Democratic Republic of the Congo

New from Bradt, Democratic Republic of the Congo is the only dedicated, up-to-date, English-language guidebook to this thrilling African destination. Not much smaller than Alaska and Texas combined, the continent’s second-largest country offers plenty for adventurous travellers to explore. The mighty River Congo rises in the south before winding along the Equator for nearly 5,000 km to reach the Atlantic Ocean. On either side, twenty different ecosystems give rise to a multitude of landscapes, from tropical rainforests (which serve as the world’s second-largest carbon sink) to volcanic mountains, and great lakes to savanna plateaus.

DRC’s National Parks and nature reserves cover around 12% of the country and are well worth the effort to get to, as they host some of the world’s most exciting wildlife-watching opportunities – the main reason why many people visit DRC. As well as harbouring more bird species than other African countries, nowhere else in the world provides the chance to see the giraffe-like okapi (a bizarre giraffe-like creature) and bonobo (formerly known as pygmy chimpanzee). Moreover, sites for both mountain and eastern lowland gorillas lie firmly on the tourist trail at the world-famous locations of Virunga and Kahuzi-Biega national parks.

Even if wildlife does not float your boat, there is much to savour. The capital, Kinshasa, is one of Africa’s great cities. This is the home of musique congolaise, enjoyed all over Africa and beyond – and of the sapeurs (DRC’s renowned snappy dressers). Historic Kisangani is the furthest navigable point on the River Congo; Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart stayed here when filming The African Queen. The city of Lubumbashi offers wide boulevards and art-deco buildings, plus good hotels and restaurants in which to relax. Once rested, if the area is at peace, why not hike to the summit of Nyiragongo volcano and spend the night beside the world’s largest lava lake? With its wide-ranging coverage offering advice on everything from tour operators to accommodation, and security to visiting national parks, Bradt’s Democratic Republic of the Congo is your essential travel companion.

Sean Rorison is a freelance writer from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, who has made his way to more than 90 countries. His range of travel interests is broad, including some of the most contentious regions of the world – from Afghanistan to Iraq, Colombia to Somalia. He has travelled extensively in the Congo countries, observing the fits and starts of their economic development, progress in tourism-related infrastructure and reintegration into the wider world. On Rorison’s first visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo, officials laughed at him when he said that he was a tourist. By the time he had written the second edition of his Bradt guide to the region, nobody blinked twice at his travels. He currently lives in the Canadian Arctic.