Assistance Offered in Kinshasa
 

All,
just joined HU, so wanted to introduce myself. I am currently half way through a three year posting from UK to DR Congo, based in Kinshasa. If you are passing through Kinshasa, I may be able to offer free assistance if needed, as I am in a secure compound and have fairly comprehensive vehicle tools. Having covered the local area and the Angolan border crossing options on both two and four wheels, I can advise on current status.

Hi Ian.
 

Welcome to the HUBB mate, surprised you weren't here already! Thanks again for your hospitality last year. I made it all the way until Mt Kenya before my KLR snapped the timing chain and I had to truck into Nairobi. It sits there up to this day in pieces as I've gone off to work back in West Africa. When are we going to hear a ride report from you?:thumbup1:
Cheers, Campbell.

Hey Ian,
I'm very close to leaving from Portugal to South Africa and back on a XT600E.
I'll be going through Kinshasa so maybe will give you a "shout" and we can get toghether for a few beers! Cheers

Warning!Crossing from Brazzaville -Kinshasa not a good idea
 

Try this border crossing Kinkala -Boko -luozi-malanga.
Ferry cost aprox $2usd,( some times is free)no corrupt officials.
Louzi the only one catholic mission, safe place to camp.
Road to louzi is bid challenging during wet seasons but on xt should be fun.

Thanks Romnek72, great tip,
will probably do. Seems a great alternative from the hectic and costly Brazzaville-Khinshasa crossing.
Will keep in touch, cheers,

Hi Campbell
 

Hey Campbell. Good to hear from you. Sorry to hear about the KLR. Any plans to do a Lazarus on it?

Funny you ask when I might do a ride report. Heading south next month with a mate on a couple of F700/800GS's, having done a recce across the Angolan border a few weekends ago. We have a month to play with, so intending to bimble through Angola and reach Windhoek before returning to Kinshasa. Will not be as epic as your Kinshasa to Lubumbashi run but should be fun.

Take care,
Ian.

crossing to lubumbashi or angola
 

Hi Ian!
We are in brazza now and discussing the route to lubumbashi as we might not be able to get angola visas here. we hear different stories whether its rainy season or not, maybe you can give us a better insight on the current status of the route to lubumbashi? In the meantime we will be trying to get our angolan visas in dolisie and point noire. If this doesnt work out, we should share our stories over a few beers! bier
cheers! bart and jasmin

Kinshasa to Lubumbashi Route
 

Hi Bart and Jasmin.

Sorry for the late reply. Did you make the crossing yet?

This is definately the rainy season, so the Kin-Lub route would be epic right now.

Can you attempt to get an Angolan visa in Kinshasa? Do let me know when you are here so we can do a beer or three.

Hey Ian! We are currently in Yaounde waiting on a few visas and will be heading down through Congo and into DRC in our Landy Defender in the next few weeks. Would be great to have a few bevvies in Kinshasa if you're around!

Interesting to read about the alternative route into DRC via Kinkala/Boko as we're not super keen on the Brazza/Kins ferry. Do you guys know if this is possible in 4x4 and what the state of the roads is like?

Cheers, Paul & Kate

Kinshasa Visit
 

Hi Paul & Kate,
how are you getting on with the visas? Officialdom here recently seems to have moved the goalposts on visas, so hope that is not making things more difficult.

A couple of lads took the Kinkala/Boko ferry route on bikes last year but that was in the dry season. I would say it is worth a go in a Defender. I would similarly not trust the Brazza/kin ferry.

When are you due here? I am around until 24th Apr, then overlanding on two wheels south to Windhoek and back for a month. Do say if you are coming through Kinshasa before that. I have a Defender here and tools to fix most things on them. Can also get spares if required given enough notice.

Ferry Luozi still working?
 

Hi everyone,

I'm brand new on this forum and very thankfull for all the helpfull info written down here!
I'm in Kinshasa after crossing DRC on a motorbike and trying to get a good deal for crossing the border towards brazzaville.

got the first offer to cross with a canoe-rapide (ngobila beach) for the bike and 2 passangers today and it was $150!! (started at $250...)
The barge wouldn't take passengers, only cargo. And from the harbours behind the central station no boats seem to cross often to brazzaville.

I would prefer the Luozi ferry crossing but can anyone confirm that the ferry is still running?

Cheers Martijn

Hi Martijn,
this is always a tricky crossing but if you have found someone who will do it for $150 in Kinshasa then you are doing well. If you head downstream towards Matadi you may find a cheaper option but difficult to confirm what is running day to day.

If you go all the way to Matadi (200 miles), there is a bridge across the river.

What route did you take across DRC?

Hi Ian,

I added a map of the road we took (yes still on a paper map).

I found $150 quite some money to cross so we decided to give the road through Luozi a change. The ferry seems to be very well maintained and the prices for the ferry are on an "official" looking sign in front of the crossing (we paid Fc 1000,-). everyone with a car or bike paid (not only us) so it seems to be official.
The road between Kimpese and Luozi is quite ok to drive. A lot of construction is on-going on 2 bridges and parts of the road had some grading done not too long ago.Still very deep trenches from the rain on other parts.
I think the worst part was the part through no-man's-land between the 2 border posts.
The DRC route was Uganda-Beni-Kisangani-Kinshasa.

Hi Primusbeer! I'm happy to hear that you was be able to do this route on motorcycle recently, because we wana do the same in next few days. Just few quick questions:
* where you was stamped out for DRC and stamped in for Congo? (and how was the border crossing?)
* last benzin before offroad part?

Hi Igham,

I've been off the internet for a while so hopefully the info is still usefull for you.
My bike is very fuel efficient and i only took fuel in Kinshasa and after that in Kinkala again. But you should be able to buy the fuel from the guys selling it next to the road in the plastic bottles. It's probably more easy on the DRC side since there are more villages and i've seen more signs for petrol. Once on the tarmac in Congo-B Fuel is fairly easy to find.
The stamping out of congo was in Ndalatando at S4 52.761' E14 22.665'. no hassle. After that through the barrier (the DGM guys will direct you) where no one is present (not even a small hut).
The drive through no-mans-land was slow going for us because of the deep guts cutted out by the rain. Took us around 50 minutes.
The Congo-B borderpost is at Tombo, S4 51.834' E14 25.617'. Only the border guard was present but had no stamp for the passports or carnet. We were directed to the next immigration office in a place of which i forgot the name, at S4 33.632' E14 40.492. A little bit less than 3 hours drive over gravel with some trenches cut out by the rain. The immigration officer was still there and with the help of an oil lamp the passports where stamp without any problem. He was very friendly and also gave some directions for a place to stay the night.
Good luck and let us know how your trip went.