Lubumbashi City Tour

For a brief remind, Lumumba is the first Congo National Hero who was actively involved in Congo Independence before being murdered for political reason on 17 Jan 1961. After the breakfast, we will pick you and drive for about half an hour to drive outside of the city to the site. This is a full immersion and learning experience about Congo History, and mainly the independence war. We are going to enter the plane that brought him from Kinshasa to Lubumbashi, visit the place he was shot dead and where he was buried before being dug up and transferred to Kolwezi where his body was burnt in acid to remove traces. This will take 30 minutes and after what we will drive back to the city.

In the city we are starting with the largest market of Lubumbashi, known as Marché de la Kenya. As everywhere in Congo, local markets are different from what you may expect: They’re colorful, bordered with dense street markets and an immense movement of people calling for an exceptional appreciation and an opportunity to buy any tool you may have forgotten to pack from home, or simply, local takeaway. We all want to eat organics, and yes of course you will get fruits, vegetables, butcher, fishmonger, and experience street food cook as well as buy hardware, loincloths, dishes, jewelry, etc.

2.5 Kms from there is located the two important stadiums of the city. Lubumbashi is not only the Congo economic hub but also an important center of sport activities such as Football. The globally known, Tout Puissant Mazembe football club has confirmed itself as one of the top five African Club with a number of national and continental trophies. While the TP Mazembe stadium is among the top three stadiums ready for international competitions and with modern standards, Kibasa Maliba has been definitely closed. They are multi-use stadiums having a capacity to fit 35,000 people (La Kenya) and 50,000 people (TP Mazembe). Located in Lubumbashi suburbs, they also offer an opportunity to glance at anarchic constructions.

From the stadiums we are going to walk to Kasombo prison. It is the first and the oldest prison in Lubumbashi, it was considered as the safest prison to keep dangerous prisoners. However, it is today considered a sacred place of worship and meditation mainly because of the church leader who was imprisoned in. Believers from all over Africa go there.

The Church Leader Simon Kimbangu (1922-1951), venerated by his followers, was also known for his fierce position against colonialism. Considered as an agitator, the colonial power will finally sentence him to life imprisonment and send him to serve his sentence in Kasombo Prison. You will learn here about the history of the prison.You will learn here about the history of the prison.

The next stop is the reputable and the oldest in Africa, the Lubumbashi zoological garden is an initiative of the friends of the Lubumbashi Zoo, also known as AZILU, that has set up a plan for the reconstruction and welfare of animals. Onsite animals to be visited include a various number of species that would take you thousands of miles traveling: the Giraffes, Antelopes, and unjoined lion, Tigers, Hippos, Buffalo, Monkeys, fish, birds, Reptiles, Crocodiles and you can possibly have your Breakfast on site and interestingly, a rain of souvenirs photos.

One of the oldest colonial architecture in the City with its imposing appearance. The Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral is a religious beautiful building for the faithful Catholics, located between the Upenda and Kasa vubu avenues of the city of Lubumbashi. If you would like to pray outside of the visit, we will help by sharing their program. Before, the cathedral, we are going to visit a art and handicrafts markets, renowned for using the malachite as raw materials.

Coming from the cathedral we drive or walk few kilometres up to the National museum of Lubumbashi, the second Congo oldest museum and inaugurate in 1939 by the King Leopold II of Beligum . It’s formerly a Contemporary Art Gallery of the Lubumbashi Art Museum. Furthermore, it is truly a place that traces the history of different Katangese, Congolese and African tribes, a permanent and nonprofit institution serving society and its development. Among activities onsite, it offers the opportunity to follow different films on the evolution of humanity. Interestingly, it has never been renovated since the Congo independence, allowing you to find it at its original state with original and old objects find anywhere else.

The Museum shares knowledge about history, art, nature, human sciences and technology. Finally, your visit remains a monumental learning experience as it provides you a clear idea of Congo history, tribes and people. Further, it contributes in keeping the museum alive and supporting the whole Congo nation.

Do you like playing golf or just travel and feel like home, then this beautiful 18-hole golf course including squash courts and a 5* restaurant is for you. It is one of the oldest and beautiful courses in the region. There are best places to sit for relax alone and with friends, huge place to play Golf and many more activities to do and see.

Old/abandoned/colonial buildings are part of most interesting things to see when walking around the city. The construction in colonial Congo took shape not only through architectural ideas and models imported from the metropole or according to the common guidelines of Belgian colonial policies, but also via a complex process in which many diverse spheres of influence were at play. On our way to highlights, we will pass by: the old Lubumbashi theater actually hosting the parliament, the old Lubumbashi Town Hall actually hosting the administration of commune services, the justice palace, the Greek orthodox church, Belle Vue Hotel, Lubumbashi railway station, The first university built in Katanga and where studied many actual African leaders (The university of Lubumbashi), etc.

We suggest we end our tour to to a local restaurant to taste Lubumbashi food. Alternatively, if it happens the tour was organized on Sunday and you are fun of bush camp, we are going to savor their delicious meats such as pure fillet, pork chop, crocodile, antelope, chicken ... that we pay by weight. You will find there the grillages of organic meats from the province of Katanga in the big fireplace. May be are opportunity to meet with new friends and taste the French cuisine.