In the north, forest closes overhead in layers of green and birdsong fills the day. In the south, the Congo River widens beside busy streets where music spills from open doorways and conversation runs late into the evening. Two moods share one country, and the journey between them is half the story.

The weather stays hot and humid all year, with a drier stretch in the middle of the year and heavy rain at other times, so pack for warm days and downpours. A Local Friend walks beside you instead of ahead, sharing the places where daily life happens, and lets the plan bend when the rain arrives.