Congo DRC, formerly Zaire

It was a short drive to arrive at the port of Matadi. This is the largest suspension bridge in Africa at over 520m long. It was completed in 1983 by a Japanese consortium. It is the only bridge of the Congo River proper. The next bridge is 2,200kms away by road or 3,800kms by river over the Lualaba river, a tributary.

Several views of Matadi along the banks of the Congo.

 The port and railway facilities. Ocean going ships can come up river and unload here. There are a series of rapids on the river between here and Kinshasa, the capital of the country 300kms upstream.

 We went to the Catholic Mission in the city to ask to camp in their grounds. It is a large mission and has several schools and teach over five hundred children. We arrived just as they were leaving and just like everywhere else in Africa, we were a novelty and attracted a large crowd. A view from the truck.

A view of the one of the schools on site.

 A view of the main building behind which we camped.

Then we left the city and crossed the border into Angola for the second time having crossed the enclave of Cabinda the week before.