Car Rentals in the Congo

Renting a Car in the Congo

When driving in the Congo, keep the windows up and the doors locked. The roads are poorly maintained, not well lit and have little or no signage.

At road blocks or check points, documents should be shown through closed windows. Roads throughout the country are poorly maintained and sometimes impossible to travel on during the rainy season.

All traffic must stop at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. for the raising and lowering of the national flag. Failure to do so will result in something bad.

Pull over for sirens or loudspeaker announcements from security forces that a Presidential or official motorcade is coming by. Don't take photos of these events. Security personnel will be upset with you if you don't obey these rules.

Travel Advisories

Driving in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is extremely dangerous. The country is in a state of full-scale unrest.

There is lawlessness and armed fighting between many many groups and for many reasons, local groups against government, inter-racial disputes and other bloody skirmishes.

Car Hire in The Congo

Resist the urge to join in or observe any large group activity where people appear angry and are demanding anything.

Police and military roadblocks are everywhere. Native drivers are aggressive and disobey the few traffic laws frequently but the police have little or no control over the situation. Carjacking is common. Taxies are only available from the major hotels and the buses can't be counted on.

Local assistance may be available, but even then, it's hard to know who to trust. We recommend not going to the Congo unless you own a tank and have some really good reason for being there.