rep. of congo

area
population
capital
head of state
official language
currency
exchange rate

(source: lonely planet)

342,000 sq km
2.9 million
brazzaville
denis sassou-ngessou
french
west african cfa
check out oanda.com
for current exchange rates

this information comes from a visit to the country in september - october 2002. things might have changed since then. these are my personal impressions and it's well possible that other travellers will not share my views.

from yaounde, cameroon: a 60 day multiple entry tourist visa costs cfa 45'000 (30'000 for 30 days) and will be issued within 24 hours (two photos).

getting in and out

from sokambo, cameroon - pokola, congo:
it could be difficult to get to that border during the rainy season. there are rain barriers that will not let you pass if the 'road'-contiditon are too bad. at sokambo the cameroonian official are ok. from here you can take a pirogue (dug-out canoe) to ouesso which can even carry a motorbike. or you take the ferry across the river (cfa 5'000/bike and 10'000 for a car).
the congolese officers are a pain in the ass. they might search all your luggage and they love money! expect to pay around cfa 10'000 at the border crossing. 50 km towards pokola there is a checkpoint where the police and immigration will expect another couple of thousand cfa, i got away with paying 5'000.
in pokola you'll have to register with the police, that immigration and the gendarmerie. here i only had to pay the immigraion (5'000) and they stamped my passport once more.

from brazzaville to kinshasa by (ferry): ferries leave about 2 times a day (there are also pirogues but they might leave you in a place where there is no immigration service.

the ferry costs cfa 6'500 per person. it costs between 6'000 - 10'000 for a motorbike (driver included). the prices for a car are about cfa 25'000 (including one passenger). the ride takes about 20 minutes.

places to stay

in pokola :the auberge du port has cheap rooms for cfa 2'500. they serve delicious food and are really friendly.

in brazzaville go to the guesthouse of the catholic mission, behind the cathedral 'sacre coer'. clean, spacey rooms cost cfa 5'500. there are shared toilets and showers. food is a bit overpriced but the people are very friendly

other

the river boat from pokola to brazzaville: its better to get a boat from pokola than from ouesso. boats leave it irregular intervals, about 3 times a month.
the boat costs cfa 12'500/person, cfa 54'000/motorbike and cfa 151'000 for a landcruiser
the CIB (logging company) was very helpful and we could use the crane to place the car/bike on the boat, free of charge (!)
if you can't sleep in your car bring a tent. there in no accomadation on board.
bring a stove and enough food. some people are selling food on board but prices are high. the boat stops two times in villages where you can buy fresh food.
the trip will take 6-9 days in the rainy season. but it might take much longer when the water level is low.
there are two checkpoints between pokola and brazzaville where you might be expected to pay cfa 2000 for registration.
in brazzaville porters can carry a motorbike off the boat for about cfa 3'000 - 5'000. to use the crane is expensive with official prices at cfa 23'000 / ton plus about 50% tax. we managed to get a three ton landcruiser off the boat for a total of cfa 45'000 (but don't count on such good luck!)
police and other bloodsuckers will ask for registration money. alltogether expect to pay cfa 3'000 - 4'000.