The Eala Botanical Garden sits about 6 kilometres east of Mbandaka on the bank of the Congo River, established by Belgian colonial botanists in 1900 to study and collect tropical plant species from across the Congo Basin. At its colonial-era peak it was one of the great tropical gardens of Africa. Today it is something stranger: a partially maintained botanical collection surrounded by encroaching equatorial forest, where signposted paths lead through groves of exotic trees to sections that have been entirely reclaimed by the jungle.
For visitors with any interest in equatorial botany, the garden is remarkable — the diversity of tree species alone is extraordinary, and walking its paths gives you a real sense of the biological wealth of the Congo Basin. It is also simply one of the more beautiful places to walk near Mbandaka, with the river visible through the trees and the silence of deep forest around you. The garden is nominally open to visitors; expect to pay a small entrance fee and possibly negotiate with the caretaker. Transport from Mbandaka can be arranged through guesthouses.