Lake Mai-Ndombe

Mai-Ndombe means black water in Lingala, and the lake is exactly that: shallow, tannin-dark and very large, expanding and contracting substantially between the wet and dry seasons. Inongo on the eastern shore is the main town. The surrounding forest is part of one of the largest carbon and conservation concessions in the world, and the area holds bonobo and forest elephant. Fishing and cassava are the economy, and traffic moves by water because the roads barely exist.

What you actually see

• The black water - dark tannin-stained lake, from which the name comes.
• The seasonal extent - the lake expanding and shrinking substantially through the year.
• The fishing villages - pirogue communities around the shore, with drying racks and smokehouses.
• The forest - lowland rainforest running back from the lake in every direction.

When to go

The drier windows, December to February and June to August, are the practical times. The lake is at its largest towards the end of the rains. Boats work year-round but conditions on open water vary.

Honest expectations

Access is by air to Inongo or by a long river journey; there is no practical road. Facilities are minimal and arrangements are made locally. This is a place for people with a specific reason to go rather than a destination.

Nearby

Inongo is the lake's main town, and Lake Tumba lies northwest.