"Zaire (Dem. Rep. of Congo) in the Old... " a Democratic Republic of Congo Travel Page by Bwana_Brown

While working in Zambia in the early-1970's, I had occasion for a few trips across the northern border into Zaire. Originally called the Congo while a Belgian colony, then transformed into Zaire while Mobotu Sese Seku was President and then back to the Congo again in recent years - it was Zaire in my days there! Most of these trips to Zaire involved passing through that odd bit of the country (called the Pedicle) that sticks down into Zambia while I was enroute to more northerly parts of Zambia (via a ferry such as this one meeting my ferry on the Luapula River border crossing during one of these trips). Even back then, a trip into Zaire was a bit of an adventure (much more dangerous now I should think) because of the relative lawlessness that existed due to the remoteness of this part of Zaire from central control (remember the Katanga rebellion in the 1960's?). Even so, it was the chance of a lifetime so let's go for it! Sometimes we would get really brave and just wander across the border without passport control so we could have a few of the local brews on the Zairean side.