Getting around the DRC is the single biggest challenge of traveling here. The country is the size of Western Europe, and its transport infrastructure has been neglected for decades. There are almost no paved roads outside the major cities, the railway network is fragmented and largely non-functional, and river services are irregular. You need to plan carefully, stay flexible, and accept that journeys will take longer than you expect.
Domestic flights are the only practical way to cover long distances. Congo Airways and a handful of smaller carriers connect Kinshasa with Lubumbashi, Kisangani, Goma, Bukavu, and other cities. Flights are often delayed or cancelled without notice, and aircraft can be requisitioned for government use. Book through the airline office in person when possible. Do not count on a flight departing on time -- or at all.
River transport is how much of the interior has always moved. The Congo River and its tributaries are navigable for thousands of kilometers, and barges carry passengers and goods between Kinshasa and Kisangani, a journey that takes roughly a week upstream. Most of the large ferries were destroyed during the civil wars, so what remains are smaller barges and pirogues (dugout canoes). Conditions are basic -- you sleep on deck, buy food from traders at stops along the way -- but it is one of the most memorable journeys in Africa.
Roads are the DRC's great weakness. Outside Kinshasa and Lubumbashi, paved highways give way quickly to rutted dirt tracks that become impassable in the rainy season. A journey that looks like 300 km on a map might take two or three days by 4x4. If you plan to travel overland beyond the main cities, you need a serious vehicle, recovery gear, fuel reserves, and patience measured in days rather than hours.
Within cities, taxis and motorcycle-taxis (known locally as "motos" or "boda-bodas") are the main options. In Kinshasa, minibuses called "esprits de mort" -- spirits of death, named for their driving style -- run fixed routes and are cheap but hair-raising. Negotiate taxi fares before getting in. In smaller cities, motos are often the only option.
Car hire is possible in Kinshasa and Lubumbashi but expensive, and you should always hire with a driver. Self-driving is not recommended -- road conditions, lack of signage, and police checkpoints make it impractical for visitors.