DR. CONGO: Mbandaka, If Your Truck Breaks Down, Fixing It May Take Days Or Weeks

Mbandaka, formerly known as Coquilhatville or Coquilhatstad - named after Camille-Aime Coquilhat, is a city on the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of Congo, lying near the confluence of the Congo and Ruki Rivers.

It is the capital of Equateur province.

On 16 May 2018, a case of Ebola occurred in the city, spreading from an outbreak in the countryside.

Mbandaka lies on the east side of the Congo River below the mouth of the Tshuapa River, a tributary of the Congo.

It is south of the Ngiri Reserve on the opposite bank of the Congo, a large area of swamp forest, and is at the center of the Tumba-Ngiri-Maindombe Ramsar wetland.

Mbandaka is the capital of the Equateur province, and located only a few miles from the equator.

It is home to Mbandaka airport and is linked by riverboat to Kinshasa and Boende. The city's population is approximately 729,257 (2004).

Congo Basin is a region in Democratic Republic of the Congo and is made up by the provinces of Equateur, Oriental and Maniema.

Cities near Mbandaka

- Bumba

- Kindu

- Kisangani

- Lisala

- Mbandaka

- Zongo

Parks in Congo Basin

- Garamba National Park

- Maiko National Park

- Okapi Wildlife Reserve

- Salonga National Park

The Congo Basin region composes the majority of the world's second largest jungle after the Amazon.

Because of this, and despite its size, the region is difficult to get around by land, with pirogues and other boats and aircraft the only ways to easily get around.

Most of the region's inhabitants still live in small villages in the jungle, although many have moved to cities like Kisangani, Kindu, Bumba, & Mbandaka.

Mbandaka is largely populated by people of the Mongo ethnic group, although people from many different regions live in the city.

The main languages spoken in Mbandaka are Lingala, French, and Mongo.

Years of war and neglect have taken a heavy toll on the city infrastructure, with no electricity or running water in large sectors of the city. Most of the streets and avenues of the city are dirt roads.

Mbandaka was founded in 1883 by Henry Morton Stanley with the name of Équateurville. The city's town hall is about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north of the Geographic Equator Line.

Mbandaka is one of the closest of any substantial city in the world. Stanley placed a large Equator Stone near the riverbank south of the city to mark the point where he believed the Equator to cross the river.

It still remains there today. Due to its symbolic location close to the equator and the Congo River, there were early plans to locate the capital of the Congo Free State in Mbandaka.

Although plans were made, they never came off the drawing board. These plans included infrastructure for an estimated population of 100,000 people, a train station, a Catholic cathedral, a governor's residence, and a palace for future visits of Leopold II.

In 1886, at the beginning of their colonial rule, the Belgians changed the city's name to Coquilhatville.

During the colonial time in 1938, work was started on a bridge over the Congo River connecting Mbandaka with the French Congo.

Work was abandoned at the outbreak of World War II and only the foundations of the bridge pillars remain.

In the 1930s several other projects were started by the Belgian colonial administration, including several factories and a new city hall.

The city hall was completed only after the war in 1947 and was at that time, with a height of 39 meters, the tallest building in the Belgian Congo.

On top of the city hall was a statue of Leopold II. The city hall was destroyed by a fire in 1963.

In 1966, the city's name was changed, this time by the new independent government, to Mbandaka to honor a prominent local leader.

Hundreds of people mainly Hutu refugees, women, and children in the city were massacred on May 13, 1997 near the end of the First Congo War.

The headquarters of the 4th Naval Region of the Navy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is located in Mbandaka.

On 16 May 2018, a case of Ebola occurred in the city, spreading from an outbreak in the countryside.

A large research center for Central African history, originally set up by Fathers Gustaaf Hulstaert (1900–1990) and Honore Vinck, is at the Catholic Mission station of Bamanya or Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC)), 10 kilometres east of Mbandaka.

One of the finest botanical gardens representing central Africa is at nearby Eala, about 7 km east of the town centre.

The Botanic Garden of Eala founded in 1900 contains the floral richness of Central Africa with between 4,000 and 5,000 species.

It covers approximately 370 hectares with special collections (125 ha), forest (190 ha), marsh (50 ha) and savanna Euobe (7 ha).

The garden is neglected and unfenced and there is illegal logging. The last catalogue was published in 1924.

