Democratic Republic of Congo / République démocratique du Congo / Repubilika ya Kôngo ya Dimokalasi / Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Kongo / Ditunga dia Kongu wa Mungalaata / Republíki ya Kongó Demokratíki – Let’s explore here
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), formerly known as Zaire, is the second largest country in Central Africa. About 9½ times the size of the UK, it is mainly comprised of rainforest. In fact the Congo rainforest is the second largest in the world, after the Amazon. It has the most thunderstorms on the planet. The country sits on the equator and shares land borders with Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Central African Republic, Angola, Zambia and the Republic of Congo. It also shares a border with Cabinda, a disputed enclave of Angola.
What currency do they use in the DRC?
In the Democratic Republic of Congo they use the Congolese franc, although US dollars are widely accepted. Cash is widely used. The use of credit / debit cards is not widely accepted outside of the capital. Traveller’s cheques are not readily accepted. There are few ATMs outside the capital.
You should make yourself aware of the amount that your bank charges you for using credit and debit cards abroad. Often credit cards are cheaper for purchasing items directly, and for withdrawing cash from ATMs.
What language do they speak in the DRC?
They mainly speak Kituba, Swahili, Tshiluba, and Lingala in the DRC, although French is also widely spoken, and is the official language. English is not widely spoken.
What time zone is the Democratic Republic of Congo in?
Remember, when you’re planning your next trip to take a look at what time zone it’s in.
Do I need a visa to visit the Democratic Republic of Congo?
We’ve created a dedicated, more comprehensive page on visas, which you should find helpful. Check it out!
What’s it like to drive in the DRC?
We’ve also created a dedicated page to driving abroad, which you might find helpful 🙂
Current travels
Our current planned route takes from the Republic of Congo, through the West of the country before heading on to Angola. Hopefully our journey will improve our knowledge of this intriguing and beautiful country, and enable us to meet some interesting people. We’ll be updating this page at that time – don’t forget to check back 🙂
Is wild camping legal in the Democratic Republic of Congo?
Yes, wild camping is fine in the DRC.
If you’ve got some awesome pictures, or some useful info that you’d like to share, let us know!
And don’t forget to check out all the other pictures!