I'm currently in West Africa and am very interested in crossing the DRC from West to East on my way down to Cape Town and am currently researching the feasibilty of this.

My preferred route would be from Cameroon, through CAR to Bangui and across into northern DRC, before heading towards Kinshasa...

Does anyone have information on security in this area of CAR and DRC?

Are there alternatives that I should consider?

Would I be best to stick to the main roads which I would presume to be in slightly better condition or smaller roads which will be even rougher but may have less problems with people in authority etc...

Note that I am travelling with a bicycle and so if necessary can take river transport etc...

Would appreciate any ideas and comments on this. Thanks

Time and patience I have plenty of....

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Helen's Take On...

That is one hell of a trek, especially with a bicycle. I would suggest reading "On foot through Africa" by Ffyona Campbell. She walks across DRC (zaire as it was then) with a 4x4 for back up. It was hard going to say the least.

There are two principal routes across the DR Congo that are West to East, having done both, I can describe them here to you:

1. West to (South) East - Kinshasa to Lubumbashi (nr. Ndola, Zambia).

This is only by road (no river barges etc.) and is very difficult even in the dry season. I would never even dream of it in the wet season. (Back in the day) I assumed that this route would take me about 20 days with a 4x4. It ended up taking 2 months and countless breakdowns and repairs and contracting malaria once. Its an amazing trek if you are up for it, but with a bicycle, in short - forget it!

2. West to East - Kinshasa to Kisangani (River barge)

This is the main route across DR Congo by river. It is essentially a large barge (or several strapped together) and is pushed by a tugboat. This is an ideal method to cross DR Congo if you are on bike. It takes about 3 weeks or so (no timetable to follow as such, ask around in Kinshasa or Brazzaville). However, upon arrival in Kisangani there will be a problem - you still need to cross about 1/4 of the Congo to Uganda. The roads here are awful, but the locals use push bikes to transport palm oil in 20l jerrys (6 or so at a time!) so it is do-able. Not sure on the current regs. on entering Uganda from DR Congo (check with the embassy).

Regarding crossing from CAR to DCR:

In short - don't. There is so much corruption and crime in CAR esp. in the border areas. The chances are almost 100% that you will either be held at gun point or threatened in some way. The best way to go from West to East is as I have described above. And, with all due respect, in the event of a crisis in CAR, a bicycle is not the greatest of get-away vehicles.


All in all, sounds like a brilliant idea. This is however, not easy going by any means! Do your research (though this will only take you so far). The best method is to just get there and ask around.

After Uganda:

Uganda to Cape Town is fairly easy going. You can cycle down to Bujumbura (Burundi) and get a boat down Lake Tanganyika to Mpulungu in Zambia. After that, easy going down to Lusaka and Livingstone. After which, 2 options:
1. Across Vic. falls into Zimbabwe, south to South Africa etc..
2. Down through Botswana and into South Africa etc..

On balance, I'd go for option 2. Zimbabwe is not so good lately! Chances are, you would have your bicycle stolen or worse. Given this, IMO, Zimbabwe is a far more beautiful and colourful nation than Botsawana. It's up to you!

There, I hope I have been concise enough. Any more needed, just post a reply!

Try and get hold of a copy of Tim Butcher's book, Blood River, which describes the route east of Kisangani to close to the Ugandan border.

Blood River by Tim Butcher ~ Published By Chatto & Windus

I was in Kinshasa last month and visited the port to check on the barge schedule to Kisangani - they seem to be relatively infrequent, so you will need to have plenty of patience to find one.

Matt,
Incidentally, do you reckon the barges there nowadays (I was last there about 25yrs ago) would take an 18ton MAN chassis motorhome? Are there the facilities to launch it onboard?

Also, any idea of the frequency (gist of it) bimonthly, monthly etc??

trans-african - thanks for the info: exactly the kind of thing I was after. I'll look into the options further and no doubt will have some more questions to ask!
My route after DRC I am happy with from wherever I end up in East Africa - I intend to head Malawi, Zambia, across Botswana, Namibia and the down to South Africa...

I know this may seem a ridiculous question seeing as I want to cross west to east through DRC, but is it possible to cross into Angola from the DRC? I had read somewhere about a train to Dilolo... but not sure if the border is open.

Matt - Tim Butcher is in part to blame for my wanting to cross the DRC. I read the book shortly after hearing Tim at the Hay book festival a few years ago!

I know of one cyclist who crossed CAR - DRC to Kisingani, but this was in 2007. I also met a French guy who spent 3months walking across the Congo last year, so I know that it is at least possible!

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Helen's Take On...

takeonafrica,
The border between Angola in the North (i.e. Matadi (coming from kinshasa) towards Luanda) is indeed open for traffic. However, the border to the East with DRC is very iffy. Angola has recently got "up tight" about it in an effort to prevent diamond smuggling from DRC. It may or may not be possible. The best thing to do about this is either ask
a. in the embassies of BOTH countries. (This is critical as in central africa, the right hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing, let alone the left!!)
b. locally in Kinshasa and Luanda

or you could just turn up and see, though I don't reccomend this. Back in the day I did cross this border (between Dundo and Tshikapa), but things were different then...