Mbandaka is the home of the world's first project of Habitat for Humanity International.

Habitat for Humanity's founder Millard Fuller served as missionary with the Disciples of Christ Church in Mbandaka from 1973-76.

The housing project Fuller started in Mbandaka in 1973 became the original project of Habitat for Humanity when Fuller founded Habitat upon his return to the United States.

The city is located at the center of the Tumba-Ngiri-Maindombe area, designated a Wetland of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention in 2008.

Mbandaka features a tropical rainforest climate. The city does feature wetter and drier months, with the driest month, January averaging around 80 mm of precipitation per year.

However the city does not have a dry season, all months average above 60 mm of precipitation in a year.

Temperatures are relatively constant throughout the course of the year, with average temperatures ranging from 23-26 degrees Celsius during the course of the year.

The Congo/Lulalaba River is the busiest route through the region. Rapids between Kisangani & Ubundu separate the river into two navigable sections: Kinshasa-Kisangani & Ubundu-Lubumbashi where it is called the Lululaba River.

Travel along the river is one of the great African journeys for the truly adventurous. Boats, ferries, & barges ply the river regularly.

However, there is no scheduled ferry service people pay to ride on passenger boats & cargo boats/barges with the boat leaving the port when full and does not necessarily stick to a tight schedule.

Boats become less frequent the further up the river you travel.

While boats from Kinshasa arrive in Mbandaka almost daily, boats only reach Kisangani every 1-2 weeks with the journey from Kinshasa taking 2-3 weeks.

Boats are even less frequent on the upper section of the river, although you may be able to find one from Lubumbashi to Kindu a couple times a month.

A short portage railroad connects Kisangani & Ubundu, allowing river travel from Kinshasa to Kindu.

There are also a few boats a month connecting Kinshasa or Brazzaville to Bangui, CAR, from where you can easily take a ferry or pirogue across to Zongo. Just be sure to have the right visas.

Small boats which are often dugout tree trunks called pirogues are the most common transport along the rivers of the Congo Basin.

However, finding one to take you where you want may be difficult and is very slow. Although some are motorized, fuel may be hard to find.

As of 2012, the only scheduled services in the region are: Compagnie Africain d'Aviation which serves Kisangani, Mbandaka, & Kindu; FlyCongo which serves Kisangani & Mbandaka; Lignes Aeriennes Congolaises to Kindu & Kisangani; Air Kasai to Bunia.

All of these offer domestic service from other major cities in the DRC. Some airlines will cancel a flight at the last minute because there are not enough passengers to make a profit and pay for fuel, etc.

Don't expect your trip to be on schedule a journey from Kinshasa to Kisangani may only take a couple hours, but plan a whole day for delays.

The only international service to the region has been Kenya Airlines from Nairobi-Kenyatta to Kisangani, which has started & stopped a few times.

Kinshasa is served by Air France & Brussels Airlines from Europe and several African airlines, from which you can transfer to boat or a domestic flight to reach the Congo Basin.

It is also possible to arrive in Brazzaville or Bangui both also served by Air France, Brussels Airlines, & a number of African airlines and then travel by boat to the Congo Basin.

Just be sure to have the right visas. Using the decent by DRC standards, National Route 4, you can transfer by road from Kigali, Rwanda.

It is also possible to fly into Entebbe, Uganda for visits to areas near the Ugandan border, although onward travel is very dangerous.

The only decent option to reach the Congo Basin by road is National Route 4 from Bukavu on the Rwandan border in South Kivu to Kisngani.

The road is sealed for much of its length, although travel may be slow due to people/animals on the road, overloaded trucks traveling slow, & checkpoints.

Safety is improved since the end of major fighting a decade ago, but is still a little iffy. Bunia can be reached by road from Uganda.

It is possible to travel from Cameroon or Congo-Brazzaville to Bangui, CAR on moderately okay roads, but traveling by road in the CAR is very difficult due to notoriously corrupt police/soldiers manning checkpoints along the highways.

From Bangui, vehicles can be taken by ferry across the river to Zongo.

Pretty much every other option to reach the Congo Basin by road is very difficult and consists of muddy dirt tracks that are impassible during and shortly after the rainy season.

The only train line entering the Congo Basin connects Kindu with Lubumbashi in the Katanga region. The line was rehabilitated in the late 2000s, although the rolling stock is second hand from Europe & India.

