Zongo Falls
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4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles102 reviews
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45
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42
Average
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Poor
5
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4

Felix M
Berlin, Germany21 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2014 • Friends
This is a great place for a weekend getaway with your partner, family or friends. The drive takes about three hours from outside of Kinshasa (depending on road and weather conditions). You can stay at the Seli Safari Resort which is located at the site and they offer a variety of accomodation from camping to luxury suites. The falls are great in rainy season because the immense amount of water rushing down the rocks will still get you wet even if you stand 100 meters away. However, dry season is also quite amazing because you can get very close to the water and walk on the rocks - Please be careful, it might still be slippery).

Heads Up: The guys at the entrance of the path to the hike will tell you that you need a guide. Negotiate the price beforehand to avoid frustration at a later stage. If you book your tour at a travel agency in Kinshasa and the price includes the guide, make sure not to pay twice when you get there.

So Zongo Falls are definitely a Must See if you're in the area or live in Kinshasa. Enjoy!
Written 7 February 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Doep65
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo15 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2012 • Friends
It was with some reservation going to a waterfall in the dry season, thinking that it would be far less spectacular, and what a pleasant surprise. Staying a Seli Safari Zongo allows for easy access to the falls and there are numerous guides keen to take you (of course for a small fee). The falls and the views are amazing. The spray, rainbows and breathtaking views were really great.

Seli Safari Lodge has numerous accommodation options from luxury villas ($423/night/4 persons) on the river, chalets, bungalows ($78/night/2 persons) and tents. We opted for the bungalows (A-Frame & communal ablutions) and fortunately had a cool night as I would think without air conditioning it could get unpleasant. We rented a Barbeque Site ($30) next to the river and falls where we enjoyed an evening with own food and liquor whilst a lodge employee handled the fire and food preparation. We also ordered additional drinks from the bar and food side orders from the kitchen without any challenge. Some residents opted for the night club in the lodge whilst we opted for an evening swim in the large swimming pool.

Importantly the Zongo Falls are not the only attraction and arguably even better was the trip to the beach, natural massage and hiking trail. The beach is on the mighty Congo River (20 minute drive) and within a creek at the beach you will find a developed footpath that leads you to numerous small falls and picnic area. At one of these falls the water cascades down for some 25 meters and if you lay down on the rock below you have the most amazing natural massage imaginable. When I do the trip again I will leave on the Friday at noon and plan the beach trip with picnic for Saturday and the Zongo Falls for the late afternoon or early Sunday before departure at 11:00.

Prepare for and acknowledge some Congo realities such as mediocre service, often lousy restaurant food, lack of change for large money denominations, challenging roads and people looking for a handout/money and you will have an experience well worth the trip.
Written 17 September 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Karuma
Lagos, Nigeria95 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2012 • Couples
We recently went for a weekend getaway to ZONGO SELI SAFARI LODGE, 133km out of Kinshasa. The falls are nice, and it’s wonderful to get out of the town and into some nature.

However, our experience of the lodge was ...disappointing, to say the least. Upon arrival the staff were sleeping on the sofas in the lounge area, but after some confusion took us to our room. The veranda doors can’t really be locked, so the rooms are open at all times. Despite the being on a secure compound, we were not comfortable leaving our belongings in a room that could not be locked.

We were asked to order dinner several hours in advance, this despite the fact that the menu is extremely basic with very poor variety. Steak, fish or chicken with French fries, rice or plantains. The restaurant offered very poor value for money. $25 for steak and chips, $12 for a salad. These would be acceptable in a Kinshasa restaurant offering well prepared dishes, but not for the rubbish that we were served.

We ordered two steaks and a salad for 19:30. In the evening, we were working online in the reception area (internet was not available in the rooms.) At 19:00, the staff started pestering us to go eat. We had work to do til 19:30, and reminded them that we had ordered our dinner for then. They interrupted us 3 times before we finally moved to the dining room at 19:30. Forgetting our salad starter and not bothering to take a drink order, the staff served our steaks and chips as soon as we were seated. The steaks were completely cold and we sent them back to be reheated and reminded the staff about our salad. The salad was very basic consisting of a bit of lettuce, three pieces of tomato, four slices of cucumber, some onions and slices of pickles, with pickle juice as the dressing. The steak comes with tomato or mushroom sauce. We ordered the mushroom one which consisted of canned mushrooms swimming in milk -no flavor whatsoever. The meat was horrible. It tasted like canned meat -the kind that doesn’t spoil for three years. I don’t think the meat was actually spoilt, it just tasted horrible and had a very weird texture. Drinks were not offered during dinner.

