Mbandaka

Mbandaka sits on the Congo river almost exactly on the equator, in the middle of the basin, and it is effectively an island in the forest: there is no usable road to Kinshasa and everything arrives by river or by air. Founded as Coquilhatville, it kept a colonial grid along the water, a cathedral, and the Eala botanical garden on its edge. A monument in the town marks the equator. The river here is enormous and braided, with island channels running for kilometres.

What you actually see

• The riverfront - the Congo at its widest, with barges, pirogues and the port.
• The equator monument - a marker in the town on the line itself.
• The colonial grid - avenues and buildings from the era when this was the Equateur capital.
• The market - river fish, cassava, forest produce and bushmeat, the last of which is worth noting rather than buying.

When to go

The drier windows, December to February and June to August, are marginally easier, but this is equatorial and rain falls in every month. River levels peak around November and May. Heat and humidity are constant.

Honest expectations

Getting here means flying or committing to a river journey measured in weeks. Infrastructure has declined badly and power is intermittent. There is very little in the way of visitor facilities, and malaria risk is high year-round.

Nearby

The Eala botanical garden is on the edge of town, and Lake Tumba is south.