Republic of the Congo · Local picks
100+ Places to Visit in Republic of the Congo
These are the places worth your time in the Republic of the Congo, from Brazzaville's rumba bars and painting school to the Côte Sauvage of Pointe-Noire and the gorilla forests of the north. Classics sit beside quiet corners few travellers ever see, so every kind of visitor finds something to love.
Places to Visit in Brazzaville
Arts and Culture
- Basilique Sainte-Anne du Congo (Poto-Poto)
A striking green-tiled basilica from the 1940s, the most photographed building in the city. - Mémorial Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza (Plateau, Centre-ville)
A marble memorial and museum to the city's founder, with river views from the terrace. - Cathédrale du Sacré-Cœur de Brazzaville (Centre-ville)
One of the oldest churches in Central Africa, quiet and cool inside. - Mausolée Marien Ngouabi (Centre-ville)
A monumental tomb to a former president that shows how the country tells its own history. - Ecole de Peinture de Poto-Poto (Poto-Poto)
The famous painting school founded in 1951, where you can watch artists at work and buy direct. - Institut Français du Congo (Centre-ville)
Concerts, films, exhibitions and a café, the busiest cultural calendar in town. - Les Ateliers Sahm (Bacongo)
An independent contemporary art centre with residencies, exhibitions and young Congolese artists. - Case De Gaulle (Bacongo)
The villa where de Gaulle stayed during the Second World War, seen from the riverside road. - Live rumba at weekend bars (Citywide)
Congolese rumba, now on the UNESCO intangible heritage list, played live.
Nature and Outdoors
- Les Rapides du Congo (Djoué, Makélékélé)
Watch the Congo River thunder over rapids on the city's southern edge, a classic sunset outing. - Forêt de la Patte d'Oie (Centre-ville)
A patch of protected urban forest, shady and green in the middle of the city. - Chutes de la Loufoulakari (Pool department)
Powerful waterfalls south of the city; check current travel advice before going. - Sunset at the Corniche (Corniche)
The best free show in town as the sun drops behind Kinshasa.
Things to Do
- Corniche de Brazzaville (Centre-ville)
A riverside promenade with views across the water to the Kinshasa skyline. - Sapeurs of Bacongo (Bacongo)
Weekend afternoons bring out the elegantly dressed sapeurs, a living Brazzaville fashion culture. - Stade Alphonse Massamba-Débat (Centre-ville)
Catch a football match with passionate local fans in the national stadium. - Pont du 15 Août 1960 (Corniche)
The cable-stayed bridge on the Corniche, lit up at night and a favourite photo stop. - Tour Nabemba (Centre-ville)
The tallest building in the country, a modernist landmark best admired from the Corniche. - Kintélé and the Cité des Jeux (Kintélé)
The new northern suburb built for the African Games, with a vast sports complex. - Walk across Poto-Poto (Poto-Poto)
A neighbourhood walk past churches, markets and painting workshops.
Shopping and Markets
- Marché Total (Bacongo)
The biggest market in the city, a maze of fabric, spices, smoked fish and everyday life. - Marché de Poto-Poto (Poto-Poto)
A lively neighbourhood market for wax-print fabric, cassava and street snacks. - Marché Plateau des 15 ans (Moungali)
A busy local market where residents shop for fresh produce and household goods. - Park'n'Shop Brazzaville (Centre-ville)
A well-stocked supermarket for snacks, water and familiar brands before a road trip. - Wax-print tailors of Poto-Poto (Poto-Poto)
Choose fabric and have an outfit made in a few days.
Restaurants
- Mami Wata (Corniche)
A riverside terrace restaurant with grilled fish and sunset views over the Congo River. - Restaurant Hippocampe (Centre-ville)
A long-running Vietnamese and French kitchen, a favourite with residents for years. - Grilled fish maquis of Poto-Poto (Poto-Poto)
Simple open-air spots serving grilled fish, plantain and chikwangue late into the evening. - Ngandas of Bacongo (Bacongo)
Family-run eateries serving saka-saka, moambé chicken and cold beer. - Radisson Blu M'Bamou Palace restaurant (Corniche)
Polished international dining with river views, a calm choice for a special evening. - Street brochette stalls of Moungali (Moungali)
Skewers of beef and goat grilled at dusk, a favourite snack.
Cafés
- La Mandarine (Centre-ville)
A popular bakery and café for croissants, coffee and light lunches.
Bars and Nightlife
- Rumba bars of Avenue de la Paix (Poto-Poto)
Live rumba and ndombolo spill out of bars along this lively avenue at weekends. - Radisson Blu M'Bamou Palace rooftop (Corniche)
Cocktails high above the river with the lights of Kinshasa across the water. - Bars of Bacongo (Bacongo)
Neighbourhood bars where sapeurs, music and Ngok beer meet on Saturday nights.
Events
- FESPAM, Festival Panafricain de Musique (Citywide)
A pan-African music festival held in Brazzaville, usually every two years in July. - Independence Day, 15 August (Citywide)
Parades, flags and family celebrations across the city.