In addition to the multiple request to stop what we were doing and go to dinner early, we experienced several other annoyances/issues with the staff at Seli Safari Lodge. We were there for a quiet weekend getaway and just wanted to do our own thing. Yet at every turn we were being pestered about one thing or the other. While having drinks by the river Friday afternoon, we were approached several times by staff wanting to show us the waterfalls. We had to ask twice for the barman to turn down the loud music blaring out of the bar’s poor speaker system (we were the only guests there at the time.) We decided to go for a drive around the area Saturday morning and were bothered by 4 staff as we were trying to leave:
First, someone from reception asking if we were leaving (we were not carrying our baggage and had already paid for two nights)
Second, by a security guard who wanted to know where we were going, then loitered around as if he were expecting a tip or something.
Thirdly, by another staff member asking where we were going and encouraging us to take a guide.
Lastly, we were waived down by another guard about halfway to the gate...not sure what he wanted as we just ignored him.
When we decided to take a stroll to the waterfalls Saturday afternoon, there were a couple of young men at the head of the trail who tried to trick us in to hiring them as guides. Saying that we would get lost without them and that the trail was dangerous. We politely refused. The 300-400 meter trail to the view point is perfectly cleared and marked, and a guide is not necessary.

We needed to work online during the weekend, so confirmed with the Kinshasa desk that Seli Lodge had internet when we paid for the room. Upon arrival I was given the password (zongobyselisafarilodge) for the wifi network in the reception area. I used the wifi friday evening and Saturday morning. I went back to check email Saturday afternoon and a different staff member (an older heavier set Congolese man who may have been a front desk manager or something) refused to turn it on for me unless I paid. They later tried to charge me $10/day which I refused to pay. I don’t mind paying for internet, but refused out of principle...they can’t appear to provide a service for free then demand payment later/after the fact.

The room we stayed in (#21) was clean and comfortable, it did not have an AC but was cool enough with the door open and ceiling fan on. Besides not being able to lock the back door, our only other complaint was that the hot water heater did not work. The rooms do not have TVs, so you will need to make other arrangements if there’s a football or rugby match you don’t want to miss during your stay.

Although full of water, the pool did not look operational during our visit. It looks cool, there’s a palm tree in the middle and so on, but the tiles were muddy green and the water was murky, with floating bugs and twigs on top. The lodge has a construction project near the pool, so the whole area was littered with supplies, tools and noisy workers.

Despite the shortfalls outlined above, Zongo is still worth a visit. It’s a scenic and easy drive from Kinshasa, the Lodge grounds are nice and the falls are impressive. We do not recommend staying in the rooms (go for a bungalow or one of their other options instead) and certainly avoid the “restaurant.” Seli has covered terraces with grills along the river where guest can have a barbecue and prepare their own food -you can also bring your own alcohol. The grills are the small, cheap American style ones, so we recommend bringing your own if you want to do any serious grilling.
Written 14 June 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ZONGO
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo205 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
We have a group of 10 persons visited last Sunday to ZONGO FALLS at Ba Congo Province, Kinshasa , Democratic Republic of Congo,
Its a very adventourous trip i have been ever , Kilometer from Kinshasa to Zongo is about 90 kms from Kinshasa City , ( Capital of DRC ), upto 40 kms the road is very good but after 40 , means from 50 kms onwards , there is road of MUD ..........., no proper road, only a person can reach there by 4 * 4 cars on that road, because due to rain road condition is more critical but the vehicles can go.

We are walking in the forest and after sometimes we reach the place of attraction ( ZONGO FALLS ) ,reaching there we have see the real beauty of the Earth , water is coming from the mountain and it falls on the rocks from a height and after that the water is scattered in the rocks from which water shower is coming . we all take the advantage of that shower created by nature, its a amazing , and we see there a Rainbow on that shower .

Its a very great experience i have never seen in my lifetime yet.

............................. overall experience is very good.

Cost of Expenses to there is - $ 100 per persons ( Including Car fare , fooding and excurtion )
Time to visit - Rainy season
Written 22 May 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

napparawy
La Paz, Bolivia169 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Zongo falls is really far from Kinshasa, if you are not comfortable to spend the night in the jungle, you must leave very early in the morning, the way can take 3-4 hours driving, ofcourse dirt roads.

The fall is beautifull, you can climb to a hill just en face of the falls and the wind will splash water hard on you, it's like you taking shower in the air. Take with you anti-mosquito creams, ( congolais mosquitos are horrible!) take also somthing to drink and to eat. Do not travel alone, you must have trusted natives
Written 2 November 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Clotilde V
Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo8 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2013 • Friends
The Zongo falls are absolutely amazing, breathtaking and easy to access. The spray from the falls creates a cloud-like mist that actually shower and refreshes you inside a rainbow. Other falls in the vicinity are also worth the trek through the rain forest and will give you the best natural massage you can imagine. Congo is such a beautiful country, with sadly hardly any touristic spots, so hats off to the Seli Safari team who pulled it off in spite of the incredible difficulties and set backs one faces when building and maintaining anything in the country, due to the poor infrastructure and other challenges. But God's fantastic creation tops it all, and makes the trip well worth it.
Written 22 February 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rabbit_Valley
Washington DC, DC187 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2012 • Couples
The falls are spectacular and are probably one of the 3 top things to see in Congo (Volcano in Goma, Gorillas, and these falls). If you live/work in Kinshasa, a get-away to Zongo Falls is a must. It is 3-8 hours by road (depending on traffic and rain). If you travel on a sundae and it is not raining, it is a easy 3-hour drive from Gombe to Zongo. Once there, the falls are easy to get to (a little strenuous climbing, but nothing really bad and no more than 20 Mins of walking to get to any of the sights).