Stops at a number of towns along the line—some as long as a day—make the journey from Lubumbashi to Kindu a 4-8 day ordeal. Do not expect sleeper compartments, a dining car, or even comfortable seats.

You will most likely have a seat in an aging passenger car at best or have to stand or sit atop in an empty freight car at worst. Train schedules are erratic, and at times there may be 2-3 weeks between departures.

Contact the station master at any station to inquire about the next scheduled train, but expect delays. Pay only on the day of departure & bring plenty of snacks, food, & bottled water for the ride.

Waterways are the main form of transport in the region. A great number of pirogues, some motorized, ply these rivers and can be hired or you can pay to ride with others/cargo.

However, finding a pirogue going where you want to go is difficult and the journey can take weeks.

Aside from travel on the Congo or Ubangui Rivers and tourist rides around Kisangani, travel by pirogue as well as most travel in the region is best left for only the most adventurous and hardcore travelers with adequate preparation.

Solo travelers should never venture into the jungles alone.

There are no scheduled, commercial flights within the region except for, possibly, Mbandanka-Kisangani or Kisangani-Kindu.

Be careful, as some airlines run a multi-city route and you may have to make a few connections on return.

Kinshasa-Kisangani-Kindu-Lubumbashi-Kinshasa flown on one day a week. It may be easy to travel from Kisangani to Kindu, but to return to Kindu may require traveling to Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, or Goma and connecting to a different flight, perhaps with a layover for a couple days.

The UN has a large presence in the region and operates scheduled flights throughout the Congo Basin, but if you are not associated with a UN agency or another aid agency it may be difficult to hitch a ride but worth a try.

A large number of small planes travel the region and are worth trying to hitch a ride.

Almost all of the roads away from the cities are nothing more than muddy tracks.

Travel can take weeks, especially if your ride breaks down and may not be possible during and shortly after the rainy season. Many trucks will carry paying passengers. Be very careful in selecting your ride.

Nearly all are overloaded and passengers sit atop a pile of carefully loaded cargo. Falling off or the truck overturning are very real dangers.

Try to get a ride in the cab if at all possible, maybe offer a little more money than the driver asks and point to the cabin.

The trucks traveling around the Congo Basin are old and usually the driver and a helper or two have the knowledge to fix problems and navigate mudholes and makeshift log bridges.

Do not expect stops to relieve yourself simply do your business off the side of the moving truck. If your truck breaks down, a fix may take days or even a week or more.

Same goes for getting stuck in mud. Definitely an experience left only for the most hardcore travelers.

There are three lines in the Congo Basin. The line connecting Kindu with the Katanga region will make stops at some of the towns along the line.

The portage line bypassing the Congo's rapids runs from Kisangani to Ubundu and only travels when there is cargo to carry meaning it may be a couple week between runs.

A third line runs from Bumba eastward to Isiro. This is a narrow-gauge line damaged during the war and in a very degraded state.

It seems service has restarted on a small western section from Bumba-Aketi and possibly Buta and, while there were reports of trains running in the eastern section, the track eastwards of Aketi or Buta is most likely abandoned.

Boyoma Falls. On the edge of Kisangani, these are the last cataracts on the Congo until Kinshasa/Brazzaville.

Fishermen set up conical traps for fish and can be seen tending to these traps.

Some have realized that tourists want to see them and there are reports that they will charge Dollars to see them, stopping you before reaching the river and/or photographing them.

Congo boat rides. A trip by boat along the Congo is one of the world's greatest wild adventures.

Trips by pirogue for a few hours or a few days can be arranged in most cities along the river.

Only a couple tour operators in the country offer these rides, but if you speak good enough French or Swahili, you can probably talk a pirogue owner into a short trip, make sure you understand what you're doing & where you're going.


Tourism Observer

TANZANIA: Lake Tanganyika Longest Freshwater Lake In The World

Lake Tanganyika, second largest of the lakes of eastern Africa. It is the longest freshwater lake in the world (410 miles [660 km]) and the second deepest (4,710 feet [1,436 metres]) after Lake Baikal in Russia. Comparatively narrow, varying in width from 10 to 45 miles (16 to 72 km), it covers about 12,700 square miles (32,900 square km) and forms the boundary between Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and part of the boundary between Burundi and the DRC as well as part of the boundary between Tanzania and Zambia.

