Best things to do in Kinshasa
Find out more about those top places in Kinshasa
Kinshasa is the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital and largest city with over 11 million people. The located right beside the River Congo it is the third largest city in Africa just behind Lagos and Cairo. Initially name Leopoldville honoring King Leopold II it covers an area of 9,965 square kilometers.
Kinshasa with its mainly tropical climate has become a top tourist destination over the years with the Government working relentlessly to expose its beauty to the rest of the world. It has famous sites like Lola Ya Bonobo and Petites Chutes de la Lukaya, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s is certainly worth a visit.
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Petites Chutes de la Lukaya
Petites Chutes de la Lukaya which translates to the “small falls of the Lukaya River” are group of small waterfalls located south of Kishana along the River Lukaya. The waterfalls are just about 3.3 ft (1.01 m) high and empty into a small lake at the base. Around the Petites Chutes de la Lukaya there are restaurants and bars for a drink or a meal.
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Lola Ya Bonobo
Set up to protect bonobos from being killed for meat by hunters, the park is the only sanctuary in the world dedicated to Bonobos. It was founded by Claudine Andre in 1994 the president of the organization called Friends of Animals in the Congo. The park which is now located close to Petites Chutes de la Lukaya is about 30 hectares wide and home to about 60 bonobos, although the bonobos are still in captive the Lola Ya Bonobo is similar to their normal habitat and keeps them safe from poachers.
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Congo River
Formerly called the Zaire River, the Congo River is the 9th longest river in the world and the 2nd longest in Africa just behind the Nile. With depths of over 720ft (0.22 km) it is the deepest in the World, as well as the largest by discharge behind the Amazon River. It is very symbolic to the nation, it a major source of food (fish) and hydro-electric power which scientist say can provide the solution to Sub –Sahara electricity problems.
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La Cathèdrale de Kisantu
Located in the Ecclesiastical province in Kisantu, the cathedral was established as a diocese on 10 November 1959. It is a sacred religious center for citizens of Democratic Republic of Congo, built by missionaries when the country was still a Belgian colony. It has a blend of African indigenous and European neo-Gothic style, the La Cathèdrale de Kisantu remains the largest church in the country.
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Laurent Kabila’s Monument
The monument set up honoring Laurent Désiré Kabila by his son and then president Joseph Kabila. The monument features a 25-foot tall statue of Laurent Kabila, the former President of Democratic Republic of Congo who served from May 17,1997, but he was later assassinated by his personal bodyguard. The Statue designed by North Korean company Mansudae Overseas Project is Kabila with his index finger raise to the sky and the other holding a book. Behind the statue is a mausoleum which is also part of monument.
