It is the second-largest city in the country and is the capital of the Haut-Katanga Province. The city is known for its mining industry, with copper and cobalt being two of the main resources extracted in the region.
Additionally, Lubumbashi is home to several universities, museums, and cultural centers. French is the official language spoken in the city, but Swahili and other local languages are also widely spoken. Lubumbashi has a tropical savanna climate with two distinct rainy and dry seasons. The best time to visit is during the cooler months of May to September.
Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo, offers a unique experience for travelers and is suitable for different types of travelers. Here are some details to help you decide how to enjoy Lubumbashi trip ideas .
1. The Lubumbashi Zoo
The zoo is a great place to visit if you’re interested in animals and nature. You can see a variety of African wildlife, including lions, elephants, and giraffes. Historically, the zoo dates back to 1932 during the colonial days. Spread over 30 beautifully wooded hectares; the zoo has 48 species of animals with the star attraction being the 86-year-old crocodile.
The natural environment is superb with some beautiful original enclosures and cages, a veterinary clinic, a grooming salon and a small educational museum for the curious minds and children. The other objective of the zoo is to promote biodiversity and environmental protection.
2. Kafubu River Lodge
Nestled at the confluence of the Kiswishi and Kafubu rivers, the superb lodge enjoys 10,000 hectares of wooded bushland into which the reintroduction of animals is underway.
The restaurant is located on a wooden platform overlooking the Kafubu River. With lots of activities being on offer that range from quad biking, the eco-friendly pedal boating, canoeing and cycling. Sport fishing and other games are also available.
3. J.A.C.K
Jeunes Animaux Confisqués au Katanga in French, was founded in 2006 by Frank and Roxane Chantereau. The critical important conservation center accepts and cares for chimpanzees resulting from trafficking, poaching and deforestation.
It is amongfour sanctuaries in the DRC, along with Lwiro (chimpanzees) in South Kivu, GRACE (gorillas) in North Kivu, and Lola ya Bonobo in Kinshasa. J.A.C.K. is home to around 40 chimpanzees and other primates that have fallen victim of wildlife poaching. Located right next to the zoo, J.A.C.K. is also an educational center to raise awareness among schools and visitors about forest protection and the fight against trafficking in young chimpanzees.
4. Lake Tshangalele
Also known as Lake Lufira or Mwadingusha Reservoir, it is an artificial lake in the southeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Lying at about 1,100 m above sea-level in a large depression surrounded by low mountains and located about 25 km from Lubumbashi, Lake Tshangalele a popular haven for swimming and fishing.
The lake was created by a dam built on the Lufira River near Mwadingusha in 1926 to provide hydro-electric power. The area of open water is about 362.5 km2. During the wettest months of February and March, the area flooded reaches a maximum of 440 km2.
The lake holds a variety of fish including longfin tilapia (Oreochromis macrochir), redbelly tilapia (Tilapia zillii), thinface cichlid (Serranochromis angusticeps) and North African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). It supports an important commercial fishery with the tilapias the main species caught. Surrounding the lake, there are extensive swamps where Typha and Cyperus grow. The region is rich in birdlife such as the Lake Lufira Weaver (Ploceus ruweti) which is endemic to the area. The lake was declared a Biosphere Reserve in 1982 and is classed as an Important Bird Area by Bird Life International. Please read our detailed article on 10 Places to Watch Birds in DR Congo.
5. Lumumba Assassination Site
For a brief remind, Patrice Émery Lumumba was the first Congo National Hero who was actively involved in DR Congo’s Independence before his assasination for on 17 Jan 1961. This is a full immersion and learning experience about the history of Congo, and mainly the independence war.
We are going to enter the plane that brought him from Kinshasa to Lubumbashi, visit the location where he was shot dead and where he was buried before being dug up and transferred to Kolwezi where his body was burnt in acid to remove traces.
6. The Kipushi Mine
The Kipushi Mine is another great place to visit if you’re interested in mining and geology. It’s located about 20 km from Lubumbashi and offers tours of the mine. Kipushi Mine (formerly Prince Léopold Mine) is an underground mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, near the town of Kipushi in Haut-Katanga Province.
Based on radiocarbon dating, one study concluded there was mining activity at Kipushi in the 9th century. Production increased significantly in the 14th century, but it is unclear who was exploiting the mine at this time. Due to the unique geology of Kipushi, copper produced at the mine is chemically distinct from copper sourced from the surrounding areas of the copperbelt.
7. Musée National de Lubumbashi
This is a great place to learn about the history, culture, and art of the Congolese people. It’s a must-visit for anyone interested in history and culture.
The museum has a very rich ethnographic and entomological collection has been built up over the years, forming a reference heritage and the permanent collection of the museum which also hosts temporary thematic exhibitions. Brussels has a collaboration with the Museum of Lubumbashi for the development of this historical, artistic and cultural heritage of Katanga.
8. Muyambo Park
This stunning 500-hectare mini-safari park makes a good place to visit while passing through or visiting the city of Lubumbashi. While here, you can observe servals, giraffes, baboons, boas, pangolins, ostriches, zebras, kudus, camels, hyenas, gazelles, wildebeest, dik-dik, warthogs and more, on foot, by bike, by buggy or by jeep. The site also boasts an artificial lake where you can enjoy pedal alongside children’s playground.
9. Cathedral
With its large brick façade and square tower, the Saints-Pierre-et-Paul Cathedral in Lubumbashi is one of the most remarkable buildings in the city and is considered one of the most beautiful religious buildings. From a simple chapel in 1910, it became a cathedral in 1922 by the decision of Bishop Jean-Félix de Hemptinne and was fully completed in 1935.
The Romanesque Revival church has a rich history, when the area was under Belgian colonial rule. It was elevated to cathedral status with the promotion of the Apostolic Vicariate of Katanga to diocesan status in 1959, by the Bull “Cum parvulum” of Pope John XXIII. It is under the pastoral responsibility of the Bishop Jean-Pierre Tafunga.
10. Picha
In Kiswahili, picha means “image”, and this is a dynamic collective of artists dedicated to promoting and disseminating contemporary photography and video art. Picha is an independent initiative that aims to support artistic creation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
It promotes artistic and social reflection of the environment of Lubumbashi and the region. Their flagship event is the Lubumbashi International Photography Biennial, held every even-numbered year in October. Workshops are also offered with renowned names in various artistic and cultural disciplines, and are held at the art center created by Picha.
Entrust our experts to plan for your Lubumbashi day trip experiences
Are you in Lubumbashi for a business meeting or one of those big conferences in DR Congo? Oluokos Signature team is available to organize for you personalized memorable excursions within Lubumbashi and tours beyond.
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