It occupies the southern end of the Western Rift Valley, and for most of its length the land rises steeply from its shores. Its waters tend to be brackish. Though fed by a number of rivers, the lake is not the centre of an extensive drainage area. The largest rivers discharging into the lake are the Malagarasi, the Ruzizi, and the Kalambo, which has one of the highest waterfalls in the world (704 feet [215 metres]; see Kalambo Falls). Its outlet is the Lukuga River, which flows into the Lualaba River.

Lake Tanganyika is situated on the line dividing the floral regions of eastern and western Africa, and oil palms, which are characteristic of the flora of western Africa, grow along the lake’s shores. Rice and subsistence crops are grown along the shores, and fishing is of some significance. Hippopotamuses and crocodiles abound, and the bird life is varied.

Many of the numerous peoples (predominantly Bantu-speaking) living on the lake’s eastern shores trace their origins to areas in the Congo River basin. The lake was first visited by Europeans in 1858, when the British explorers Sir Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke reached Ujiji, on the lake’s eastern shore, in their quest for the source of the Nile River.

In 1871 Henry (later Sir Henry) Morton Stanley “found” David Livingstone at Ujiji. Important ports situated along Lake Tanganyika are Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi, Kalemi in the DRC, Mpulungu in Zambia, and Ujiji and Kigoma in Tanzania.

Lake Tanganyika is an African Great Lake. It is the second oldest freshwater lake in the world, second largest by volume, and the second deepest, in all cases after Lake Baikal in Siberia;it is also the world's longest freshwater lake.

The lake is divided among four countries – Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Burundi, and Zambia, with Tanzania (46%) and DRC (40%) possessing the majority of the lake. The water flows into the Congo River system and ultimately into the Atlantic Ocean.

The name apparently refers to "Tanganika, 'the great lake spreading out like a plain', or 'plain-like lake'.

Lake Tanganyika is situated within the Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift, and is confined by the mountainous walls of the valley. It is the largest rift lake in Africa and the second largest lake by volume in the world. It is the deepest lake in Africa and holds the greatest volume of fresh water, accounting for 16% of the world's available fresh water.

It extends for 676 km (420 mi) in a general north-south direction and averages 50 km (31 mi) in width. The lake covers 32,900 km2 (12,700 sq mi), with a shoreline of 1,828 km (1,136 mi), a mean depth of 570 m (1,870 ft) and a maximum depth of 1,470 m (4,820 ft) (in the northern basin). It holds an estimated 18,900 cubic kilometres (4,500 cu mi).

The catchment area of the lake is 231,000 km2 (89,000 sq mi). Two main rivers flow into the lake, as well as numerous smaller rivers and streams (whose lengths are limited by the steep mountains around the lake). There is one major outflow, the Lukuga River, which empties into the Congo River drainage.

The major river flowing into the lake is the Ruzizi River, formed about 10,000 years ago, which enters the north of the lake from Lake Kivu. The Malagarasi River, which is Tanzania's second largest river, enters the east side of Lake Tanganyika. The Malagarasi is older than Lake Tanganyika and, before the lake was formed, directly drained into the Congo River.

The lake has a complex history of changing flow patterns, due to its high altitude, great depth, slow rate of refill and mountainous location in a turbulently volcanic area that has undergone climate changes. Apparently it has rarely in the past had an outflow to the sea. It has been described as 'practically endorheic' for this reason.

The lake's connection to the sea is dependent on a high water level allowing water to overflow out of the lake through the Lukunga into the Congo.

Due to the lake's tropical location, it has a high rate of evaporation. Thus it depends on a high inflow through the Ruzizi out of Lake Kivu to keep the lake high enough to overflow. This outflow is apparently not more than 12,000 years old, and resulted from lava flows blocking and diverting the Kivu basin's previous outflow into Lake Edward and then the Nile system, and diverting it to Lake Tanganyika.

Signs of ancient shorelines indicate that at times Tanganyika may have been up to 300 m (980 ft) lower than its present surface level, with no outlet to the sea. Even its current outlet is intermittent and may not have been operating when first visited by Western explorers in 1858.

The lake may also have at times had different inflows and outflows: inward flows from a higher Lake Rukwa, access to Lake Malawi and an exit route to the Nile have all been proposed to have existed at some point in the lake's history.

