Boma
The colonial capital until 1923, on the lower Congo, with prefabricated metal buildings and an enormous baobab.
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Boma was the capital of the Congo Free State and then of the Belgian Congo until the administration moved to Léopoldville in 1923, and the town keeps the buildings from that period, including several prefabricated iron structures shipped out in pieces and bolted together on site. One of them, the old governor's residence, is a museum. The town's other landmark is a baobab of great size and age at the centre, hollow enough to be entered, traditionally said to have been planted by Stanley.
What you actually see
- The metal buildings - prefabricated iron structures shipped from Europe and assembled here.
- The old governor's residence - a colonial administrative building now used as a museum.
- The baobab - an enormous hollow tree at the centre of town, enterable through a gap in the trunk.
- The river frontage - the lower Congo, wide and tidal this close to the sea.
When to go
May to September is the dry season and the most comfortable. The lower Congo is humid year-round. Mornings are the best time to walk the old town.
Honest expectations
Many of the historic buildings are in poor condition or in use as offices and cannot be entered. There is very little tourism infrastructure and few places to stay. The baobab's association with Stanley is tradition rather than documented.
Nearby
Matadi is upstream, and Muanda and the coast are west.
What to pack for Boma
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
