MANIKA RESERVE

This is the project dear to the heart of Willem Boulanger, a Belgian octogenarian who became a Congolese state dignitary and has been living in Kolwezi for nearly 60 years: to develop a 16,000-hectare wildlife reserve 11 kilometers from the city in order to repopulate these wild plains with their original animals. The development is completed (fences, dam, lodges ...), the first animals arrived in August 2022 and already visits are organized. If only for the wild beauty of these savannah landscapes as far as the eye can see, where it is possible to bivouac. Nearly 800 animals from neighboring countries are expected to join the Manika: zebras, buffaloes, antelopes, monkeys, jackals, wildebeests, warthogs, leopards... The idea is to offer a combined tour with other sites of interest in the region, in addition to providing an educational component for the children of Lualaba. Many projects are conceivable in such a site and close to the city of Kolwezi. Willem Boulanger, despite his age and many setbacks since his debut in the park (such as the fire of a brand new lodge), is as enthusiastic as imaginative. The further development of his park will still require a lot of investments and therefore also solid partnerships. He is considering hot air balloon flights over the reserve, a terrace on stilts in the middle of the pond, night tours, etc. Nothing but beautiful initiatives of scale in evolution brought to boost the tourist potential of the city and the province.