Visit Lola ya Bonobo
LOLA YA BONOBO WILL BE CLOSED ON WEEKDAYS STARTING MAY 15 UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
WEEKEND AND OVERNIGHT VISITS WILL CONTINUE AS NORMAL.
To the attention of our kind visitors,
For technical reasons related to the preparation of a new group of bonobos for reintroduction to the wild and to adaptations to be made on the enclosures, we are obliged to temporarily close the Lola ya Bonobo center during the week.
Therefore, as of May 15, 2023, the LYB center will be accessible only on weekends and holidays. Only school visits and lunch visitors scheduled with ABC will be welcomed during the week.
Please do not hesitate to contact our tour guides to schedule your visits or to obtain more information about the lunch program.
Email them at abc_visiteur@yahoo.fr
We will keep you informed as to when the center will reopen on weekdays.
Thank you for your understanding.
The Lola ya Bonobo Team
Overnight Stays
Join Us! A visit to Lola ya Bonobo is an unforgettable experience that will open your eyes and heart to the majesty of Congo! Imagine sitting quietly watching the bonobos emerge from the forest or seeing playful young bonobos swinging through the trees just a few feet away.
Explore the sanctuary's lush landscapes and view the bonobos in their semi-wild habitat while a guide leads you on a private tour. Accompany a caregiver on a boat ride for feeding time and watch as bonobos gather to collect the food.
Stay in a comfortable eco-lodge at the villa that the former leader of Congo, Mbutu Sese Seko, used as his weekend retreat. Relax as a personal chef cooks delicious French and Congolese meals. Dine on the terrace where you may have the opportunity to chat with a visiting scientist or a member of our team. Go to sleep and wake up with the bonobos calling out their greetings.
Lola ya Bonobo hosts dozens of overnight international visitors each year! Because we have limited space, we must be very selective in accepting visitors for this exclusive experience. For information about rates and reservations for overnight guests, please send an e-mail including your name, the date you plan to visit, and the number of people in your party, to:
English: Please send your request to info@bonobos.org
French: Please send your request to abc_visiteur@yahoo.fr
When you visit Lola ya Bonobo, you are contributing to the conservation of these gentle great apes!
Daytime Visits
In Kinshasa? Plan a trip to Lola ya Bonobo sanctuary. It’s just 20 miles from the capital, next to Les Petites Chutes de Lukaya (waterfalls)!
General Information
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Open every day except Monday
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Tours leave at: 1000 / 1130 / 1300 / 1430
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Please arrive 15 minutes before your tour
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Guided tours last about one hour
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Sanctuary closes at 1600
We welcome school groups. Please contact us in advance to schedule.
Entrance Fees
DRC Residents: $5 USD
Non-Residents: $10 USD
Children under 12: Free
Lunch Package
$50/person (includes one meal, two drinks, and the entrance fee)
Round Trip Transportation
$150 (between central Kinshasa and Lola ya Bonobo)*
*Our vehicles can accommodate up to three individuals per trip
To arrange transportation and/or lunch at the sanctuary, please email abc_visiteur@yahoo.fr AT LEAST 1 WEEK IN ADVANCE. Include your name, date you will be visiting, number of people in your party, and the location you will need to be transported to and from. If requesting lunch, please also include any dietary restrictions.
There's a lot to see at Lola ya Bonobo!
Follow tour guide Arsène as he shows you around the sanctuary.
COVID-19: Visitor protocols are in effect
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Visitors must wear a mask AND a visor throughout the duration of the visit.
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Temperature is checked upon arrival. In case of fever, you will be asked to postpone your visit.
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Everyone entering the site must disinfect (handwashing, spraying clothes, stepping into a disinfectant bath).
No touching
Visitors have absolutely NO CONTACT with the bonobos at Lola. Bonobos have similar physiology to humans and can easily catch illnesses we don’t even know we are carrying. We have learned over the last 25 years that the bonobo orphans in the nursery do best when human contact is limited to their surrogate moms.
Lola intends to release all able bonobos back to the wild, where they belong, and we follow strict protocols to ensure their success for the long term. Our #1 priority is always the conservation and welfare of the bonobos.