Kinshasa

Understand

Called Leopoldville after King Leopold II of Belgium during colonial rule, and was re-named to its current name in 1966.

Kinshasa has the largest population of any city proper in Africa with a population of almost 15 million (2020), and ranks as its third largest metropolitan area after Cairo and Lagos. It also declares itself as the largest French-speaking city in the world, although you will find that most people's French is far less than fluent (by any other measure, it still ranks second behind the Paris urban area). After decades of armed conflicts imposed by neighboring countries, the infrastructure of this once-leading modern African city is now being remarkably restored. Chinese companies are involved in numerous projects of reconstruction throughout the city.

Get around

Kinshasa is notorious for its huge traffic jams. It can take up to 2 hours to travel 500m. Avoid commuting time to go around the city.

The local official bus service, Transco, runs large buses that provide Urban, interurban, and scholarly transportation across the city-province with a network of 33 lines, frequently used by commuting locals.

However, the city bus system pales in comparison to the "taxi" system that has risen organically to serve the needs of the people of Kinshasa. Essentially, these taxis are small buses. They run set routes between embarkation points that are the "stops". The cost between these various points is usually around 350 francs. If one's destination is through multiple points, different taxis will need to be boarded to complete the route, making the system take a good deal of time during busy traffic hours.

People waiting at the stops will move their hands in a variety of gestures to signal which direction they are going. A taxi will then stop and pick up someone if they are going in the same direction and have space in the taxi.

This system works well for the locals. For visitors and foreigners, it can be quite difficult as one needs to know the hand signs, have knowledge of the routes, be ready to sit in cramped, hot vehicles with many other people, and deal with the potential dangers of these vehicles as many are barely road-worthy. Traveling through this manner absolutely requires local help for those unfamiliar with the system. One will …

See

thumb|Lola ya Bonobo ("Paradise for Bonobos") is the world's only sanctuary for orphaned bonobos.

Do

A barbecue on a sandbank on the Congo River is a must. Renting a boat for a day with a driver and all the gear (tables, chairs, a suntent and a barbecue) costs around US$150 at the Yacht Club Kinshasa. Go for a walk/jog along the river in front of the British and German embassies. Go to church on a Sunday morning like most of the locals do. Go out to eat at one of the many restaurants, cafes, bars, and night clubs, live it up like a local.

Buy

Don't forget to get some arts in (market of value), sometimes called marché des voleurs (thieves' market). Be prepared to haggle and don't pay the initial asking price that will be at least 60-75% over the final price if not more. For some more upscale art you can go to the Academie des Beaux Arts on Avenue Pierre Mulele (formerly Avenue 24 Novembre) or to Symphonie des Arts: towards Kintambo on the Boulevard du 30 Juin, turn right after the elephant when you see the barrier on your right, then it's on your left hand across from the big colonial villa. A more time consuming but far more interesting and personal way to get to know the artists of the country would be to visit their private studios. Prices are high even there for paintings of Lema Kusa, Henri Kalama or Nshole, but worth every penny considering the quality of their works and their international prestige. A more relaxed and fun way to buy street art is to have a beer at . It is on the street off the boulevard 30 Juin towards Justice off the INSS building. Sit at a table and have a drink (Primus is recommended) and the artists will come and show all kinds of artworks. The same rule on negotiating applies as at Marché des valeurs.

The good supermarkets are the following: . Good vegetables and all dry goods that you can find in Belgium. Expresse located on the boulevard, a little off from Peloustore. Here you can find good vegetables and the best "charcuterie", cold cut meat. If you turn on the corner of Expresse, y…

Eat

There are lots of restaurants for expatriates, where you can pay in dollars but they are very expensive. Don't be surprised to pay up to US$20 for a pizza (and $40 at the hotel for one).

Drink

Local beer: Turbo King is a darker beer, regular lagers are Primus (which some consider is the best local beer, brewed by the local Heineken brewery) and Skol. European Mutzig comes in smaller bottles. A bit more expensive, and slightly harder to find as it is brewed in Lubumbashi by Simba Breweries, is Tembo, a tasty amber ale. Tembo garners the highest ranking for a DRC beer on ratebeer.com. Lots of expensive French and South African wine available in restaurants and supermarkets. Portuguese wine can be found quite cheaply at grocery stores catering to expats (Peloustore, Express, etc.).

Kinshasa becomes alive most nights when residents head to Matonge, a place filled with dancing bars, restaurants and night clubs. Lately Bandal and Bonmarche are the more popular "quartiers" to visit the local bars and "discotheques". Go to a local nightclub and learn how to dance Congolese rhythms. Get ready to shake your booty! For those that prefer to stay in Gombe, the following offer good possibilities:

Hotel bars are popular with expats and usually have live music several nights a week.

Sleep

Accommodation in Kinshasa can be very expensive. A consequence of the past problems mean that many organisations only recognise two hotels as having international standards. So the Memling and the Grand have a virtual monopoly. Prices of these two can be in excess of $300 per night plus breakfast. Now a new luxury Hotel called Hotel Royal has opened. Modern boutique hotel with all amenities inclusive.

Connect

Plenty of cyber cafes exist, so don't worry about staying connected.

Purchasing a local SIM card is easy at many locations through the city, such as at Pullman Grand Hotel which have Airtel, Orange, and Vodacom stores.

Stay healthy

Don't drink the local water. Bottled water seems to be cheap enough but sometimes hard to find for a good price. The best way is if you are staying in an upscale hotel that provides it with the room just tip the housekeeping staff to get extra bottles put in your room (usually if you tell them while giving them the money that works the best, and after the first 2 days of asking for the water you usually don't have to worry about telling them anymore, just give them the $5 a day).

Make sure you have all required vaccinations, i.e. yellow fever, typhoid, etc.

Mosquitoes can be a problem in all the city. Malaria medication should be taken.