What to pack for Mount Nyiragongo hike: Mountain Nyiragongo is one of the 8 Virunga volcanoes that is located within Virunga National Park. Mountain Nyiragongo is located in 19kms north of Goma city near the borders of Rwanda. Mountain Nyiragongo can be accessed by using air transport or road transport from Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda. Mount Nyiragongo is one of the Virunga volcanic mountains and the only it and the neighboring Mount Nyamulagira are still active volcanos only volcanoes contribute to the volcanic activities in the whole of Africa. Mount Nyiragongo stretches an altitude of 3, 470 meters over the sea level which offers a medium hike to the top of the volcano with approximately 5-6 hours. Mount Nyiragongo is one of the lagers world’s most active volcanos, the mountain is home to the most fascinating Lava Lake in the world. Mount Nyiragongo hiking safaris were recently opened for tourists to Virunga National Park in 2014 by the park authorities.
Nyamuragira. Hiking to the Nyiragongo volcanoes is the most exciting activity, the volcano is home to the world’s greatest larva. Visitors to Congo hiking safaris to these magnificent and enthralling mountains will be rewarded with the surprising view of the wonderful lava, and extraordinary views of the astonishing lakes with a lot of fumes coming out of Melilite napelinite. Hiking to this fascinating Nyiragongo Mountain takes 2 days for a hiker to reach the summit of the volcano. During the hiking, you will get an opportunity to meet with the prizing animals that inhabit the forest like mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, duikers, bushbucks, warthogs, olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, waterbucks, Kobs, topis, okapi, aardvark, buffaloes, leopards, elephants, birds such as cardinal woodpecker, White-throated Bee-eater, Olive Bee-eater, Croaking Cisticola, Short-winged Cisticola, Sitting Cisticola, Wing-snapping Cisticola, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Banded Prinia, banded prinia, grey-headed negrofinch, hadeda ibis, mountain green bull among others. Hiking to the Nyiragongo volcano also offers charming views of the montane landscape in the neighboring countries of Uganda and Rwanda, the views offer visitors extraordinary experiences and wonderful views of the Virunga Mountains.
Mount Nyiragongo hiking starts normally at 10:00 am, but hikers are advised to be at Kibati village or ranger post at 9:00 am for briefing and detailed arrangements, on what to expect during the hiking among others.
What to pack for Mount Nyiragongo hike: Essentials to pack for Mount Nyiragongo hike
Camera and Binoculars; as usual since you need to capture any moments spent on your volcano adventure.
Binoculars will enable you to spot amazing scenery particularly while climbing down the mountain.
Good hiking shoes, pack comfortable and strong hiking shoes to offer adequate ankle support considering that the land on the mountain is rocky, steep, and uneven
Rain jacket or coat since the summit at Mount Nyiragongo will take you through some bushland or forested land with unpredictable rainfall.
Insect repellant to assist you in banishing away insects
Hikers should get proper medicines for Diamox to deal with altitude sickness.
A hiking stick though sometimes it is provided during the briefing but carrying your own is acceptable and important.
Enough drinking water and snacks to keep you strong throughout the hike.
Sunscreen, because when it shines it is hot and can burn your skin
Head gear to protect your hair from particles falling off trees and also keep your head warm in the unfriendly higher heights
Remember to hire a porter in case you have a heavy backpack that requires assistance
Hiking permit or Copy of your passport. This is required for your registration at the park office in Bukima Patrol. Without it, you will not be registered for the activity and you will not be allowed to join the hike.
A sleeping bag; this is highly advised especially as you sleep on the thin mattresses provided in the huts at the summit. For those without sleeping bags, the park improvises but strongly recommends carrying your own.
A sleeping tent is highly advanced especially for those planning to hike up to the summit but those without the park improvise but strongly recommended to carry your own.
Cost of hiking permit for Mount Nyiragongo
Every hiker planning to take part in the mountain Nyiragongo hike, home to the world’s largest lava lake will be requites to book a hiking permit at the park tourism offices or contact us at achieves Global Safaris we can also arrange for you one at the cost of US$ 300 per person hiking in a day. Travelers are recommended to book for the permit in advance about 3-4 months earlier
What to pack for Mount Nyiragongo hike: Best time to go for hiking on Mount Nyiragongo
The drier months spanning from June to September and December to February are the perfect time to go for wildlife viewing in Virunga National Park because they are characterized by little or no rainfall which makes the trekking and hiking trails less slippery, the vegetation in the park is short giving clear views of the park animals, and the roads leading to the park are passable. More so, on top of the volcano, there is less mist during the dry season, providing astonishing views of the lava lake.
What to pack for Mount Nyiragongo hike: Getting to Mount Nyiragongo hike
When planning to go for a hike in Mount Nyiragongo, you need to first reach to Virunga National Park office which is located in the Goma in the east of the democratic republic of Congo then move to Kibati ranger’s villages where most of the Mount Nyiragongo hiking tours begins from. Virunga National Park can be easily accessed either by road or by air, by road you can access Uganda on the Bunagana border which is easy to cross and a one hour drive will be enough to usher you on gorilla tracking of Jomba and Bikenge gorilla families and through Rwanda crossing via Gisenyi or from Goma border which is also very easy to cross or by air transport means through Goma Airport. You will fly into Goma from Kinshasha or Entebbe which is near the park
Accommodation facilities in Virunga National Park
While hiking at Mount Nyiragongo, there are a lot of accommodation facilities that are capable of accommodating all categories of visitors, accommodation facilities in Virunga National Park range from luxury level to budget level. Some of the accommodations here include Ngai Lodge, Lulimbi Tented Camp, Bukima Tented Camp, Tchegera Island Tented Camp, Mikeno Lodge, and Nyiragongo Volcano Summit Shelter among others.
