might need to access the internet space.
- Luggage trackers
Not forgetting that the country at hand is faced with very many riots and crimes so anything can happen including theft, and misplacing property during demonstrations therefore a luggage tracker can help travelers retrieve their lost property.
- Appropriate clothes
This can differ depending on the weather condition and where the tourists are undertaking their safaris from. Therefore, trekkers should consider long sleeves, short pants, thick waterproof jackets, sun hats and should be worn according to the weather conditions and the environment they are engaged with.
- Insect repellents and sun repellents
Because tourists spend long hours exposed to the sun and walking through tough areas like shrubs that harbor insects, they should protect themselves from the sun using sun screeds and all protect themselves from mosquito bites and other insects using insect repellents.
its indeed a very rich country with unique extant species found in Congo and a variety of minerals found underneath its soils but it’s challenged by the political unrest in the country rendering most of its UNESCO world heritage sites to be in danger which also discourages potential travelers from getting into the country for fear of their lives. Otherwise after all the shortcomings bothering the country are resolved, the underlying tourism of the country will blossom and the beauty hidden in the country will be unmasked.