Lake Tanganyika is an ancient lake. Its three basins, which in periods with much lower water levels were separate lakes, are of different ages. The central began to form 9—12 million years ago (mya), the northern 7—8 mya and the southern 2—4 mya.

There are several islands in Lake Tanganyika. The most important of them are

- Kavala Island (The Democratic Republic of the Congo)

- Mamba-Kayenda Islands (The Democratic Republic of the Congo)

- Milima Island (The Democratic Republic of the Congo)

- Kibishie Island (The Democratic Republic of the Congo)

- Mutondwe Island ( Zambia)

- Kumbula Island ( Zambia)

The lake's water is alkaline with a pH of around 9 at depths of 0–100 m (0–330 ft).Below this it is around 8.7, gradually decreasing to 8.3—8.5 in the deepest parts of Tanganyika. A similar pattern can be seen in the electric conductivity, ranging from about 670 μS/cm in the upper part to 690 μS/cm in the deepest.

Surface temperatures generally range from about 24 °C (75 °F) in the southern part of the lake in early August to 28–29 °C (82–84 °F) in the late rainy season in March—April. At depths greater than 400 m (1,300 ft) the temperature is very stable at 23.1–23.4 °C (73.6–74.1 °F).

The lake is stratified and seasonal mixing generally does not extend beyond depths of 150 m (490 ft).The mixing mainly occurs as upwellings in the south and is wind-driven, but to a lesser extent there are also up- and downwellings elsewhere in the lake.As a consequence of the stratification, the deep sections contain "fossil water".

This also means that there is no oxygen (it is anoxic) in the deeper parts, essentially limiting fish and other aerobic organisms to the upper part. There are some geographical variations in this limit, but it is typically at depths of around 100 m (330 ft) in the northern part of the lake and 240–250 m (790–820 ft) in the south.

The oxygen-devoid deepest sections contain high levels of toxic hydrogen sulphide and are essentially lifeless,except for bacteria.

Lake Tanganyika and associated wetlands are home to Nile crocodiles (including famous giant Gustave), Zambian hinged terrapins, serrated hinged terrapins and pan hinged terrapins (last species not in the lake itself, but in adjacent lagoons). The Storm's water cobra, a threatened subspecies of banded water cobra that feeds mainly on fish, is only found in Lake Tanganyika where it prefers rocky shores.

The lake holds at least 250 species of cichlid fish and undescribed species remain. Almost all (98%) of the Tanganyika cichlids are endemic to the lake and it is thus an important biological resource for the study of speciation in evolution.The cichlids of the African Great Lakes, including Tanganyika, represent the most diverse extent of adaptive radiation in vertebrates.

Although Tanganyika has far fewer cichlid species than Lake Malawi and Victoria which both have experienced relatively recent explosive species radiations (resulting in many closely related species),its cichlids are the most morphologically and genetically diverse.

This is linked to the high age of Tanganyika, as it is far older than the other lakes.Tanganyika has the largest number of endemic cichlid genera of all African lakes. All Tanganyika cichlids are in the subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae. Of the 10 tribes in this subfamily, half are largely or entirely restricted to the lake (Cyprichromini, Ectodini, Lamprologini, Limnochromini and Tropheini) and another three have species in the lake (Haplochromine, Tilapiini and Tylochromini).

Others have proposed splitting the Tanganyika cichlids into as many as 12—16 tribes (in addition to previous mentioned, Bathybatini, Benthochromini, Boulengerochromini, Cyphotilapiini, Eretmodini, Greenwoodochromini, Perissodini and Trematocarini).

Most Tanganyika cichlids live along the shoreline down to a depth of 100 m (330 ft), but some deep-water species regularly descend to 200 m (660 ft).Trematocara species have exceptionally been found at more than 300 m (980 ft), which is deeper than any other cichlid in the world.Some of the deep-water cichlids (e.g., Bathybates, Gnathochromis, Hemibates and Xenochromis) have been caught in places virtually devoid of oxygen, but how they are able to survive there is unclear.

Tanganyika cichlids are generally benthic (found at or near the bottom) and/or coastal.No Tanganyika cichlids are truly pelagic and offshore, except for some of the piscivorous Bathybates.Two of these, B. fasciatus and B. leo, mainly feed on Tanganyika sardines.

Tanganyika cichlids differ extensively in ecology and include species that are herbivores, detritivores, planktivores, insectivores, molluscivores, scavengers, scale-eaters and piscivores.Their breeding behavior fall into two main groups, the substrate spawners (often in caves or rock crevices) and the mouthbrooders.

Among the endemic species are two of the world's smallest cichlids, Neolamprologus multifasciatus and N. similis (both shell dwellers) at up to 4–5 cm (1.6–2.0 in),and one of the largest, the giant cichlid (Boulengerochromis microlepis) at up to 90 cm (3.0 ft).

Many cichlids from Lake Tanganyika, such as species from the genera Altolamprologus, Cyprichromis, Eretmodus, Julidochromis, Lamprologus, Neolamprologus, Tropheus and Xenotilapia, are popular aquarium fish due to their bright colors and patterns, and interesting behaviors.Recreating a Lake Tanganyika biotope to host those cichlids in a habitat similar to their natural environment is also popular in the aquarium hobby.

Lake Tanganyika is home to more than 80 species of non-cichlid fish and about 60% of these are endemic.

The open waters of the pelagic zone are dominated by four non-cichlid species: Two species of "Tanganyika sardine" (Limnothrissa miodon and Stolothrissa tanganicae ) form the largest biomass of fish in this zone, and they are important prey for the forktail lates (Lates microlepis) and sleek lates (L. stappersii).

Two additional lates are found in the lake, the Tanganyika lates (L. angustifrons) and bigeye lates (L. mariae), but both these are primarily benthic hunters, although they also may move into open waters.The four lates, all endemic to Tanganyika, have been overfished and larger individuals are rare today.

There are 11 species of Synodontis catfish in the lake and 10 of these, including S. polli (pictured), are endemic

Among the more unusual fish in the lake are the endemic, facultatively brood parasitic "cuckoo catfish", including at least Synodontis grandiops and S. multipunctatus.A number of others are very similar (e.g., S. lucipinnis and S. petricola) and have often been confused; it is unclear if they have a similar behavior.The facultative brood parasites often lay their eggs synchronously with mouthbroding cichlids.

The cichlid pick up the eggs in their mouth as if they were their own. Once the catfish eggs hatch the young eat the cichlid eggs.Five catfish genera are entirely restricted to the lake basin: Bathybagrus, Dinotopterus, Lophiobagrus, Phyllonemus and Tanganikallabes.

Although not endemic on a genus level, six species of Chrysichthys catfish are only found in the Tanganyika basin where they live both in shallow and relatively deep waters; in the latter habitat they are the primary predators and scavengers. A unique evolutionary radiation in the lake is the 15 species of Mastacembelus spiny eels, all but one endemic to its basin.

Although other African Great Lakes have Synodontis catfish, endemic catfish genera and Mastacembelus spiny eels, the relatively high diversity is unique to Tanganyika, which likely is related to its old age.

Among the non-endemic fish, some are widespread African species but several are only shared with the Malagarasi and Congo River basins, such as the Congo bichir (Polypterus congicus), goliath tigerfish (Hydrocynus goliath), Citharinus citharus, six-banded distichodus (Distichodus sexfasciatus) and mbu puffer (Tetraodon mbu).

A total of 68 freshwater snail species (45 endemic) and 15 bivalve species (8 endemic) are known from the lake.Many of the snails are unusual for species living in freshwater in having noticeably thickened shells and/or distinct sculpture, features more commonly seen in marine snails. They are referred to as thallasoids, which can be translated to "marine-like".

All the Tanganyika thallasoids, which are part of Prosobranchia, are endemic to the lake.Initially they were believed to be related to similar marine snails, but they are now known to be unrelated. Their appearance is now believed to be the result of the highly diverse habitats in Lake Tanganyika and evolutionary pressure from snail-eating fish and, in particular, Platythelphusa crabs.

A total of 17 freshwater snail genera are endemic to the lake, such as Hirthia, Lavigeria, Paramelania, Reymondia, Spekia, Stanleya, Tanganyicia and Tiphobia.There are about 30 species of non-thallasoid snails in the lake, but only five of these are endemic, including Ferrissia tanganyicensis and Neothauma tanganyicense. The latter is the largest Tanganyika snail and its shell is often used by small shell-dwelling cichlids.

