Things to see and do Pointe Noire - Kouilou

The Republic of Congo's coastline is home to year-round populations of leatherback, olive ridley, green and hawksbill sea turtles. Its beaches are ideal for egg-laying by these endangered animals, and some sites offer feeding and nursery areas. The Rénatura Congo association monitors and protects turtles at sea and on land. It has integrated a "responsible tourism" component into its activities, to enable visitors to discover its actions, but also to finance projects aimed at local communities.

One of the particularities of the park is to be one of the largest nesting centres in the world of leatherback and olivâtres turtles. The WCS organizes night trips from 19 h during the nesting period from November to February. Cost: 20 000 FCFA.

A very beautiful canoe exit to the mouth of the lagoon, where it mingle with the ocean, is proposed. Sandy beach and coastal forest after a navigation of about 40 minutes through the lagoon of Conkouati dotted with islands and islets, the banks bordered by mangrove trees. It's memorable and costs CFAF 5 000, which is not too expensive. 

Classified as a biosphere reserve by Unesco in 1988, the Mayombe forest is a veritable green lung for the planet, with its varied and remarkable species of wood. However, it is seriously threatened by the illegal deforestation that goes on there without anyone saying a word, and to a considerable extent by the activities of gold miners. Auberge Vigoureux organizes walks through the reserve, to a lovely waterfall, for example. A breath of fresh air.

This is Pointe-Noire's very first museum, inaugurated at the end of 2018. The Art Deco building, steeped in history, had been abandoned since the late 90s, having housed various circles, a court of justice, a political headquarters, and finally a goods depot. The museum houses a fine collection of masks and statuettes, mainly from the Vili ethnic group, donated by Luca Cosentino, former CEO of oil company Eni Congo. A gallery hosts temporary exhibitions of paintings and photographs. Not to be missed.

Having toured Central Africa for over 15 years and settled in Dimonika over 10 years ago, Jan Limbourg of Auberge Vigoureux knows the country well. In addition to the guided tours he organizes in Dimonika, he offers a variety of multi-day guided tours of all regions of the Congo. For the more adventurous, he organizes treks to the Gabonese border, Cabinda or the Democratic Republic of Congo. Programs are tailor-made to suit travelers' desires and budgets. With Jan, you'll be in very good hands!

Nearly 40 km northeast of Pointe-Noire, the Makota salt glacier is an impressive site that grew out of potash mining by the CPC (Compagnie des Potasses du Congo), abruptly halted in 1977 following a flood caused by groundwater. Although the visit is breathtaking, the glacier is a disaster for the environment, as nothing grows there any more and salt water has invaded the freshwater streams. Today, the village's families make a living from the salt they gather in the traditional way.