Regarding the train to Dilolo, this is the train that comes from Lubumbashi in the south of DRC. There were plans recently to extend it into Angola but, as with most things in this part of the world, I will belive it when I see it! This has yet to materialize.

Basically, the best bet is to cross the DRC by barge from Kinshasa to Kisangani then road it to Goma and Uganda. Then continue south etc..

CAR-DRC: yes I am aware that this route is possible but it is fraught with danger. My advise is to stay away for the time being.

P.S. Just send a post if you have any more questions! I am happy to help.

Hi Trans-African, what experience have you got in northern DRC recently? I ask because we want to drive 4x4s from Sarh - Zongo - Lisala. So much to find out and very few sources of credible info. All the best, Alastair

Hi - I'm now in Kinshasa (liking it here!) and it's make my mind up time for choosing a route across to the east. Would really appreciate comments/thoughts/advice on options, taking into consideration current security issues and weather (onset of rainy season, esp. in north).

1. There is a boat leaving Kinshasa for Kisangani in about 1week's time. It should take 3 weeks to get to Kinshasa. From there, the road to Goma, via Butembo has been recently improved by the Chinese. But not sure of the security situation in this area. I would ideally like to cycle the route but if travel is by convoy for example then I would have to take a truck.

2. I could take the road from Kinshasa to Kikwit, Kananga, Mbuji-Mayi, Kabinda and across to Kalemie. From there I could take a boat to Uvira but then not sure if I could get to Bukavu. I am also aware of the recent UN report about mass rapes in eastern DRC which I believe occurred around Uvira. I may also be able to take a boat from Kalemie to Kigoma in Tanzania but then I would miss out Goma and seeing the gorillas/volcano which I would like to do.

3. I could follow the road from Kinshasa to Lumbumbashi into Zambia. Again, would miss eastern DRC for gorillas etc and rest of east africa. Also I would then be continuing the rest of my journey through Namibia etc when the weather's not great.

Or perhaps you have a better alternative....

Thanks, H

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Helen's Take On...

As Tourist, please forget about any trip to both kivus, Ituri or Haut Huele unless you have been there before and you have strong local contacts.

If you go by the south to Lubumbashi you will still have enough challenge to enjoy your trip...

Takeonafrica,

Hi im looking at doing a trip West Africa trip and want to cross West to East through DRC and have been looking through old threads on the forum looking for information.

I have been chatting to some guys in South Africa about it and have changed my mind about crossing in the northern part but im interested how you went crossing down in the south?

I wont be on a bike but in a very well set up 4x4. I use to work as an overland driver doing Eastern Trans trips so i know not to listern to everything i hear as a lot of people are scared of Africa and the unknown. Having said that i do know that DRC is not the most traveled place by tourist!!! I do know of a guy i use to know getting through DRC through the northern part and he said it was really hard and had some moments but its not as bad as people make out??

Any information you have from your resent trip would be much appreciated

Cheers

Patrick (travelingaustralian) patdavey78@gmail.com

There is a loading ramp at "The Beach" where the Brazza-Kinshasa ferries dock, which would be suitable to load your truck. However the barge I saw being loaded was some distance from this on the docks, and there didn't appear to be any suitable loading point for a truck. Bike or motorbike would be fine to load.

I imagine you could probably negotiate for the barge to stop at the ramp at The Beach and load there, but can't confirm this.

Can't really help on detailed pricing info as I only had preliminary discussions with a fixer, and never got around to negotiating with the barge captain. I would expect a few hundred US$ as a minimum for a motorbike. No idea re the price for a truck.

I met this chap in Tanzania in 2007 he is seriuosly adventurous or mad, I hope it is of some use, have a good trip
to-adi - Adrian Guggisberg - Home

For all in this thread and wishing to travel to/through DRC, I live already for a while now in Lubumbashi (aid worker - and ex-overlander), so if you need some more info or a place to stay and shower, feel free to contact me...

As a general rule however already: avoid AT ALL COSTS if possible to travel in DRC around 30th of June... I can assure you, not a good time - and although nothing is sure in this country, the 50 years independance this year could all too well create some problems... don't say I didn't warn you

Jef

Hi

We met an english cicling for 2 years and a half in Africa that did it last year with no problems. Just take lots of water pills because there are not shops around.

He had no security problems, and he took a train in some part to make it faster.

We are driving and old car, so we couldn t make it, but it must be a super nice ride.

CHeerrs

Carlos

Not 2 late trip (father and son roud Africa on a Renault 4L)

Hi, I'm Dave's friend, I did on a Land Cruiser Kisangani to Niangara and Kisangani to Goma last october. Road no problems on the dry season but be very careful around Beni and Rutshuru, kidnapping and shooting are not uncommon. Once in Kisangani you can jump into a barge all the way to Kinshasa.
the road you need to take is:
goma-rutshuru-lubero-beni-komanda-niania-bafwasende-kisangani (3 to 4 days)
Regards

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Mario T. - southing