Stays
- Radisson Blu M'Bamou Palace Hotel (Corniche)
A large modern hotel on the river with a pool and good security. - Pefaco Hotel Maya-Maya (Near Maya-Maya Airport)
A comfortable business hotel close to the airport, handy for early flights. - Hôtel Olympic Palace (Centre-ville)
A central hotel with a pool, popular with visiting families and business travellers. - Mikhael's Hotel (Centre-ville)
A stylish smaller hotel with a good restaurant in the heart of the city. - Hôtel Hippocampe (Centre-ville)
Simple, friendly rooms above one of the city's favourite restaurants.
Places to Visit in Pointe-Noire
Nature and Outdoors
- Côte Sauvage (Seafront)
The wild Atlantic beach where locals stroll, play football and watch the sunset. - Gorges de Diosso (Diosso)
A dramatic red and ochre canyon of eroded cliffs above the forest. - Plage de la Côte Mondaine (Côte Mondaine)
The city's calmer beach, lined with bars and restaurants. - Pointe-Indienne (North of the city)
A quieter stretch of sand and fishing villages north of the port. - Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Centre (Tchimpounga)
The Jane Goodall Institute's sanctuary for orphaned chimpanzees; ask about visits in advance. - Baie de Loango (Loango)
A wide curving bay with fishing boats and a deep sense of history. - Mayombe forest (Mayombe)
Forested hills inland from the coast, best seen on the road or rail to Dolisie.
Arts and Culture
- Musée Ma-Loango (Diosso)
The former royal palace of the Loango kingdom, now a museum of its history. - Loango slave port memorial (Loango)
A sobering memorial at the old port where enslaved Africans were shipped across the Atlantic. - Gare de Pointe-Noire (Centre-ville)
The elegant colonial railway station at the end of the Congo-Océan line. - Institut Français du Congo, Pointe-Noire (Centre-ville)
Films, concerts and exhibitions in the coast's main cultural venue. - Slave Route walk at Loango (Loango)
Follow the trail of the old slave route to the shore.
Shopping and Markets
- Grand Marché de Pointe-Noire (Centre-ville)
The city's main market for fabric, fish, fruit and everyday bargains. - Marché de Tié-Tié (Tié-Tié)
A big, busy local market in one of the city's liveliest districts.
Restaurants
- Grilled fish stalls of the Côte Sauvage (Seafront)
Fish straight off the boats, grilled and served with chili and plantain. - Beach restaurants of the Côte Mondaine (Côte Mondaine)
Sand under your feet and seafood at sunset. - Maquis of Tié-Tié (Tié-Tié)
Neighbourhood grills serving brochettes and maboké late into the night. - Atlantic Palace restaurant (Centre-ville)
A reliable hotel restaurant with seafood and international dishes.
Bars and Nightlife
- Bars of the Côte Mondaine (Côte Mondaine)
Beach bars with music and cold drinks, busy at weekends.
Stays
- Hôtel Atlantic Palace (Centre-ville)
A long-established hotel near the seafront, popular with business travellers. - Hôtel Elais (Centre-ville)
A classic colonial-era hotel with a pool and garden by the sea. - Hôtel Mbou-Mvoumvou (Centre-ville)
A large central hotel with a pool and easy access to the market.
Things to Do
- Port de pêche of Pointe-Noire (Port)
Watch the colourful fishing pirogues land their catch in the morning. - Football on the beach at the Côte Sauvage (Seafront)
Join or watch the evening football games on the sand.
Cafés
- Coffee and beignets street stalls (Centre-ville)
Morning beignets with sweet coffee, the classic local breakfast.
Places to Visit in Odzala-Kokoua National Park
Stays
- Ngaga Camp (Western Odzala)
A rainforest camp built for tracking habituated western lowland gorillas. - Lango Camp (Central Odzala)
A camp overlooking the Lango bai, where elephants and buffalo come to drink. - Mboko Camp (Mboko)
Riverside tented camp on the savanna edge, the gateway to the park.
Nature and Outdoors
- Gorilla tracking at Ngaga (Ngaga)
A guided walk to sit quietly with a habituated gorilla family. - Lango Bai (Central Odzala)
A forest clearing where you wade through streams to watch wildlife. - Lekoli River boat trip (Lekoli River)
Gliding along the river past monkeys, kingfishers and forest elephants. - Forest elephant walks (Mboko)
Guided walks into the forest in search of elusive forest elephants. - Night drives at Mboko (Mboko)
Guided night drives to look for nocturnal wildlife on the savanna.
Arts and Culture
- Mbomo village (Mbomo)
The village at the park entrance, home to local communities and park staff.
Things to Do
- Odzala park headquarters (Mbomo)
The African Parks base for the park, where many trips are organised.
Places to Visit in Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park
Nature and Outdoors
- Mbeli Bai (Southwest of Bomassa)
A famous swampy clearing where researchers watch gorillas and elephants. - Sangha River boat journey (Sangha River)
River travel through some of the wildest forest left in Africa. - Sangha Trinational heritage site (Tri-border area)
A UNESCO World Heritage forest shared with Cameroon and the Central African Republic.
