Travel to Kisangani

and Kinshasa which take about 2-3 weeks. Most of these are old barges tied together and crowded with people riding atop cargo, although a few steamer vessels run this route too. Overcrowded ferries are common and there have been a few instances of them capsizing, so choose carefully. If you are lucky, you can negotiate with the captain for a private room (literally) or a bedroom. Many of these ferries are supplied with food from people who bring boats from shore full of goods to trade/barter. A unique and classic trip, it's only for the hearty, experienced traveller (although still preferable to traveling overland).

Overland

Kisangani is difficult to reach by road. The only relatively "easy" route into the city is the newly rehabilitated National Route 4 which runs to Bukavu and the Rwandan border. Much of the road is sealed, but slow-moving trucks and pedestrians & people on bikes keep the speed of vehicles down. You should expect to encounter a handful of military/police checkpoints where you will likely be harassed for a bribe. The route isn't terribly safe, with frequent reports of bandits setting up roadblocks and robbing motorists. Additionally, safety in North/South Kivu is still shaky. You are best off traveling with a trucker or other local vehicle. If traveling in your own vehicle (especially a non-DRC vehicle), try to travel with a local or convoy for safety and to avoid excessive harassment at checkpoints.

Other roads in/out of the city are mostly muddy tracks only suitable for large 4x4 or 6x6 trucks. Travel from other major cities in the DRC can take weeks and isn't a very pleasant experience!

Rail

A train line runs south to Ubundu, mainly to haul freight traveling by boat around the