Canoeing down the Congo – in pictures

Phil Harwood is the first person to canoe the 3,000-mile length of the Congo river, an epic five-month solo attempt through war-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo, from the true source in the highlands of Zambia. Click through our gallery to see his shots of swamps, rapids and croc-infested waters

congo: source of the congo — The source of the Congo river – at the base of a banyan tree in north-eastern Zambia. Photograph: Phil Harwood

congo: Lower Chambeshi river — Crocodile heaven on the lower Chambeshi river in the early-morning mist. Photograph: Phil Harwood

congo: bangwelu swamp — Poling my way through the vast Bangweulu swamp, which just borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Photograph: Phil Harwood

congo: A friendly one-eyed Bemba fisherman on the Luapula — A friendly Bemba fisherman on the Luapula river. The Democratic Republic of Congo was on the left bank, with Zambia on the right. Photograph: Phil Harwood

congo: Bemba woman and child on the shores of Lake Mweru — A Bemba woman and child I met on the shores of Lake Mweru, just before I left Zambia for good. Photograph: Phil Harwood

congo: Tank and armed local overlooking the village of Pweto — An abandoned tank and an armed local overlooking the village of Pweto. From here the remote Luvua river heads off deep into DRC. Photograph: Phil Harwood

congo: rapids on the Luvua River — Just one of many rapids on the Luvua river. Photograph: Phil Harwood

congo: Waterfall fisherman on the Luvua River — A waterfall fisherman on the wild and remote Luvua river. Photograph: Phil Harwood

congo: Carrying canoe round rapids — Some of the rapids on the Luvua river were impassable and I had to carry my canoe around them. Photograph: Phil Harwood

congo: abandoned steam engine — The rusting decaying hulk of an abandoned steam engine in Kongolo, on the Lualaba river. Photograph: Phil Harwood

congo: Hippo — Hippos, which were heavily hunted for the bush-meat trade, are mostly solitary. Photograph: Phil Harwood

congo: Fish trap — Having left my bodyguard brothers at Mbandanka, I came across this village which made nothing but fish traps. Photograph: Phil Harwood

congo: Kids playing by riverside — These kids were playing with their home-made toy at the riverside village of Lokuleyla. Photograph: Phil Harwood

congo: janvier on lower Congo — For the flat lower Congo River, I had the company of Janvier, a village priest who spoke four languages and helped me paddle to Kinshasa. He was excellent and welcome company. Photograph: Phil Harwood

congo: Last day in Mangrove by Atlantic — In the mangrove swamps beside the Atlantic on the last day of my trip. Photograph: Phil Harwood

tripulous

Travel

Canoeing down the Congo – in pictures

Leave a Comment Cancel comment