The Grand Mosque of Kong, also known as Missiriba, is one of the must-see highlights of any trip to Côte d’Ivoire.
The Grand Mosque of Kong is one of the earliest signs of Islam in Northern Ivory Coast. The exact date is unknown, though certain texts found indicate that Kong had many mosques by the year 1741.
Other Mosques in Africa made out of mud:
There is also another mud mosque in the village of Sorobango, which is somewhat more difficult to access than Kong. The Great Mud Mosque of Djenne in Mali and the Grand Mosque of Bobo-Dioulasso in Burkina Faso, are perhaps the two most famous ones, but there is one in Ghana, the Larabanga Mosque, which is often referred to as the “Mecca of West Africa”. One day, I hope I can visit Mali again and backpack in Burkina Faso and Ghana.
I arrived in Kong at around 4 pm, hot-footed it to the only hotel in town, the Auberge de Kong and then back to town just in time to catch the ‘nice light’.
On the other side of the road is a much smaller and darker mud mosque:
I decided to stay a 2nd night at the Auberge de Kong. I had the shits all night, anyhow. I braved the outside world in the morning and headed into town again. Water, cola, biscuits, La Vache Qui Rit, bread from the bakery and a Nescafe.
I returned to the Mud Mosque of Kong and got a second series of shots under different light.
The sun was rather too high, and the mornings have been very hazy lately, but the shots turned out ok, AND the doors to the mosque were open. I took a peek inside. There is no inner courtyard. There are many separate prayer rooms with an internal roof made of wood.
How to get to Kong – Ivory Coast – from Ferkessédougou
From Ferkessédougou (Ferke), minivans cost 2,500 XOF and the ride is piste all the way. They go when full. I heard that there is an earlier departure, but not when I went, and the 2-hour trip I read about is something of a joke.
There is normally a full-size Abidjan – Ferke – Kong bus. It passes through Ferke at around 4 pm (no idea where you catch it though) and arrives in Kong at around 7 pm.
And it should go back at around 5 am. And I was told 3 times that this bus goes past the Auberge de Kong, so there was no need to walk to town. But the reality is quite different.
When it came time to leave, I walked to town at 4:30 am, and the bus was only a 25-seater minibus, and I got the last seat and left within minutes of my arrival. It did not take the paved road past the auberge as I was told, but took another piste which was in much better condition than the one from 2 days earlier, and we hit the highway pretty quickly, and then we rolled on to Yamoussoukro, 7,000 XOF, 350km.
Where to stay in Kong – Ivory Coast
There is, seemingly, only the Auberge de Kong, 1km from town, its signposted at the road junction. They have 26 rooms, all with a TV and AC (you need it here). The standard deluxe is 15,000XOF, and the mega deluxe is a whopping 30,000XOF. No idea how that one looks. The WIFI wasn’t functioning when I stayed. They have a restaurant and bar, but the prices were kinda expensive, as you would expect. I ate in town and later, drank my evening beer at one of the many little makeshift bars on the roadside.
Here is my little detached bungalow at the Auberge de Kong:
