Is 3 days enough to see Brazzaville?

Yes — three days in Brazzaville is enough to experience the best the city has to offer. Our itinerary covers The Congo River, the Marché Total & the Sapeur culture of the S.A.P.E., Basilique Sainte-Anne, the Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza Memorial & the Congo Basin forests, Parc Zoologique de Brazzaville, the Congo Basin rainforest & farewell Congolese evening, giving you a genuine feel for Brazzaville without feeling rushed.

When is the best time to visit Brazzaville?

June–September: the dry season in Brazzaville (the most comfortable weather for outdoor activities: 18–25°C, virtually no rainfall): the most important period for the S.A.P.E. outdoor events (the Sunday sapeur launchings are most spectacular in the dry season when the extravagant outfits are not threatened by the tropical rain). October–December: the short rainy season (the afternoon tropical thun

Where should I stay in Brazzaville?

Brazzaville city center, Congo River waterfront — the most important international hotel in Brazzaville with the most spectacular Congo River view and the closest view of the Kinshasa skyline is a great base for exploring Brazzaville. Radisson Blu M'Bamou Palace Hotel Brazzaville from €150/night is our recommended hotel for its location and value.

How expensive is Brazzaville for 3 days?

Brazzaville is one of the most expensive African capitals relative to local income (the oil revenues have created a two-tier economy where the expatriate and the elite economy is at European prices while the local economy is extremely affordable): the most important budget strategy is to eat at the maquis restaurants (the most authentic and the most affordable Congolese cuisine: a full saka-saka m

What language do people speak in Brazzaville?

French (the official language of the Republic of Congo — the most important Francophone country in Central Africa after the Democratic Republic of Congo: the French-educated elite and the formal sector uses French as the most important language of administration, education and international commerce): Lingala (the most widely spoken language in the Congo Basin — the lingua franca of the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo: the Bantu language of the Bangala people of the upper Congo River that became the most important trade language in the Congo Basin in the 19th century (under the influence of the most important riverine traders of the Congo — the Bangala merchants who dominated the Congo River trade between Kinshasa and Kisangani)): Kituba (the most important language in the southern Republic of Congo and in Brazzaville itself: the creolized Kikongo language (the most important Bantu language of the Kingdom of Kongo (the most important pre-colonial state in Central Africa) that developed into a simplified trade language in the colonial period)). English: very limited (the least English-proficient major African capital city — the French colonial heritage and the continued French presence makes French the overwhelmingly dominant language of international communication in Brazzaville). Basic French is essential for any independent exploration of Brazzaville outside the major hotels

What currency is used in Brazzaville?

CFA franc (XAF — the Franc CFA de l'Afrique Centrale: the West and Central African monetary union currency used by the 6 CEMAC countries (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon): the XAF is pegged to the Euro at a fixed rate of 655.957 XAF = 1 EUR (the most important monetary fact about travel in the CFA franc zone: the exchange rate is completely fixed and guaranteed by the French Treasury)). ATMs in the major Brazzaville hotels and at the airport. Cash (the most important payment method in Brazzaville: the vast majority of transactions in the Brazzaville market, the maquis restaurants and the street economy are cash-only). Cards accepted in the major hotels only. The most important safety note: carry only the cash you need for the day (do not carry large amounts of cash in the Brazzaville street economy)

How do you get around Brazzaville?

Taxi (the most important transport in Brazzaville for visitors: the "taxi" in Brazzaville is a shared taxi ("taxi collectif") that follows set routes (the most affordable urban transport in the city (500–1,000 XAF (€0.76–1.52) per trip)) — not a private hire vehicle: the visitor must negotiate an exclusive hire ("taxi course") at a significantly higher price (5,000–10,000 XAF (€7.60–15.25) per trip): the most important transport advice for Brazzaville visitors: always negotiate the price before getting in the taxi). Motorbike taxi ("moto-taxi" — the fastest and the most adventurous transport in Brazzaville: the passenger sits on the back of the motorcycle and the driver navigates the most congested Brazzaville traffic at the fastest speed: 500–1,000 XAF per trip). Walking (safe in the daytime in the central Brazzaville area between the Beach, the Basilique Sainte-Anne, the Poto-Poto neighbourhood and the de Brazza Memorial)

How do you get to Brazzaville?

Aéroport International Maya-Maya (BZV) — 5km from the Brazzaville city center: the taxi from the airport to the city center (5,000–10,000 XAF (€7.60–15.25)). Direct flights: Air France (Paris CDG: 9 hours — the most important international connection to Brazzaville from Europe), Brussels Airlines (Brussels: 8 hours), Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Ababa: 5 hours), Kenya Airways (Nairobi: 4 hours), Afriqiyah Airways (Tripoli), South African Airways (Johannesburg: 4 hours). Congo Airways (the national carrier of the DRC) connects Brazzaville to Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and Goma within the Congo Basin. The Congo River ferry (the "poolé" — the most atmospheric (and the most practically useful) entry to Brazzaville: the cross-river ferry from Kinshasa (the Democratic Republic of Congo capital on the opposite bank): the journey is approximately 45 minutes on the official government ferry (longer on the private pirogues)

What is the tipping etiquette in Brazzaville?

Tipping in the Republic of Congo follows the French colonial convention: a "pourboire" (the "pour boire" — the "for drinking" tip: the most important social lubricant in the Francophone African service economy) of 10% is appropriate in the Brazzaville restaurants (the restaurants that cater to the expatriate community and the foreign visitor: the tip is important because the service workers in the Republic of Congo are among the most poorly paid in any African middle-income country). At the Poto-Poto School of Painting: purchasing a painting is more appreciated than a tip (the school depends on the sale of the paintings for the maintenance of the studio and the support of the artists). The S.A.P.E. sapeur photography: always ask permission before photographing the sapeurs (the most important photography etiquette in the Bacongo neighbourhood) and offer a "pourboire" of 1,000–2,000 XAF (€1.52–3.05) per photograph to the sapeur who poses for you — this is the most important and the most respected way to acknowledge the sapeur's art

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