Crustaceans are also highly diverse in Tanganyika with more than 200 species, of which more than half are endemic.They include 10 species of freshwater crabs (9 Platythelphusa and Potamonautes platynotus; all endemic), at least 11 species of small atyid shrimp (Atyella, Caridella and Limnocaridina), an endemic palaemonid shrimp (Macrobrachium moorei), at least 23 endemic ostracods and several copepods.

Among Rift Valley lakes, Lake Tanganyika far surpasses all others in terms of crustacean and freshwater snail richness,both in total number of species and number of endemics.For example, the only other Rift Valley lake with endemic freshwater crabs is Lake Kivu with two species.

The diversity of other invertebrate groups in Lake Tanganyika is often not well-known, but there are at least 20 described species of leeches (12 endemics), 9 sponges

It is estimated that 25–40% of the protein in the diet of the approximately one million people living around the lake comes from lake fish. Currently, there are around 100,000 people directly involved in the fisheries operating from almost 800 sites. The lake is also vital to the estimated 10 million people living in the greater basin.

Lake Tanganyika fish can be found exported throughout East Africa. Commercial fishing began in the mid-1950s and has had an extremely heavy impact on the pelagic fish species; in 1995 the total catch was around 180,000 tonnes. Former industrial fisheries, which boomed in the 1980s, have subsequently collapsed.

Two ferries carry passengers and cargo along the eastern shore of the lake: MV Liemba between Kigoma and Mpulungu and MV Mwongozo between Kigoma and Bujumbura.

- The port town of Kigoma is the railhead for the railway from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

- The port town of Kalemie (previously named Albertville) is the railhead for the D.R. Congo rail network.

- The port town of Mpulungu is a proposed railhead for Zambia.

On Dec. 12, 2014, the ferry MV Mutambala capsized on Lake Tanganyika, and more than 120 lives were lost.


There are many methods in which the native people of the area were fishing. Most of them included using a lantern as a lure for fish that are attracted to light. There were three basic forms. One called Lusenga which is a wide net used by one person from a canoe.

The second one is using a lift net. This was done by dropping a net deep below the boat using two parallel canoes and then simultaneously pulling it up. The third is called Chiromila which consisted of three canoes. One canoe was stationary with a lantern while another canoe holds one end of the net and the other circles the stationary one to meet up with the net.

The first known Westerners to find the lake were the British explorers Richard Burton and John Speke, in 1858. They located it while searching for the source of the Nile River. Speke continued and found the actual source, Lake Victoria. Later David Livingstone passed by the lake. He noted the name "Liemba" for its southern part, a word probably from the Fipa language, and in 1927 this was chosen as the new name for the conquered German First World War ship Graf von Götzen which is still serving the lake up to the present time.

In 1965 Argentinian revolutionary Che Guevara used the western shores of Lake Tanganyika as a training camp for guerrilla forces in the Congo. From his camp, Che and his forces attempted to overthrow the government, but ended up pulling out in less than a year since the National Security Agency (NSA) had been monitoring him the entire time and aided government forces in ambushing his guerrillas.

Because of increasing global temperature there is a direct correlation to lower productivity in Lake Tanganyika.Southern winds create upwells of deep nutrient-rich water on the southern end of the lake. This happens during the cooler months (May to September).

These nutrients that are in deep water are vital in maintaining the aquatic food web. The southernly winds are slowing down which limits the ability for the mixing of nutrients. This is correlating with less productivity in the lake.

DR CONGO: Discover Kisangani The City On The Island In The Democratic Republic Of Congo

Kisangani formerly Stanleyville is the third largest city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is the capital and largest city of the vast Orientale Province which is about the size of Spain, in the Congo Basin.

The city is found at the furthest navigable point on the Congo River upstream of Kinshasa/Brazzaville at the end of the Boyoma Falls, a series of cataracts along a 100 km stretch of the river.

The city's name comes from Swahili for "the city on the island" due to the number of tributaries in the area that almost completely separate Kisangani as an island.

Kisangani was a former port known as Stanleyville after its founder Henry Morton Stanley.

It traded palm oil and nuts throughout the Congo.

After the Congo gained it's independence and years later was ruled by President Mobutu Sese Seko he renamed he town Kisangani in order to Africanise his country.

Since then Kisangani has remained a major port for the tribes in the northern region in the country.

