KISANTU BOTANICAL GARDEN

This botanical garden was founded in 1900 by Brother Justin Gillet. It is one of the oldest botanical gardens in Central Africa. Brother Gillet (1866-1943) was in contact with missionary confreres all over the world. He introduced numerous species for food and scientific purposes. This 225-hectare estate, rehabilitated in 2005, enjoys a high reputation and is home to over 3,000 species, 98% of which are not native to the Congo. The varied landscapes can be admired from the top of Mont Calvaire. Highlights include the mangosteen orchard, the shade plant pergolas, the succulent plant greenhouse, the orchid collection, the medicinal plants, the arboretum and the palmetum along the Inkisi river. This place is beautiful in any season, but the best time to visit is undoubtedly in November and December, when the flowers are in full bloom and thousands of butterflies are fluttering about! Ask Françoise for a visit. Don't hesitate to stop off at the restaurant, where the menu is very good. Also worth a visit is the grotto where Brother Gillet used to retire daily to pray. The triple mission of the Kisantu Botanical Garden is to preserve nature, educate and teach young people and students, and conduct scientific research. Also worth seeing is the xylotheque, a small, well-structured didactic museum and a library of 4,000 books, some of them very old.