Holiday in Kinshasa

About Kinshasa

Kinshasa is the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and, with over 16 million inhabitants, the largest city in Africa south of the Sahara — and at the same time one of the least visited capitals in the world. Those who immerse themselves in this immense, chaotic, loud, and deeply vibrant metropolis on the Congo River experience an Africa that is not found in any travel catalog: raw, unrefined, and infused with a cultural energy that is unparalleled. The city stretches over 30 kilometers along the southern bank of the Congo, the most water-rich river in Africa after the Amazon. Directly opposite, just one kilometer across the river, lies Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of the Congo — Kinshasa and Brazzaville are the only capitals in the world that face each other directly. The Boulevard du 30 Juin, Kinshasa's main artery, pulses from dawn until deep into the night: markets, street kitchens, music from every corner, and the incomparable joy of life of the Kinois, as the residents call themselves. Culturally, Kinshasa is a superpower: The city is the birthplace of Rumba Congolaise and Soukous — music styles that have influenced all of Africa and beyond. Legends like Franco Luambo, Papa Wemba, and Koffi Olomide have made history here, and the live music scene in clubs like Chez Ntemba or the legendary Matonge district is still captivating today. The Académie des Beaux-Arts is one of the most significant art academies in Africa, and the vibrant art scene of the city produces painters, sculptors, and performance artists of international stature. Outside the center, Lola Ya Bonobo — the only bonobo sanctuary in the world — offers the chance to observe these fascinating great apes, which are only found in the Congo, in a semi-wild environment. The bonobos, genetically our closest relatives next to chimpanzees, live here in a forested facility that combines conservation, research, and gentle tourism.