The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is an equatorial country located in central Africa and is the continent’s third most populous nation with a population of over 66 million people. Its vast and rugged terrain usually makes it an ideal safari destination, but continuous civil war and conflict with neighbouring Rwanda and Uganda has taken the shine of what could be a leading African location for visitors to discover and explore.

However, despite all this, the DRC has many activities and locations for travellers to visit with its capital city Kinshasa being one of the more frequented and exciting destinations on offer. Kinshasa is situated on the southern banks of the famous Congo River directly opposite the city of Brazzaville, which is the capital of neighbouring country the Republic of Congo; it is the DRC’s chief economic, administrative, and cultural centre and is one of sub-Sahara Africa’s most populated cities. Kinshasa’s city centre though is not too big considering its population stats; it has the plush suburb of Gombe in the west which is home to parliament and foreign embassies, along with popular tourist attractions such as the Academy of Fine Arts, the National Museum, and the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Notre Dame.

Also south of the city is the Cité de l’OUA, which was built for the 1967 Organization of African Unity summit, and is today the official residence of the president’s palace as well as a few government offices. Kinshasa’s locals are known as Kinois and the official language is Lingala, which serves the city’s diverse population quite extensively. Other popular attractions include the Matonge District, which has fabulous nightlife, and the sprawling Central Market in the residential suburb of Cité. There is much to enjoy in Kinshasa as the city is also prominent for its music, art, and jewellery.