Congo (DRC) trips take you somewhere few travellers ever reach — a vast, ancient river basin where the modern world has barely made an impression.
Congo DRC tours take you somewhere that very few travellers ever reach. The Democratic Republic of Congo is shaped by its river — a vast, equatorial waterway that cuts through the world's second-largest rainforest, connecting river towns like Mbandaka, Lisala, Bumba, and Kisangani in a chain of communities that still trade by boat, just as they always have. This is Africa entirely on its own terms.
Our small group Congo DRC tours follow the river's course through two distinct legs, allowing you to travel one section or take on the full 1,000-kilometre expedition from Mbandaka to Kisangani. Whether you join us for a Congo DRC trip of 16, 17, or 29 days, every journey begins and ends in Kinshasa - giving you time to experience the capital's energy and visit the remarkable Lola Ya Bonobo sanctuary on its outskirts.
Congo (DRC)
Small-group departures led by local experts, plus private tailor-made itineraries shaped around your interests, pace and dates.
The Democratic Republic of Congo receives a fraction of the visitors that travel to comparable African destinations. The river towns, the rainforest, and the communities along the way remain genuinely undiscovered — this is rare territory for any traveller.
The Congo River is not a backdrop - it is the entire journey. Life along its banks is intimate, unfiltered, and completely unlike anything you will encounter elsewhere in Africa. Travelling by traditional wooden boat is the only real way to experience it.
With culture and history scores of 5/5 on our tour ratings, Congo DRC holidays deliver encounters that go far beyond the surface. From riverside communities with centuries of trading heritage to the extraordinary Wagenia fisheries at Kisangani, every stop carries meaning.
No other Congo DRC tour packages include time at Lola Ya Bonobo as standard. The sanctuary outside Kinshasa is one of the most compelling wildlife experiences in central Africa - and a reminder of why the Congo Basin matters to the entire planet.
See itinerariesCongo (DRC) rewards travellers who slow down — the best stories are found off the tour-bus route.
From the field
Our Congo DRC tours depart in July and August - the height of the dry season in the equatorial belt, when rainfall is at its lowest and river travel is most reliable. Temperatures along the Congo River are warm throughout, typically between 24°C and 30°C, with high humidity year-round. Dry season travel means more settled conditions on the water and clearer visibility in the surrounding rainforest. If July or August doesn't suit your schedule, contact us to discuss tailor-made Congo DRC travel packages at alternative times of year.
Looking to travel outside the typical windows? Our Congo (DRC) tailor-made team can advise on the best time for you.
Dispatches, field notes and practical advice from our specialists.
Reviews from across our small-group programme. Independently rated 4.9 Excellent on AITO by 250+ travellers.
“An amazing trip! We had the most amazing holiday — over two weeks we had a taste of the cities, the culture, the mountains, a safari, and time at the beach. Our driver/guide made the whole trip very relaxing, and we were welcomed warmly by everyone we met, enjoying fabulous food and drink along the way. Undiscovered Destinations planned a really amazing itinerary for us with great hotels, a fabulous guide/driver, and interesting places to visit — they took great care to ensure we had an excellent holiday. We look forward to booking another holiday with them in the future. Thank you, Mark!”
Anna
“This adventure was always going to be very full-on, which is how we like our trips. I didn't count on getting bronchitis and ending up in hospital, however. The itinerary was quickly amended to avoid high-altitude destinations as much as possible while still making sure we had a chance to enjoy interesting experiences. While obviously sad to have missed some of the original sites, the revised itinerary was the only sensible option under the circumstances. I was extremely impressed with how Undiscovered Destinations and their local team handled the situation — taking the stress out of it, smoothing the way, rearranging the itinerary and booking new hotels, translating for me with the medical staff, and making sure I always had transport, medicines and anything else I needed. Nothing was too much trouble, and they kept in touch with me, each other, and the insurance company throughout. I can't recommend them enough!”
Grete
“My wife and I had a wonderful tour with Undiscovered Destinations. We had a different guide at each stop, and all of them were friendly, cheerful and knowledgeable. The local people were welcoming, and we always felt safe and comfortable. The beaches were spectacularly beautiful and empty of people, with warm, clear water, and each stop had its own character — some we loved for their unspoiled scenery, others for their history and the warmth of the welcome. We took the opportunity to snorkel on one of the most pristine reefs we've experienced, swimming with sea turtles and enormous manta rays that came right up to us out of curiosity. A wonderful destination for nature lovers.”
Frank
“Excellent. Action packed. Our local agent was excellent, and a good choice by Undiscovered Destinations. Because there were only two of us on the holiday, we had different guides at each stop, each one making sure we were handed over safely. All manner of transport was used, and we appreciated the different guiding strategies, the wealth of information given, the high level of English, and the genuine wish to show off their country at its best. Excellent.”
Cathy
“Far exceeding my expectations, this was one of the best trips I've ever done. A beautiful destination, with interesting history, lively ceremonies, lovely people and — surprisingly, for somewhere that sees so few tourists — absolutely no hassle on the streets. Excellent service from start to finish, with a first-class tour leader.”
Lynn
“We had a two-week trip with Undiscovered Destinations, flying in for two days first to break up the journey. It was a great trip, because we managed to see so much more than just the capital cities. This was the fourth trip we've taken with Undiscovered Destinations, and each one has been wonderful. Our guides were lovely — very professional and helpful. We rate UD very highly.”
Andy
“We had a fabulous trip with an excellent local guide, who took great care of us and enthusiastically shared his knowledge of both ancient and recent history, with lots of fascinating personal stories of his own life. We highly recommend this trip — Undiscovered Destinations were great to work with, and we hope to use them again.”
