N'djili is dated and slow, and the immigration queue rewards patience over urgency, but nobody comes here for the terminal experience. February brings fares as low as $480, while July and December can push them 40-60% higher, so the calendar matters more than usual. The visa process is its own small project, best started well before you think about packing. Once through, you get the Congo River, a legendary music scene, and a city that doesn't bother pretending to be anywhere else.
