All activities / Wildlife Safaris / Lola ya Bonobo
Wildlife Safaris in Lola ya Bonobo
A forested sanctuary about 30 kilometres south of Kinshasa, home to the world's only refuge for orphaned bonobos, the great ape found nowhere on earth but the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Why here
Lola ya Bonobo is the one place a traveler can reliably meet bonobos, the great ape that lives only in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, south of the Congo River. The name means paradise for bonobos in Lingala, and the sanctuary was created in 1994 by Claudine Andre to take in orphans of the bushmeat and pet trades. More than 70 bonobos now live across forest enclosures set around a lake, in family groups that mirror how the species lives in the wild, where females lead and conflict is settled with closeness rather than aggression. A guided visit walks you through the story of each group and the wider fight to protect a species most people never get to see. It sits about 30 kilometres from central Kinshasa, close enough for a half-day trip, which makes it the most accessible real wildlife experience in a country whose famous eastern parks are largely shut by conflict. The sanctuary also runs Ekolo ya Bonobo, a rewilding preserve far upriver where sanctuary-raised bonobos have been released back into the forest, the first returns of their kind.
Best months
The sanctuary is open for guided day tours Tuesday through Sunday and closed on Mondays, with set tour times through the day and a close at four in the afternoon. Visitors keep well back from the animals under strict health rules, so there is no contact with the bonobos. The drier months from June to September make the unpaved approach road easier. Rain is heavy and frequent the rest of the year.
Getting there & around
Travel advisory · Do Not Travel
Level 4 (Do Not Travel) per US State Department (as of 2026-07), covering the whole of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for armed conflict in the east and an Ebola outbreak in Ituri Province. This sanctuary sits in the Kinshasa area in the west, away from the eastern fighting, and operates normally. Access is by road about 30 kilometres south of Kinshasa, best arranged with a driver or local operator. A DRC visa, a yellow fever certificate and malaria precautions are required. Carry cash in US dollars or local francs for the entrance fee. Confirm current conditions and your government advisory before any travel.
Skill levels: beginner
Schools & guides (1)
Friends of Bonobos
OrganizerFriends of Bonobos, known in the DRC as Les Amis des Bonobos du Congo, runs Lola ya Bonobo, the world's only sanctuary for orphaned bonobos. It was founded in 1994 by Claudine Andre on a forested site about 30 kilometres south of Kinshasa. More than 70 bonobos rescued from the wildlife trade live there in forest enclosures set around a lake. The group also runs Ekolo ya Bonobo, a rewilding preserve where sanctuary-raised bonobos have been returned to the wild.