Republic of Congo

The small, welcoming, and peaceful Republic of the Congo, which lies hundreds of miles west of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (a separate country that you may recognize from news headlines). Straddling the Equator in Central Africa and bordered by Gabon and Cameroon, the ROC is more than 60% forest. Brazzaville, the charming capital, is a walkable city of colorful markets, French Colonial architecture, and picturesque restaurants along the banks of the Congo River.A visit to the Congo Basin is a transformational journey into one of the wildest, most isolated, most remote places on the planet. A rainforest second in size only to the Amazon, the Congo is home to more than 400 species of mammals — including the critically endangered Western Lowland Gorilla — 1000 bird species, 10000 plant species… and scarcely any outside visitors.To visit the Republic of the Congo is to immerse yourself in its fertile tapestry of jungle, swamp, savanna, rivers, and the mineral-rich clearings called baïs. You will witness the stunning biodiversity of the world’s second largest rainforest: Gorillas and monkeys swinging high in the trees. Elephants and buffalos grazing in the marshes. A kaleidoscope of birds and butterflies. To experience the Congo is to deepen your understanding of the natural world and how it is all connected.