Plan Your Trip

Visa & entry

Most nationalities require a visa to enter the DRC. The most reliable route for leisure travellers is an e-Visa via the official DRC immigration portal, applied for at least 10 business days before travel — we recommend allowing three weeks during busy periods. A limited visa-on-arrival exists at some airports for specific nationalities and business travellers, but we strongly advise against relying on it; apply in advance.

You'll need: a passport valid for 6+ months, a passport photo, your yellow fever certificate (see below), and a hotel/host invitation letter — we provide this letter free of charge for anyone booking a tour with us. Mining-sector expats already on a DRC work/residence permit do not need a separate tourist visa for weekend trips within the country.

Getting to Kolwezi

Kolwezi's airport (KWZ) receives domestic flights, most reliably from Lubumbashi (FBM), which is the main regional hub. Lubumbashi itself connects internationally via:

Route	Typical connection	Approx. flight time
Johannesburg (JNB) → Lubumbashi	Direct, several times weekly	~2h30
Addis Ababa (ADD) → Lubumbashi	Direct via Ethiopian Airlines	~4h
Lubumbashi → Kolwezi	Domestic carriers, near-daily	~45 min

Many Europe/US travellers route via Addis Ababa or Johannesburg. If your schedule doesn't align with a same-day Kolwezi connection, an overnight in Lubumbashi is a great opportunity to add our Lumumba Memorial & city heritage tour. We can arrange airport transfers on both ends — just tell us your flight numbers when you book.

Health & vaccinations

Yellow fever vaccination is mandatory — you must carry your International Certificate of Vaccination (the "yellow card") to enter the DRC and it is checked on arrival. Get vaccinated at least 10 days before travel.

We also recommend, in consultation with a travel health clinic: routine vaccinations up to date, hepatitis A and typhoid, and malaria prophylaxis (this is a malaria-risk region year-round — bring repellent and consider a bed net for village homestays, which we can also provide). Tap water is not potable; bottled and filtered water is provided throughout all our tours.

Safety information — an honest picture

We'd rather be straightforward with you than sell you a fantasy. The DRC includes regions, mainly in the east, that see real instability, and government travel advisories reflect that. Lualaba Province, where Kolwezi sits, is in the southern Copperbelt and is a different picture — it is the industrial and economic heart of the country's mining sector, home to a large resident international workforce, and sees a level of stability and infrastructure investment that much of the country doesn't.

That said, sensible precautions apply as they would in any developing-world urban centre: use vetted transport (all of ours is), avoid displaying valuables, keep to arranged itineraries after dark, and register with your embassy if travelling independently. We monitor local conditions daily and will always be direct with you if something changes before your trip. If you have specific concerns, ask us directly — we'd rather answer honestly than lose your trust.

Best time to visit

What to pack

Money — USD and CDF

The DRC's official currency is the Congolese Franc (CDF), but the US dollar is widely accepted and preferred for tour payments, hotels and larger purchases in Kolwezi. Congolese francs are more practical for markets, small vendors and tipping.

• Bring US dollars in 2013-series or newer bills — older or damaged notes are frequently refused.
• $50 and $100 bills get the best exchange rates; small bills are useful for tips and markets.
• ATMs in Kolwezi are limited and unreliable for foreign cards — don't count on them. We accept mobile money, bank transfer, and cash for tour payments.
• Card payment is not widely available outside a few hotels — carry sufficient cash for your trip.