Mbandaka

Overview

Introduction

Named "Equator" by Stanley in the 1880s, this pleasant city (pop. 206,000) at the meeting point of the Congo and Ruki Rivers has an Equator Museum (tribal artifacts), a beautiful road along the river and a fascinating river-port area. Visit Basoko (a village built on piles) and Eala (botanical gardens); take a river trip to Makanza and see Lake Paku (25 mi/40 km away) or Lake Tumba, deep in the forest (75 mi/125 km southwest). Mbandaka is 360 mi/580 km northeast of Kinshasa.

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