Matadi
Matadi is the chief sea port of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the capital of the Kongo Central province, adjacent to the border with Angola.
It had a population of 245,862 (2004). Matadi is situated on the left bank of the Congo River, 148 km (92 mi) from the mouth and 8 km (5.0 mi) below the last navigable point before the rapids that make the river impassable for a long stretch upriver.
Getting to Matadi
There's no scheduled flights to Matadi, but the small, unpaved, Matadi Tshimpi Airport can handle small charter flights. Travelling by road is possible as national road N1 between Kinshasa and the Atlantic port of Banana passes through Matadi. The road is generally in acceptable condition with many paved sections, however there are rough parts which requires a 4x4 vehicle.
- 01Matadi
Worth seeing
- 01Cathedral of Matadi
Where to eat
Hotel Vivi Palace. Hotel Formoza Matadi.
Getting around Matadi the local way
- Get inThere's no scheduled flights to Matadi, but the small, unpaved, Matadi Tshimpi Airport can handle small charter flights.
- Get inThe road is generally in acceptable condition with many paved sections, however there are rough parts which requires a 4x4 vehicle.
- Get aroundThere are many possibilities like the usage of boda-boda, taxi, bus, and as well railway transport which cross the city.
From Wikivoyage: Matadi, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-03.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: MONUSCO Photos (CC BY-SA 2.0), Wikimedia Commons.