Meanwhile, in the Congo

The Lésio-Louna natural reserve is located about 3.5 hours from Brazzaville, within the La Léfini Wildlife Reserve.  Most of the road (N2) is new and smooth, except for a few parts where the surface is currently being redone and you are driving through white, chalky dirt.  Once you turn off the N2 towards Abio (about 12 km from the destination), you will need a 4WD and it is NOT recommended to visit during the rainy season. It takes about 35 minutes to drive those last 12 km. Abio Boats we took to see the gorillas on the island We first travelled to Abio where we got on boats to visit three silverbacks and two young gorillas w ho live on a 23 acre island, on the edge of the Lesio-Louna reserve.  Two of the gorillas, Fubu and Kebu, were transported to the Republic of Congo on October 18, 2017 from Howletts Park in Kent as part of the Aspinall Foundation* project to return gorillas to the wild.  The idea is that eventually they will be released to join other lowland gorillas living free

The original chapel, rebuilt after the fire The town of Linzolo, located 25 km south west of Brazzaville was the chosen site between 1881 and 1883 for the founding of the oldest Catholic Mission in the Congo. The town is in the middle of an agricultural area - the region’s inhabitants, the Teke people, together with the Lari and the Sundi grow manioc, yams, maize, avocado, safou and ground nuts. The Mission of Linzolo was founded by Monsignor Prosper Augouard, the Catholic Biship of the Congo on January 22, 1884. Father Augouard first established a temporary camp while he negotiated the purchase of the land with the local chiefs,Ngandziamo and Mubimunu Kahunga. After lengthy discussions they agreed on the deal and to finalize the agreement, a peace treaty was signed with the chiefs of the Pool region who symbolically buried their weapons on the mission’s central square on February 25, 1885. The grotto The first chapel was completed in 1885. It was the oldest building in the country

Top of the falls Although the Loufoulakari Falls lie only 80 km south west of Brazzaville the journey there takes almost 4 hours during the dry season.  In the rainy season the road is pretty much impassable, even with a 4W drive vehicle. Believe me, we tried! The waterfalls are set against the backdrop of a natural staircase formed by huge blocks of sandstone.  They lie at the point where the Loufoulakari River and the Congo River meet. There are three drops that are considered part of the falls.  One is right next to the parking lot, so you are greeted right away by a spectacular view.   You can then take a short hike to the second drop just as picturesque as the first, with another small, double tier waterfall partially hidden in the forest. Large rocks allow a descent to the bottom where the water calms for a bit before hitting the third and final drop.  The road to the falls during the rainy season To get to this one, you hike about 5 minutes through the forest, amongst large ro