Nyiragongo Mountain (Mount Nyiragongo) is one of the eight volcanoes found in the Virunga ranges – an area spanning across three East and Central African countries: Uganda, Rwanda, and the DRC. Nyiragongo is situated in the western part of the massif on the outskirts of Virunga National Park. The price of hiking permits is $300 each. This mountain has had numerous eruptions before.
This mountain is so interesting and spectacular compared to the others, well known for its lava lake and frequent eruptions. However, it’s now open for hiking all year round. The mountain is located within Virunga National Park, which is the oldest park in Africa. It is among the most visited Virunga volcano mountains in the Virunga Conservation Area. It is a great place for Congo safari tours.
Mount Nyiragongo is a real vigorous stratovolcano with a height of about 3,470 meters and a spectacular crater on top which is about 2 kilometers wide and contains a lava lake. The lake situated in the crater has two different lava benches in the crater walls. These lava benches have different levels: one which is about 3,175 meters and the other is about 2,975 meters above sea level. The Nyiragongo Mountain is also responsible for the past volcanic eruptions that happened in Africa.
Mount Nyiragongo has erupted about 34 times since 1882, including times when eruptions lasted almost a year. It is home to the largest lava lake on top of any known mountain in the world. The lava lake on top is about 60 feet high and has a wide steep-sided cinder cone which was created on the crater base.
Safaris to Nyiragongo Volcano
Hiking the Nyiragongo Mountain starts from about 1,994 meters (6,500 feet) and visitors hike for an estimated 5,000 feet to reach the summit of Mount Nyiragongo at 11,500 feet. The hiking expedition covers about 8 kilometers, which is not a difficult distance, giving some signs of how steep the hike can be to allow travelers to gain such altitude in a short distance.
The hike to Mount Nyiragongo is divided into four sections; each distinguished with a rest stop. It must be noted by hikers that weather plays a significant role in the experience you get from the adventure. Hiking during the dry season is the best time compared to hiking in the rainy seasons, because rain makes the experience a bit tougher. However, hiking on this mountain is done throughout the year.
The first section is the simple warm-up; this is a long trail where hikers conquer about 250 meters in altitude. This is a gradual trail with fewer climbing spots. This stretch is the longest distance before reaching Rest Spot 1, which is about 25-30% of the total distance.
The second section is called the Lava Road. Here, the terrain changes from a woody trail to loose lava rock. The rocks are small and loose, making it more of a balancing play. There is some altitude gain, especially at the end of this trail. The biggest risk for hikers here is that the rocks are slippery and loose.
The third section has some lava rock and gains altitude. Here the rock becomes loose craggy rock pieces, but no longer smoother lava rock. The best thing about this section is that hikers can choose where to step and not to step. This is an enjoyable section for travelers.
The longest is the steep stretch, a continuous segment of the hike. Here, hikers gain significant altitude throughout this segment with large steps on lava rock as the hike continues to the summit. At the end of this segment, hikers reach the fourth resting spot. This point has a small cabin that marks the last stop before hiking to the summit.
The final segment is the summit with the lake lava marked with an extremely steep climb. On this segment, you will definitely feel the real change in the altitude if you didn’t feel it either in the third or the previous segments. On the top of the mountain, you can see the lava lake with its spectacular views. The two cabins are in a row right at the top just a few feet from the volcano, and the other set of cabins is situated a few feet down the mountain.
Note that hiking to the summit of Mount Nyiragongo takes about 5 hours, depending on the weather and the relative speed of hikers. Mount Nyiragongo can be accessed through Kigali International Airport, taking about a 4-hour drive through Gisenyi, crossing into the D.R. Congo via the Goma border and to Goma town, which is the nearest town to Virunga National Park with an estimated distance of about 20 kilometers.
To get to Kibati Ranger Station, it is recommended that visitors use 4×4 Land Cruiser safari vehicles, as the road conditions may worsen, especially during the rainy seasons.
