Loufoulakari Falls

South of Brazzaville, where the Congo runs wide and islanded toward the rapids that stopped the steamboats, about eighty kilometres south-west of Brazzaville, the Loufoulakari tributary arrives in style over a drop of more than forty metres: stepping down broad basalt terraces in a lattice of channels and curtains before folding into the great river - a waterfall built for wandering, with grassy banks, palm clumps and viewpoints from every level. The drive tracks the Congo's bank through villages and market gardens, river islands sliding past, and the falls reward picnics and unhurried hours; weekends bring Brazzaville families to the same conclusion.

Highlights

• The terraced curtains - the lattice of falls over basalt steps.
• The Congo confluence - tributary folding into the great river.
• The river-road drive - villages and islands along the bank.
• The picnic banks - grass and palms at every viewing level.

When to go

May to September, the dry season, for road comfort and safe rock-hopping; the rains swell the falls thunderously while turning the approach to clay soap. Weekdays are quietest.

Practical notes

The road's last stretch varies by season and grader schedule - ask current conditions and prefer a robust vehicle. Rocks are slick and the currents at the confluence emphatically not for swimming. Facilities are informal; the day carries its own supplies.

Nearby

Brazzaville, the Congo rapids viewpoints and the Pool's river villages.

Key facts