Long Read
Pros and Cons of Living in Kisangani: A Drummer's Messy, Slightly Tinnitus-Induced Guide
i moved to kisangani like a lunatic chasing the last decent reverb in the eastern congo. i’d been sleeping on a tour buddy’s couch in nairobi for three months, drumming at barely-paying gigs, and google maps kept suggesting i check out “the other side of africa.” so i bought a one-way ticket on a shaky cargo plane that felt like it was smuggling vibes more than luggage.
living here is like unpacking your suitcase in the middle of a forest jazz jam-you don’t know if you’re in rhythm or just lost in noise. this city's raw, full of knots, and completely unslick. and i mean that both literally (the roads? yeah, good luck) and spiritually.
the clatter and the calm
kisangani is *the Congo River’s emotional support animal. it drinks in all the chaos and still manages a lazy current of survival. the bush starts like, five minutes from your front door, and the internet cuts out every time someone sneezes. but somehow, the people are so loud in the best way. laughter turns heads. arguments sound like drum-offs. and if you're into dissonance, this is the place to tune up.
you can feel the pulse of a city that’s still figuring out its groove-half-sprawled in colonial dream logic and half-standing in indigenous rhythm. power’s out more than it's on, and the palms and mangroves are slowly swallowing everything, but in a way that doesn’t feel aggressive. just… inevitable.
real talk on rent and racket
right now, i’m splitting a two-room place with a guy who sells phone parts out of a kiosk by the river. we pay 90 bucks a month-shared with a leaky ceiling and a neighbor who sounds like he’s practicing bebop on a kazoo at 5am. rent in kisangani is practically pocket change compared to most african capitals. a decent one-bedroom in the city center’ll run you $120-$180. outside it? like 60 bucks. heating? yeah right, nobody’s pretending it gets cold here. water’s intermittent. power? bring a solar bank and a sense of humor.
| Item | Cost in Kisangani (USD) |
|---|---|
| 1-Bedroom (City Center) | $150 |
| Meal at Local Spot | $3 |
| Monthly Transport Pass | $10 |
| Local Beer | $1.20 |
| Internet (50Mbps) | $50 |
brutal realness in quotes
> “i heard a guy tried to open a drum shop here and sold two snare heads in a month. but he made bank fixing generators.” - overheard at bar le grand, the kind of place with cracked tiles and the least pretentious whiskey pour you’ll ever get.
> “the fish in the congo don’t bite tourists. we’re too unpredictable. also, don’t swim at night.” - a boatman who refused to tell me his name but sells smoked fish in the marché central.
> “you can’t google how to get to half the bars in this city. you just have to smell the music.” - my moto-taxi driver, josué. he’s also the closest thing to a social media manager this city’s got.
tired thoughts on transport and vibes
walking around feels like slot car racing-if the cars are goats and the drivers are drunk on palm wine. moto-taxis zip around like wasps that know where the party’s at. getting around during the dry season is easier but dusty. in the wet season*, think of it like wading through a percussion solo-messy but full of life. the occasional bus does routes, but schedules? those are more abstract art than timekeeping.
if you're thinking of flying out, kinshasa's a little over an hour by flight - if the planes are working. lubumbashi’s further but feels like another country entirely. the drive to the airport? white-knuckle stuff unless you enjoy potholes pretending to be roads.
yeah, it’s not for everyone
let’s be real. kisangani’s not the kind of city where you come for the craft lattes or co-working lounges. yelp doesn’t review much here, and the subreddit is populated by two guys and a confused expat who posted asking where to buy dulux paint. people are surviving, creating, improvising. this is not gentrified chaos. this is raw, organic urban entropy.
but if you’re the kind of weird, creative human who’s allergic to polished experiences and wants to feel more than just your phone buzz in your pocket-kisangani might crack you open in the best way.
you’ll either leave in six months, or you’ll stay forever. no in-between.
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