However, what makes it really wonderful is the Sili Safari lodge. They have done an excellent job and have the nicest hotel/lodge in the Congo. The service (for Congo standards) was exceptional. The wait staff was very attentive and went out of their way to be friendly and helpful. This is especially notable as service, in general, is not good in the Congo....not good at all! Don't expect the service you would find at a posh South African Lodge, but is is by far the best in the Congo. Also, even by South African Standards, the people at Sili Safari are doing it right. The owner is a great guy and speaks English and French Fluently so there he can help with anything. Bob was also awesome and was available to help us with everything we needed. Some of the wait staff are a little pushy about tips, but nothing compared to any other location in the Congo. Overall, they let you alone and are only there to help! You don't mind tipping people when they are genuinely doing a good job!

The food is average, but the atmosphere is amazing. They will let you bring your own food as well and you can rent a paillote on the bank of the river and do your own BBQ. The costs are reasonable (actually cheap when compared to the Grand Hotel or Memling). You can get a tent for about 40$ a night and a Paillotte and BBQ for $25. So for $65 (you bring your own food), you can have a really fun weekend!! This is probably the cheapest thing to do for fun in the area!

On the upper end, you can rent the private villas for between $200-400/night. They have very clean and very nice rooms. They have balconies right above the river with wonderful views.

All in all, this is an attraction not to be missed if you are in Kinshasa.
Written 2 January 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sibi_Rajan
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo21 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2015 • Family
The Zongo Falls are located in Bas-Congo - 130 km from Kinshasa. It is a long 4 hour journey and travel from Kinshasa first half of the road is good and rest is filled potholes, ruts and loose stony or sandy ridges at the edges or in the middle of the road. Need special attention needed to drive this road.

When we reach the place we were wondered by the deep Congolese rainforest that enables you to enjoy a jungle walk. A river that falls 65 meters height, you can admire the water fall with a shattering noise, echo serenade, and the legendary mythical "Eternal Rain". Load your lungs and shout out "Zongo" in the magic falls which happens to repeat and extract your voice to higher scale in combination with the waterfall sound, a true wonder. The natural falls of Zongo is relative to the villagers of Matanda which are the landlords of this location.

The only resort name Seli Safari is there and it is quite expensive. Those who want to experience the tent life it is there( it is cheap). But it in night it is very cold. Food is good and drinks available there.

The falls are simply spectacular and that’s probably one of the top destinations in Congo. Recommended for a Relaxing week-end out to get stress of busy scheduled Kinshasa life.
Written 11 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TroisChatsLies
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo4,605 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2014 • Family
We loved Zongo Falls, I went with my two teenaged children. However, when we went to pre-pay at their office on the Blvd du 30 Juin we were given a higher price list than was posted on their website, and told "oh the website is out of date." However, my colleagues visited the very same week, and were given the prices on the website. A complaint lodged with Zongo never received a response so we were simply overcharged. It's a lovely place and well worth the drive, but don't be scammed.
Written 20 April 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Uea B
Kinshasa, null, Democratic Republic of the Congo61 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2014 • Family
The falls are nice to see.
However, I would recommend staying at Mbuela lodge in Kisantu (2 hours drive) since the prices at Zongo lodge/hotel are outrageous for what you get..
We have a very bad experience...all but the $500/night suite was full, so we had no choice...
For the price we got a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1 huge interactive TV set, with the cable working on and off..
the AC was not cooling, the slow service came twice to confirm is was deficient, but never repaired!!
we got locked out twice because the person sharing the stairs locked the bottom door and they did not have another key!
We were by the pool where they were having a party with pound sound system .
Then in the morning we got waken up by the maid sweeping the terraces at 6:00 am!! and had a little brown water running from the tap....so no water at the tap and you are by the river!!!!
the room came with breakfast: basic and not worth the money...
So I tried to negotiate a rebate at check out and was simply answered by the owner that there was no commercial rebate...Of course, there is no competition at 2 hrs drive around!!!
So I will not drive 4 to 5 hours from Kinshasa to go back to Zongo...
Written 2 December 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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ZONGO FALLS (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)