Tourist Places to Visit in Basankusu, Congo, Central Africa, Africa

Tourist Places to Visit in Basankusu, Congo, Central Africa, Africa

Basankusu is a town situated in the Équateur Province of the Central African country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is the seat of the Basankusu Territory, lying on the Lulonga River between 1°13′20″ N latitude and 19°48′10″ E longitude. Basankusu is located at an altitude of 371 meters, around 1200 km from the national capital, Kinshasa. Basankusu experiences a tropical rainforest climate with relatively humid weather year round.

History of Basankusu:

The history of Basankusu revolves round its title of trading post, which was notably initiated by the Abir Congo Company from the today’s DRC’s capital Kinshasa (previously Leopoldville) along the Congo River. The European colonization began in Basankusu probably by the end of 19^th century and ended with the country’s liberty in 1960.

How to reach Basankusu?

Basankusu is home to an airport with scheduled flight services from Kinshasa, served by Air Kasai. The airport is located within the town premise, can be reached by walk or rental vehicle.

Road connectivity from Basankusu to the rest of DRC is not in good condition, so visitors should take care of themselves. Visitors are also advised to bring a guided tour or a person familiar with the area to reach and explore the city easily.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Basankusu:

The Mongo people are the predominant ethnic community in Basankusu. Basankusu is well known for the production of Cassava, which is used to prepare a variety of dishes in Basankusu, including kwanga. Other famous dishes among people in Basankusu are Moambe, Mulenda, Pili pili, Loso na madesu and Fufu.

Basankusu Market is a perfect place to have the real experience of DRC shopping. There are also some modern shops in Basankusu but number is less.

Things to do in Basankusu:

Visiting port
Walking
Shopping at Basankusu traditional market

Tourist Attractions in Basankusu:

Bailey Bridge:

Bailey Bridge is a type of bridge constructed in Basankusu to connect it to outer world. Although the bridge is not strong enough, its distinct construction, location and surrounding scenery, makes it is one of the places of interest in Basankusu.

Lulonga River:

The Lulonga River originates at the town of Basankusu and flows around 200 km long before merging into the Congo River at the Lulonga town. In Basankusu, Lulonga River is a famous as a great sightseeing spot and a place to enjoy different water sports including swimming, boat riding and fishing.

Basankusu Market:

The Basankusu Market is a genuine DR Congolese market with a wide range of local specialties like cassava (staple food), artworks, leather bags, clothes and handicraft products. All are affordable and attractive but no plastic money is taken there.

Basankusu Airport:

The Basankusu Airport is one of the landmark sites of Basankusu, situated around 370 meters above sea level. The airport is small in size but its nice surroundings are big treat for visitors’ eyes.

List of other places of interest near Basankusu include:

Mount Nyiragongo
Virunga National Park
Okapi Wildlife Reserve
Garamba National Park
Boyoma Falls
Salonga National Park
Maiko National Park
Jardin d’Eden
Petites Chutes de la Lukaya
Lukaya River
Congo River
Lake Kivu
Livingstone Falls
Lola ya Bonobo
Kahuzi-Biéga National Park

Best time to visit Basankusu:

The best and most popular time to visit Basankusu is from June to September when the town comparatively receives less rainfall.

Hotels in and around Basankusu:

There is no such recommendable lodging facility in Basankusu but visitors can hardly find some traditional options. The below list includes tourist favor hotels in the capital Kinshasa (around 1200 km from Basankusu):