Mossaka is above all a river crossroads. The Sangha, which carries boats loaded with timber from Ouesso, the Central African Republic and Cameroon, flows into the Congo River here. There's also the Likouala, which waters Owando, and the Likouala-aux-Herbes, which irrigates the swamps of the great forest. Here you'll come across convoys of driftwood that will be redistributed to their final destination, and pirogue traders, mostly from the surrounding villages and Congo-Kinshasa, who have come to sell their wares. West Africans are well established in this hub, and their stalls liven up the market near the port. The city has been built and continues to nibble away at its river, dredging and terracing to prevent catastrophic floods like the one in 1982 that literally drowned it. The town, which clings to the river and is sometimes referred to as the "Venice of the North", produces much of the moukalou smoked fish that the Congolese love so much. Mossaka is the essence of river Congo, a landlocked city accessible only by water, with no roads but sandy tracks, and even fewer airfields. To leave the town, surrounded by swamps, you'll need to take a pirogue back to Oyo, or travel up the Likouala-Mossaka and then the Kouyou River, which will take you to Owando in two days. From the port, pirogues, often manned by women, can be seen going back and forth between their villages and the landing stage until nightfall, while larger ones carry goods and passengers to otherwise inaccessible localities. Stalls selling smoked and grilled fish can be found around the market near the port. No restaurants as such, but you can always order in the afternoon for the evening in the plots where moms work around large aluminum bowls. There are no street lights, so we pass each other by the light of torches and kerosene lamps. In the evening, the generators of the market stores, a few nganda, young people drinking whisky pods and an overhead projector set up in the street in the center of town, around which the population gathers on match nights, are the essence of the city's nightlife. Mossaka's charm lies in the fact that it's a town on the edge of a river. However, thanks to the decentralization policy, many new buildings have sprung up in recent years: a new market, a new town hall, a new sub-prefecture, a new stadium...

What to visit Mossaka?

Weather at the moment

Loading...
Organize your trip with our partners Mossaka
Transportation
Accommodation & stays
Services / On site

Find unique Stay Offers with our Partners

Pictures and images Mossaka

Remontée du fleuve Congo vers Mossaka. Stéphane DAMANT

Other destinations nearby Mossaka

Send a reply