Things to Do
Places to Visit in Conkouati-Douli National Park
Nature and Outdoors
- Conkouati lagoon (Conkouati)
A wide lagoon fringed by mangroves and forest near the Atlantic. - HELP Congo chimpanzee islands (Conkouati-Douli)
A long-running project returning orphaned chimpanzees to the wild. - Turtle nesting beaches (Atlantic coast)
Leatherback and olive ridley turtles nest on these beaches in season. - Mangroves of Conkouati (Conkouati)
Dense mangrove channels rich in birdlife.
Places to Visit in Lesio-Louna Reserve
Nature and Outdoors
- Lac Bleu (Lesio-Louna)
A clear blue lake in the reserve where you can watch gorillas on river islands. - Lesio-Louna gorilla islands (Lesio-Louna)
Orphaned gorillas being prepared for life in the wild, seen from a boat. - Batéké Plateaux (Plateaux department)
Rolling grassland hills with huge skies, a striking contrast to the forest. - Louna River (Lesio-Louna)
A gentle river that winds through gallery forest.
Places to Visit in Dolisie
Things to Do
- Dolisie town centre (Dolisie)
The country's third city, a crossroads in the green Niari valley.
Shopping and Markets
- Marché de Dolisie (Dolisie)
A busy market full of produce from the Niari farms.
Nature and Outdoors
- Niari valley (Niari)
Green farmland and hills inland from the Mayombe.
More to Explore
We are still checking these with fresh sources, so confirm opening times before you go.
- Marché de Ouenzé (Ouenzé, Brazzaville)
A northern district market with few visitors and plenty of local colour. - Artisan stalls near the Ecole de Peinture (Poto-Poto, Brazzaville)
Carvings, paintings and masks sold by artists around the painting school. - Île Mbamou (Congo River, Brazzaville)
A large river island reached by pirogue, with fishing villages and slow river life. - Port de Yoro (Mpila, Brazzaville)
A riverside fishing port where pirogues land smoked fish at dawn. - Les Rapides restaurant terraces (Djoué, Brazzaville)
Riverside bars and grills facing the rapids, perfect for a slow lunch. - Café of the Institut Français (Centre-ville, Brazzaville)
A relaxed garden café where artists and students meet between events. - Nightclubs of Moungali (Moungali, Brazzaville)
Dance floors playing Congolese hits until late. - Mantsina sur Scène (Citywide, Brazzaville)
A December theatre and performing arts festival with shows across the capital. - Hôtel Saphir (Centre-ville, Brazzaville)
A mid-range city hotel within reach of the Corniche. - Congo River pirogue trip (Corniche, Brazzaville)
Short boat trips on the river give a new view of both capitals; go with a reputable operator. - Musée national du Congo (Centre-ville, Brazzaville)
A small museum of masks, statues and everyday objects from across the country. - Casino supermarket Pointe-Noire (Centre-ville, Pointe-Noire)
A large supermarket for picnic supplies before a beach day. - Lac Nanga (Outskirts, Pointe-Noire)
A quiet lake popular for weekend picnics with local families. - Cathédrale Saint-Pierre Apôtre (Centre-ville, Pointe-Noire)
The city's main cathedral, busy and joyful on Sunday mornings. - Bakeries of Avenue Charles de Gaulle (Centre-ville, Pointe-Noire)
French-style bakeries for coffee and pastries before a morning walk. - Nightlife of Tié-Tié (Tié-Tié, Pointe-Noire)
Bars and dance floors where rumba and coupé-décalé play until late. - Guesthouses of Loango (Loango, Pointe-Noire)
Simple stays near the historic bay for a slower pace. - Festival N'Sangu Ndji-Ndji (Citywide, Pointe-Noire)
A Pointe-Noire festival of theatre, dance and storytelling. - Congo-Océan railway to Dolisie (Gare de Pointe-Noire, Pointe-Noire)
A slow train ride through the Mayombe forest for the adventurous. - Sunset walk on Avenue de Loango (Seafront, Pointe-Noire)
An easy evening stroll as the city cools down by the ocean. - Djéké Triangle (Nouabalé-Ndoki, Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park)
Forest where gorillas have been habituated for tourism and research. - Goualougo Triangle (Nouabalé-Ndoki, Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park)
Pristine forest known for chimpanzee research; access is restricted. - Marché de Ouesso (Ouesso, Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park)
A river town market with smoked fish and forest produce. - Conkouati boat trip (Lagoon, Conkouati-Douli National Park)
A guided boat trip in search of birds, monkeys and forest elephants. - Nzambi village (Northern Kouilou, Conkouati-Douli National Park)
A coastal village near the park with quiet beaches. - Iboubikro base camp (Lesio-Louna, Lesio-Louna Reserve)
The reserve's base where visits are organised. - Léfini Reserve (Plateaux department, Lesio-Louna Reserve)
Wild riverine forest and savanna beyond Lesio-Louna. - Road trip through Ngabé country (Plateaux, Lesio-Louna Reserve)
Villages and savanna on the drive north from Brazzaville. - Jardin zoologique de Brazzaville (Centre-ville, Brazzaville)
The small city zoo, a simple outing for children. - Woodcarvers of Loango (Loango, Pointe-Noire)
Carvers selling local work near the historic bay.