Congo Main attractions


Credit: wikipedia


Inga Falls is a rapids 40 km from Matadi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where the Congo River drops 96 m (315 ft) over the course of 15 km (9 mi).


Inga Falls form a part of a larger group of rapids - Livingstone Falls and are located closer to the lower part of these falls. Falls have formed in a sharp bend of Congo River where the width of river fluctuates from more than 4 km to mere 260 m. At median discharge of 42,476 m³/s (1,500,000 ft³/s) it is arguably the largest waterfall in the world, although Inga Falls is not a true waterfall. Its maximum recorded volume is 70,793 m³/s (2,500,000 ft³/s). Inga falls is also the site of two large hydroelectric dams, named Inga I & II, as well as two projected dams, one of which would be the largest (by power production) in the world.



The Virunga National Park (French: Parc National des Virunga), formerly named Albert National Park, is a 7,800-square-kilometre (3,000 sq mi) National Park that stretches from the Virunga Mountains in the South, to the Rwenzori Mountains in the North, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, bordering Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Rwenzori Mountains National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda.

Credit: wikipedia

The Kahuzi-Biega National Park is a protected area near Bukavutown in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is situated near the western bank of Lake Kivu and the Rwandan border. Established in 1970, the park is named after two dormant volcanoes, Mount Kahuzi and Mount Biega, which are within its limits. With an area of 6,000 square kilometres (2,300 sq mi), Kahuzi-Biega is one of the biggest national parks in the country. Set in both mountainous and lowland terrain, it is one of the last refuges of the rare species of Eastern lowland gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri), an endangered category under the IUCN Red List. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1980 for its unique biodiversity of rainforest habitat and its eastern lowland gorillas.

Credit: world-guides.com

The Kisantu Catholic Cathedral is quite simply a stunning building and without question one of the most beautiful that you are likely to encounter in the country. This enormous landmark is well-proportioned and quite simply enormous. If you are lucky enough to be allowed inside you will discover intricate brickwork forming many elaborate patterns on the walls. These bricks actually originated from a historic brick factory once located within the grounds of the nearby Kisantu Botanical Gardens. It is said that this particular spot was chosen to build the cathedral, since the missionaries favoured the climate and setting, away from the estuary and its mosquitoes.

Credit: world-guides.com

The Zongo Falls are difficult to reach in anything other than a four-wheel drivevehicle. However, visitors who make the effort are sure not to be disappointed. The best time to visit the Falls is the rainy season when they are at their most spectacular. Be sure to bring your camera to capture this natural phenomenon.

0 comments:

Post a Comment