Being very near the equator and in the middle of the jungle, you might suspect the city has a wet, tropical climate and yes it does!

Humidity is high year-round, averaging 86%! Temperatures are fairly stable year-round, too, averaging 31/20 (88F/68F). The record low is just 16 (61 F).

Rains are heavy throughout much of the year, with a relatively dry season from December to early March.

Total rainfall for the year is 1620mm (63.78 inches) with the rainiest month being October (218mm/8.58in) while the driest is January (53mm/2.09in).

Kisangani is served by Bangoka International Airport. It has one international flight with Kenya Airways to Nairobi. Domestic flights to Goma and Kinshasa on CAA & FlyCongo along with service to Kindu on CAA.

As the end of the navigable stretch of the Congo River, Kisangani was formed largely to unload cargo and transfer it to train to bypass the cataracts.

There are irregular ferry services running between Kisangani and Kinshasa which take about 2-3 weeks. Most of these are old barges tied together and crowded with people riding atop cargo, although a few steamer vessels run this route too.

Overcrowded ferries are common and there have been a few instances of them capsizing, so choose carefully.

If you are lucky, you can negotiate with the captain for a private room or a bedroom.

Many of these ferries are supplied with food from people who bring boats from shore full of goods to trade or barter. A unique and classic trip, it's only for the hearty, experienced traveller, though still preferable to traveling overland.

Kisangani is difficult to reach by road. The only relatively "easy" route into the city is the newly rehabilitated National Route 4 which runs to Bukavu and the Rwandan border.

Much of the road is sealed, but slow-moving trucks and pedestrians & people on bikes keep the speed of vehicles down.

You should expect to encounter a handful of military or police checkpoints where you will likely be harassed for a bribe.

The route isn't terribly safe, with frequent reports of bandits setting up roadblocks and robbing motorists.

Additionally, safety in North/South Kivu is still shaky. You are best off traveling with a trucker or other local vehicle.

If traveling in your own vehicle especially a non-DRC vehicle, try to travel with a local or convoy for safety and to avoid excessive harassment at checkpoints.

Other roads in/out of the city are mostly muddy tracks only suitable for large 4x4 or 6x6 trucks. Travel from other major cities in the DRC can take weeks and isn't a very pleasant experience!

A train line runs south to Ubundu, mainly to haul freight traveling by boat around the cataracts. You should inquire at the train station for tickets and the next train as the trains run on erratic schedules.

Very few taxis and cars in general are available in Kisangani, but there's an easy and fun way to get around.

Stretch out an arm to any passing little motorbike and they'll take you to any place in the city. Normal price is around 1,5 USD. Same goes for natives on bicycles: they are an even cheaper alternative to motorbikes. Slower and less exciting though.

Boyoma Falls. On the edge of Kisangani, these are the last cataracts on the Congo until Kinshasa/Brazzaville.

Fishermen set up conical traps for fish and can be seen tending to these traps. Some have realized that tourists want to see them and there are reports that they will charge dollars to see them,stopping you before reaching the river and/or photographing them.

Congo boat rides. A trip by boat along the Congo is one of the world's greatest wild adventures. Trips by pirogue for a few hours or a few days can be arranged in most cities along the river.

Only a couple tour operators in the country offer these rides, but if you speak good enough French or Swahili, you can probably talk a pirogue owner into a short trip,make sure you understand what you're doing & where you're going.

Also you could head to the City Center and visit the bustling Central Market or even opposite Avenues de Atelier, you could have cheap but top quality lunch at La Bourgeoise.

Finally on Avenue Lumumba you could take photos of Lumumba stadium, it is not much but something to keep in memory.

Buy yourself a ride on the great Congo River. You'll really enjoy it. Also see if you can find any traditional souvenirs to remind of the journey.

Expect to eat what's eaten around most of the Congo; rice, maize and fish.

Drink the popular Congolese beer and european wines.

There are a handful of Hotels in Kisangani that are of an Alright standard these would include:

- Hotel Le Renaissance on Route Batwaboli
- Les Chalets on Boulevard du 30 Juin
- Hotel de Canon on Boulevard de 30 Juin
- Hotel Palm Beach on N7
- Grand Ramela below R408

Leaving is easy. Head to the port and get on a boat heading straight to Kinshasa, and from there get to the Ndjili Airport in Ndjili, Kinshasa and board a plane that goes to Europe.