The Republic of the Congo, or more simply Congo-Brazzaville (formerly French Congo), to distinguish it from the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo, or Congo-Kinshasa (formerly Belgian Congo), whose shared borders run along the waters of the mighty shared river, is now considered one of the world’s last equatorial green lungs, second in extent only to the Amazon.

Needless to say, visiting this dense primary forest country, where the first inhabitants who managed to adapt were not surprisingly the Pygmies, still far off the beaten track of tourism precisely because of its impenetrability, is tantamount to experiencing a true adventure. It’s a predominantly virgin land inhabited by chimpanzees, elephants, mandrills, gorillas, and lute tortoises, it proves ideal for ecotourism enthusiasts seeking surprising contact with primeval nature, protected within three major national parks, but explosive everywhere, whether the intricate equatorial forest, aquatic mangrove tunnels, wild coastal beaches, fertile tropical banks of the Congo River and its tributaries, or subtropical plains. While great excitement comes from exploring the Conkouati-Douli park and approaching the gorillas of the Lesio-Louna reserve, an integral part of the adventure will be going upriver in local boats, encountering only remote fishing and farming villages, or taking the train that runs along the old colonial railroad between the capital city of Brazzaville and the industrial town of Pointe Noire, a hub of oil extraction and an old outpost of the Negro trade.

A note of warmth and color, will come from the impeccable Congolese welcome and meeting with the “Sapeurs” in the Bacongo neighborhood of Brazzaville, members of the internationally renowned SAPE people’s movement, based on fashion and dandy elegance “made in Congo,” but which is actually a true identity-based philosophy of life, of a people aspiring for redemption, through a symbolic and eccentric “beautiful presence.”

Single departure 2023 with Leonardo F. Paoluzzi