The Kisantu Botanical Garden is one of the oldest botanical gardens in central Africa. It sits 120 km from Kinshasa, in Kongo Central province, along the Inkisi river. Not to be confused with the Jardin Botanique de Kinshasa, which is a separate park in the commune of Gombe.
A century of botany
Founded in 1900 by Jesuit brother Justin Gillet, the garden covers 225 hectares and houses more than 3,000 plant species from around the world: mangosteen trees, shade plants, succulents, orchids, medicinal plants, an arboretum and palms. It is one of the richest botanical collections on the continent.
Open to the public since 1972, it has an educational museum, a specialist library of 4,000 volumes, a restaurant, guided tours and school workshops. A rehabilitation programme began in 2005 to modernise the facilities and trails.
Combining with other Kisantu sites
Kisantu is worth a full day, or even a weekend. The Cathédrale Notre-Dame des Sept Douleurs — the largest cathedral in Congo, built between 1926 and 1936 — is a few minutes away on foot. The Mbuela Lodge (zip-lining, quad bikes, fine dining) rounds out the day nicely for families and groups. For wildlife enthusiasts, the Zongo Falls are 30 km away.
To arrange transport from Kinshasa, see our car hire with driver page.
