Tanzania to Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC; formerly Zaïre)
Cargo boats go roughly once weekly from Kigoma’s Ami port to Kalemie (about US$10, deck class only, seven hours) or Uvira. Enquire at Ami port, or check with the Congolese embassy in Kigoma about sailing days and times. Bring food and drink with you, and something to spread on the deck for sleeping. Prior to travelling to the DRC, check government travel advisories for a security update, and keep in mind the difficulty of getting a visa.
Tanzania Country Profile
Tanzania has been spared the internal strife that has blighted many African states since independence, and is regarded as one of the safest and most politically stable on the continent.
However, domestic stability has not translated into economic prosperity for Tanzanians. Many of its people live below the World Bank poverty line, although the country has had some success in wooing donors and investors.
While the country’s offshore gas reserves have remained undeveloped for many years, new political leadership since 2021 has raised hopes it may become an exporter of liquid natural gas (LNG) by 2030.
Tanzania is home to two renowned tourism destinations – Africa’s highest mountain, Kilimanjaro, and wildlife-rich national parks such as the Serengeti – but has become a target for poachers.
Congo Travel Guide
Democratic Republic of the Congo, country located in central Africa. Officially known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the country has a 25-mile (40-km) coastline on the Atlantic Ocean but is otherwise landlocked. It is the second largest country on the continent; only Algeria is larger. The capital, Kinshasa, is located on the Congo River about 320 miles (515 km) from its mouth. The largest city in central Africa, it serves as the country’s official administrative, economic, and cultural centre. The country is often referred to by its acronym, the DRC, or called Congo (Kinshasa), with the capital added parenthetically, to distinguish it from the other Congo republic, which is officially called the Republic of the Congo and is often referred to as Congo (Brazzaville).
Tanzania Travel Guide
Being overshadowed by its northern neighbour has rather worked in Tanzania’s favour. Tourism has developed here more quietly, more thoughtfully, with fewer cheap packages and more personalised experiences. It’s more stable and laid-back, and enormous enough to keep some corners well hidden. But its attractions are anything but low-key: Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, the Maasai, Zanzibar, the Big Five, and of course, the Great Migration, which propels itself around the northern plains throughout the year.
