Congo Tours

Where Can I Experience the Mount Nyiragongo Hike

Mount Nyiragongo is among the most active volcanoes in Africa and it’s located in Democratic Republic of Congo in Virunga National Park. It is noted for long active lava lakes which appear in the summit crater. Nyiragongo is one of eight volcanoes in the Virunga Mountains. Nyiragongo Volcano Trek (3470m) is a large basaltic strato volcano located about 15 km north of the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The volcano is famous for persistent lava lake activity in its huge summit crater. In 2002 Nyiragongo erupted and the lava lake drained from fissures on its western flanks. The city centre of the Goma town, the capital of the East Virunga province, had been destroyed by voluminous lava flows. 200,000 people were left homeless; it’s the largest Eruption that displaced people in Congo.

Nyiragongo is a steep-sided, active volcano and needs some kind of fitness and energy to hike. There are some things you cannot miss to come along with on this hike such as Rain gear (trousers, rain jacket), head lamp, sleeping bag and plenty of warm clothes. A porter costs 24US$ and can carry 15 Kg. You probably want to buy a bag of coal at the station (5$, 5 kg) which the guide and porters will light for you at the rim huts, and you can cook whatever food you brought. Bring walking poles probably you can buy a Nyiragongo stick. You need to bring all your food and water. 5 litres. You leave Goma around 8:30 am. Always difficult trek, we give each person (2 guides for 2 people) each 10$, and the porters 5$.

The hike takes about 4 to 6 hours to climb the summit that begins at an altitude of about 1,989 meters to 3,470 meters above sea level. Guaranteed by experienced guides who will lead all your treks after checking your complete hiking and cold weather gear including packed meals, proper hydration and take preventive measures from your physician for those prone to Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) because of the change in altitude. Before you make the climb, make sure you have packed accordingly since there is no food service on top of Nyiragongo to be rewarding as it is demanding. Hired porters will help carry heavy bags not greater than the recommended15 kg which will make your trek more pleasurable than you expect.

Fortunately for fitter people it is possible to climb up and descend in one day. On one occasion you will reach the top of Nyiragongo after a walk through the lava rocks you are guaranteed to have extensive views of the Virunga mountains National Park. A fine early evening dinner and overnight stay at Nyiragongo Cabins built on the edge of the lava lake will introduce you to a new beginning in the late dark hours once again to view the dim brittle outside of lava, the merging and cracking lava rocks. Seeing rock plates separate and unbelievably create a spider-web like pattern typically makes Nyiragongo Lava Lake unique with attention-grabbing views you will ever wonder in a lifetime.

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