Jennie
“Everything was great — we got to witness a wonderful variety of wildlife, and thoroughly enjoyed the scenery and the hospitality of the people. A fabulous trip from start to finish.”
Debbie
“Excellent all-round trip. Drivers were conscientious and careful, accommodation was better than expected, and the scenery was stunning throughout.”
Alexis
“Fabulous, unusual destination, and great people. A private tour of somewhere little-visited, with great service from start to finish and excellent knowledge and advice from Undiscovered Destinations throughout.”
Steve
“An amazing trip! We had the most amazing holiday — over two weeks we had a taste of the cities, the culture, the mountains, a safari, and time at the beach. Our driver/guide made the whole trip very relaxing, and we were welcomed warmly by everyone we met, enjoying fabulous food and drink along the way. Undiscovered Destinations planned a really amazing itinerary for us with great hotels, a fabulous guide/driver, and interesting places to visit — they took great care to ensure we had an excellent holiday. We look forward to booking another holiday with them in the future. Thank you, Mark!”
Anna
“This adventure was always going to be very full-on, which is how we like our trips. I didn't count on getting bronchitis and ending up in hospital, however. The itinerary was quickly amended to avoid high-altitude destinations as much as possible while still making sure we had a chance to enjoy interesting experiences. While obviously sad to have missed some of the original sites, the revised itinerary was the only sensible option under the circumstances. I was extremely impressed with how Undiscovered Destinations and their local team handled the situation — taking the stress out of it, smoothing the way, rearranging the itinerary and booking new hotels, translating for me with the medical staff, and making sure I always had transport, medicines and anything else I needed. Nothing was too much trouble, and they kept in touch with me, each other, and the insurance company throughout. I can't recommend them enough!”
Grete
“My wife and I had a wonderful tour with Undiscovered Destinations. We had a different guide at each stop, and all of them were friendly, cheerful and knowledgeable. The local people were welcoming, and we always felt safe and comfortable. The beaches were spectacularly beautiful and empty of people, with warm, clear water, and each stop had its own character — some we loved for their unspoiled scenery, others for their history and the warmth of the welcome. We took the opportunity to snorkel on one of the most pristine reefs we've experienced, swimming with sea turtles and enormous manta rays that came right up to us out of curiosity. A wonderful destination for nature lovers.”
Frank
“Excellent. Action packed. Our local agent was excellent, and a good choice by Undiscovered Destinations. Because there were only two of us on the holiday, we had different guides at each stop, each one making sure we were handed over safely. All manner of transport was used, and we appreciated the different guiding strategies, the wealth of information given, the high level of English, and the genuine wish to show off their country at its best. Excellent.”
Cathy
“Far exceeding my expectations, this was one of the best trips I've ever done. A beautiful destination, with interesting history, lively ceremonies, lovely people and — surprisingly, for somewhere that sees so few tourists — absolutely no hassle on the streets. Excellent service from start to finish, with a first-class tour leader.”
Lynn
“We had a two-week trip with Undiscovered Destinations, flying in for two days first to break up the journey. It was a great trip, because we managed to see so much more than just the capital cities. This was the fourth trip we've taken with Undiscovered Destinations, and each one has been wonderful. Our guides were lovely — very professional and helpful. We rate UD very highly.”
Andy
“We had a fabulous trip with an excellent local guide, who took great care of us and enthusiastically shared his knowledge of both ancient and recent history, with lots of fascinating personal stories of his own life. We highly recommend this trip — Undiscovered Destinations were great to work with, and we hope to use them again.”
Jennie
“Everything was great — we got to witness a wonderful variety of wildlife, and thoroughly enjoyed the scenery and the hospitality of the people. A fabulous trip from start to finish.”
Debbie
“Excellent all-round trip. Drivers were conscientious and careful, accommodation was better than expected, and the scenery was stunning throughout.”
Alexis
“Fabulous, unusual destination, and great people. A private tour of somewhere little-visited, with great service from start to finish and excellent knowledge and advice from Undiscovered Destinations throughout.”
Steve
Every one of our Congo (DRC) journeys can be rebuilt around your dates, pace and interests — or we’ll design something entirely new.
We’ll build one around you.
If you'd like to travel to the Congo DRC outside our scheduled group departures, or prefer a private Congo DRC holiday designed around your own timeline, we can build a tailor-made itinerary for you. We can arrange travel along any section of the Congo River - from Kinshasa and Mbandaka through to Lisala, Bumba, and Kisangani - or combine a river expedition with extended time in Kinshasa, including additional days at the Lola Ya Bonobo sanctuary. All tailor-made Congo DRC travel packages draw on the same local expertise, licensed river crew, and on-the-ground knowledge that underpin our group tours. Contact us to start planning your own Congo DRC trip.
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Congo trips start from £6,395 per person for the 29-day. For a full breakdown of what is included, and to discuss private or tailor-made pricing, visit the individual tour pages or get in touch with Undiscovered Destinations directly.
Shared across all tours that visit this destination. Read alongside your individual tour dossier for trip-specific details.
We monitor FCDO travel advice regularly and will inform clients of any relevant changes before departure. At the time of writing, the FCDO advises against travel to parts of eastern DRC; however, these areas are not included in our tours. Our routes operate along the Congo River between Kinshasa, Mbandaka, Lisala, Bumba and Kisangani. British travellers should check the latest Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) travel advice for the Democratic Republic of the Congo before departure, while nationals of other countries should consult the travel advice issued by their own government.
Join a small-group departure, or let our Congo (DRC) specialists craft a private journey shaped around your dates and interests.
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