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Written by Adrian Guggisberg
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Democratic Republic of Congo
General: | | State: | 30.07.2007 | | Visa: | We made it in Bangui. Duration: 30 days from day of entry. Costs: 110 USD | Papers:
| We used the health insurance card as bicycle insurance. I suggest to prepare in advance an official looking paper, inclusive a receipt, to avoid any problems. Of help was also a letter of the Swiss Embassy. The more official paper with stamps, the better. | Camera:
| 30 USD per camera. They had an official sheet with this tax. We hided the cameras in the sleeping bags and didn't pay. | Police, immigration, military:
| The biggest problem in Congo! There are too many of this guys in all the cities and bigger villages. If you are not willing to pay, be prepared for very though negotiations! If you are once lucky with one authority, then for sure the others will trouble you. Normally it took 5 minutes until they were behind us... | Streets:
| Mud, fallen off trunks, stones, branches,… be prepared of plenty of falls and scratches. Depending the season, the condition of the road varies for sure a lot. During the dry season (Jan-mar) the streets must be much better. During July, pushing the bike is often the only possibility. In the east China is constructing and repairing many roads (July 2007: from Uganda boarder to Mungbere). Our daily average speed was normal around 12km/h, but we had also a day we didn't reach 10km/h. | Orientation:
| No big problem, since there are not many roads. The Congolese people also speak quite well French. Every few km there is a village, or at least a couple of houses. Maximum distance in between: 30km. | Over night stay:
| Better in small villages without authorities. Ask for the "Chef du Village". Almost every village has a roof, where the cyclists can sleep. In Cities you can normally stay at the church / mission. | Currency:
| Francs Congolese Dollar. 500 Francs Congolese are equal to 1 USD. They accept everywhere small USD bank notes. Until Bondo, CFA is accepted as well. | Food:
| We had a stove and plenty of spaghetti with us. Along the street we normally found fruits, manioc and betabeta (deep-fried manioc-banana mix). In bigger villages you can find rice, tomato sauce, peanuts, onions,… They sell the spaghetti in pieces (6 single spaghetti for 10!). Depending on the season, bananas are not always easy to find (for example July, August). Alongside of bigger streets, you will also find small restaurants.
| Water:
| The water has all possible colors (Congo-Coke). We used Micropour drops to disinfect and didn't had big stomach problems. | Bike:
| Take enough chain oil and break pads with you (6 days for a pair of braekpads during rainy season!). | | Duration: | From Ndu to Kisindi 20 days. (rainy season) | Map:
| Micheline 746 Africa - Central and South 1: 4000000
| Vehicle:
| the bicycle is the most uesful vehicle (the liter petrol is about 3 USD, to balace over old log birdges, roads as wide as 50 cm)
The track Bangassou, Monga, Bondo and Titule, Zobia, Poko are exclusive passable by bike or motorbike
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Track description: | | State: | 30.07.2007 | Bangassou:
| fix the price for the canoe already in the city, otherwise you will get a special high price
price per person, inclusive bicycle: 400 CFA
since we didn't want to pay, we also didn't got the exit stamp
there is no ferry anymore. To crosse with a car you have to bundle dugout canoes... | Ndu:
| 1000 Francs for a fist registration: we refused to pay
had to pay to the police 20 USD (for immigration form and immigration stamp); 24 hours negotiations didn't help
the customs officer is a friend of the priest (Fidel) of the catholic mission in Bangassou
we didn't pay the 30 USD per camera; the customs officer has a list with this tax
you should register all the electronic devices
market direct after the customs
every 5-10km houses
until Bondo the track is as wide as 50cm, passable just by bicycle and motorbike | Monga:
| there is a police checkpost 5km before Monga
coming from Ndu, it is probably possible to avoid the police office in the centre of the city, by cycling directly to the protestant church (turn left early enough)
they checked all our material again, searching our cameras
an official of the transport ministry tried to charge us 50 USD each for our bikes. But in his list, there were only the cars mentioned… His office is probably in Ndu, and just during we were there he stayed in Monga
market
12km after Monga: river crossing by canoe; 500 per person inclusive bicycle
in the middle distance between Monga and Bondo, on the left side, is a police checkpost behind palisades. The policeman likes to shout, but not to move.
| Bondo:
| centre of the police, famous for bad behavior.
police station direct on the riverside direction Buta / Kisangani. Cycling to Bili: if you avoid the river side you can avoid the police. Coming from Buta: after you leave the canoe, you have to go 100m uphill and immediately turn left. Don't stop on the square!
Norwegian missionaries in the protestant church, but not 100% present. Italians in the catholic mission.
two markets
to Bili: long stretches without buildings (20-30km)
70km after Bondo: Yapa, police in the beginning of the village, market
50km before Bili: catholic mission, rather special guy | Bili:
| police post is located after the roundabout in direction Api (left and right side)
very friendly and helpful Norwegian missionary, since 1946 in Congo
market | Api:
| there is a bridge before Api (Michelin map is not up to date)
Api is almost nonexistent
canoes to cross the Uele river: 1000 Francs per person inclusive bicycle
| Titule:
| in the beginning of the city, there is a checkpost where they like to charge all cyclists a fee for the usage of the road, the official likes to shout and can cycle fast
the police caught us in the centre of the town, but they were very friendly
terrible mud road until Zobia
until Poko the track is as wide as 50cm, passable just by bicycle and motorbike
| Zobia:
| police (radio contact to Titule)
market
Lengdulu: Michelin map is wrong, this village doesn't exist
distance Titule - Zobia is not 197km, but about 180km
careful: 25km before Poko there is a junction very difficult to see. Better ask frequently. | Poko:
| can be avoided coming from Zobia.
market
not so bad road to Isiro, except Km67 to Km36
| Isiro:
| centre for military and police. Too many of this guys there…. Uuuuf!
best place for buying things, since a lot is flown in; sometimes power; internet
until Penge street is ok, in Penge police station for the national park
after Penge: the worst road we ever saw… mud, mud and mud. Trucks spend 11 days to pass this distance
| Mungbere:
| only town, where no officials came to trouble us!
catholic mission with many foreign missionaries; hospital and welding machine
market
good road, except some short parts with red terrible sticky soil
approximate 40km after the town: bridge with police (chain)
beginning of Okapi National Park: barrier and control, no taxes to pay
villages of pygmies along the street side | | Mumbassa: | friendly police, but the worst idiots at the immigration. Both located around the roundabout in the centre of the town
big catholic mission
big market
good road, you can already feel and see the influence of Uganda
plenty of villages, many police controls, 30km before Beni we had to register | | Beni: | immigration office
centre of the UN, many foreigners
everything to buy (import from Uganda), power, internet
going on to Butembo is probably impossible (rebels in north Kiwu)
street to Kasindi is famous for armed robberies, especially on market days (avoid Tuesday and Friday afternoon)
control in the end of Beni
national park controls on the way, free of charge
| | Kasindi: | 3km before the boarder on a hill: police control and customs - we could pass
| | Boarder: | need to show the passport and get exit stamp, but only in one office. Asked about the exit stamp of CAR (no problem)
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