Congo

Deep, dark and impenetrable are words associated with the Congo, but those who venture up the Congo river and explore its mountains and rainforests will confirm there is truth in the notion that sometimes it's worth the effort and some discomfort to discover something intact and untouched that few people get to see.

From Brazzaville, steamers and barges run up the Congo. Main jump off points are Kinshasha, Kisangani, and Lisala and Bumba in between. Allow plenty of time and take plenty of water because boats frequently get stuck or break down. Rivers are the communication channels and source of livelihood for many Congolese. The barges are followed by a shoal of pirogues paddled by locals selling bananas, strange meat and Tupperware.

Most of the country is lowland rainforest, but the lakes and Ruwenzori Mountains along its northernmost border with Uganda are spectacular, as are the volcanic mountains of Virunga, home to the mountain gorilla. It's dramatic and spectacular scenery, but the awesome power of nature is often all too evident as in the volcanic eruption which caused devastation to the Rwanda border town of Goma.

Tourism is underdeveloped, but there is great potential as a safari destination. The savannahs are home to lions, leopards, giraffes, zebras, and wolves, as well as hippopotamuses, and chimpanzees, while the forests shelter elephants and okapi.