Congo: Travelling

Entry Requirements

Passport and Visa Service: Visa information for Congo
Diplomatic Missions of the Republic of the Congo

For Further Information

Check IATA Travel Website for visa requirements and health advices.

Organising Your Trip

Transportation From Airport to City Centre:

Airport	Distance	Taxi	Bus	Train	Car Rental
Maya Maya International Airport (Brazzaville)	5.5 km/3.4 miles	10 min - around XAF 1,000	No	No	Yes
Agostinho-Neto International Airport (Pointe-Noire)	7 km/4.3 miles	20 min- around XAF 1,500	No	No	Yes

Major airlines

Name	Domestic Flights	International Flights
Trans Air Congo	Yes	No
Canadian Airways Congo	Yes	No
Ethiopian Airlines	No	Yes

You Can Consult The EU Air Safety List. Look Also at the rating of the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Visiting

Different Forms of Tourism

Historical: Tourists can visit the Congo Tank Graveyard, an hidden spot outside Brazzaville where hundreds of rusting old tanks from the great war of Africa over the Congo can be found.
The Brazza memorial, in memory of the Italian-French explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza, who founded the settlement that became Brazzaville, can be visited in the capiltal, next to the Corniche.
Cultural: The most important museum of the country is the National Museum of Congo, located in Brazzaville. Other museums include the Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza museum and the Musée du Cercle Africain (in Pointe-Noire).
Nature: The Republic of the Congo can offer stunning landscapes and a variety of flora and fauna. The Odzala National Park is populated by lowland gorillas, monkeys and even elephants, and tourists can enjoy long hikings among the nature. Other major parks include the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park (in the north of the country), the Conkouati-Douli National Park (in the far west, with the widest biodiversity), and the Louana National Park.
Religious: The Sainte-Anne-du-Congo cathedral in Brazzaville is among the main monuments of the country's capital, together with the Sacred Heart cathedral, which is the oldest existing cathedral in central Africa (dated 1892).
Thermal: In the capital Brazzaville tourists can enjoy several Spa resorts.
Beach: The southern area of Pointe-Noire is known as the wild coast ("côte sauvage"), and it is where the most popular beaches are located.
Winter Sports: The climate of the Republic of the Congo is not suitable for winter sports.
Outdoor Activities: Thirty minutes north of Pointe-Noire, close to the village of Diosso, visitors can find the Diosso Gorge. With its pink, yellow and orange colours, it offers a remarkable scenery and it is a good location for hiking.
In Brazzaville, visitors can enjoy the powerful rapids of the Congo River. In all of the national parks visitors can enjoy wonderful hikes (with several levels of difficulty).
Surf lovers can enjoy the waves of the coast next to Pointe-Noire (Pointe Kunda, Cote Sauvage, M’Vassa).
Shopping: Local jewelry, masks, paintings, and other artwork can be bought at the artisan mart near the BDEAC (Banque Developpement pour les Etats de l'Afrique Centrale). The Poto-Poto market is also famous, offering paintings and crafted wooden masks, while the villages of Makana and M'Pila are renowned for pottery.

Tourism Organisations: Ministry for Tourism and Environment

Living Conditions

Health and Safety

Health Precautions: There are no specific vaccination requirements to enter the Republic of the Congo (except for vaccine against yellow fever which is required for travellers 9 months of age or older). Nevertheless, WHO and foreign ministries of various countries recommend the following vaccines before entering the country: Hepatitis A, Malaria, Typhoid, Hepatitis B and Rabies, and Measles.
For Further Information on Sanitary Conditions: CDC - Health Information for Travelers to Congo
For Further Information on Safety Conditions: U.S. Department of State - Congo Travel Information
Government of Canada - Congo Travel Advice
OSAC - Congo Crime and Safety Report

Emergency Numbers

Ambulance	118
Police	117

Time Difference and Climate

Time and Time Difference: It is %T:%M %A In Brazzaville (GMT+1)
Summer Time Period: There are no daylight saving time clock changes in the Republic of the Congo

Map of the Time Zone

Time zone

Type of Climate: The Republic of the Congo is situated across the Equator. The northern part of the country has an equatorial climate, being hot and humid all year round, with some sporadic rainfalls and high temperatures throughout the year. The centre and south are tropical: while still hot and humid, there is a dry and cooler season in winter, generally between June and September (and from mid-May to mid-October on the coast).
Temperatures in the capital Brazzaville (located at 320 meters above sea level) reach a peak of 31/32 °C from February to April, and drop to around 27/28 °C from June to August.
Hotel reservation websites: National Agency for Civil Aviation

Average Annual Temperatures and Rainfall

Climate

Eating

Food Specialties: The Congolese cuisine mixes the African traditions with French and Arabic influences. Cassava and maize are the staples.
Traditional dishes include:
fufu: a stiff porridge made with flour from cassava (or sometimes maize)
saka saka: a plate made of cassava leaves, palm oil and fish
goat stew: often served with manioc or fufu
manioc: cassava roots served with meat or fish
makobe: a seasoned freshwater fish cooked in marantaceae leaves
Finally, many dishes are accompanied by a spicy chilli sauce referred to as pili-pili.
Drinks: Palm wine is widely consumed across the country.
Beer is also a common drink, with several brands produced locally (like N’Gok) or imported (Primus, Turbo King, Heineken, etc.).
A local red wine imported from Gabon and known as sovinco is also common in Congo.
Dietary Restrictions: Food taboos depend according to the tribe and the village. If a family has a totem (an animal considered a spiritual protector), it cannot eat that animal.
The legal drinking age for alcohol is 18.

Paying

Domestic Currency: CFA Franc BEAC
ISO Code: XAF
To Obtain Domestic Currency: The CFA franc is pegged to the euro at an unchanging rate of XAF 655.957 per 1 EUR. Although USD and GBP can be changed in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire, exchanging EUR may prove to be much easier. Some private businesses may also offer exchange services, but with higher exchange rates. Crédit du Congo, Ecobank and BGFI Bank have ATMs in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire to withdraw local currency (Visa, MasterCard and Plus cards are generally accepted).
Possible Means of Payment: Payments in the Republic of the Congo are generally cash. Some high-end hotels may accept credit cards (with Visa being the most commonly accepted card).

Speaking

Official Language: French
Other Languages Spoken: Several languages from the Bantu family are spoken, especially Kituba and Lingala, Mboshi and Bateke, together with around 40 additional languages and dialects.
Business Language: French

Useful Resources

To Find a Job: Impact Pool
Indeed Congo
Jobnet Africa

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