SOURCE OF THE RIVER CONGO

The Congo River rises in Katanga, at an altitude of 1,740 meters, on a marshy plateau near the village of Mufosi, close to the Zambian border. Access is via the Kilela Balanda track. The sources of the Congo River are made up of several small rivers, one of which, the Lualaba, is considered the official source discovered on September 14, 1892 by the Bia, Francqui and Cornet expedition. It is from this modest river that the Congo River is formed by the accumulation of water in a basin covering 3,691,167 km². Beyond the thrill of being at the source of such an extraordinary river, the reality of the place is a simple sheet of clear water in a calm, shady spot. The interest of this place is above all symbolic. Before visiting the spring, the village chief performs a ceremony in the name of the ancestors. The visitor must first beg the ancestors for mercy before being allowed to approach the spring. The visitor is then invited to throw some money into the water and make a wish. Each visit is accompanied by a cheerful village escort. Clearly a place to be exploited from an ecotourism perspective, involving the local population. But access by road is difficult, and it would be interesting to organize accommodation to enable visitors to take part in other activities in the village and stay overnight. It is possible to stop off at the Catholic mission in Kilela Balanda.