Mount Nyiragongo
Mount Nyiragongo is Congo’s beauty and one of the top tourist attractions that attracts thousands of travelers to come and hike the wonderful active volcano and one of the best tourist destinations in Congo.
Despite the striking beauty of Mount Nyiragongo and the breathtaking crater, the catastrophic history of an eruption that occurred over 14 years ago is still phenomenal among the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mount Nyiragongo is one of the very active volcanoes found in the vast Virunga National Park in the democratic republic of congo.
The lava crater on mount Nyiragongo is over 2 km wide, filled with viscous lava that boils beneath the volcano’s vent. You can see the lava from the two coiled benches of lava that form the rims within the crater walls of the Nyiragongo volcano. One realm is raised about 3175 meters and the second one is elevated about 2975 meters above sea level.
Mountain Nyiragongo in the Democratic Republic of Congo elevates over 3470 meters above sea level. It boasts about the boiling lava lake found on top of its summit west of the Rwanda-Congo border.
You can find Mount Nyiragongo approximately 20km north of Goma, a town situated on the shoreline of Lake Kivu. Mount Nyiragongo has a very traumatizing history; when it last erupted in 2016 and the lava lake flowed over a wide area, destroying a lot of infrastructure, farmlands, and humans as well. The lava in Mount Nyiragongo is very voluminous and its viscosity made it run very fast, covering a large area.
History about the previous eruption of Mountain Nyiragongo
Mount Nyiragongo is an active volcano found in the democratic republic of congo which is also part of the Virunga national park. Mount Nyiragongo is found on the floor of the western rift valley within the Albertine rift region. This may be the reason for the eruptions that first occurred millions of years ago, leading to the formation of Mount Nyiragongo.
Since 1882, Mount Nyiragongo has erupted more than 34 times, including a continuous series of eruptions over several years that spread over a wide area and featured a churning lava lake in the crater. The eruption also occurred again in 2010 and destroyed many properties; the last very serious eruption of Mount Nyiragongo occurred in 2002, killing over 147 people and forcing many to flee to the nearby town of Goma.
Geology of Nyiragongo
Mount Nyiragongo stands over two volcanoes called the Baratu and Shaheru volcanoes; however, it is also surrounded by many other volcanic cones from the numerous eruptions over a very long time. Mount Nyiragongo emits heavy fumes, which cover up the atmosphere above its summit; the smoke consists of fluid lava, which is made up of chemicals such as melilite and nephelinite, which form an alkaline-rich rock type.
For that reason, the lava from Mount Nyiragongo moves terribly fast down the hill, at up to 100 km/h (60 mph), unlike other volcanic lava, which flows slowly and causes limited damage.
Despite the pause mode that Mount Nyiragongo has tricked Congo into believing, there is still a significant threat associated with the deadly volcano. The constant fear of the people living near mount Nyiragongo in Congo is the consistent lava river that flows at a rapid speed from the cracks on one side of the mountain.
It is truly horrific and serves as a warning to the local people about a possible sudden eruption at any time, either now or in the near future.
Hiking on Mount Nyiragongo
If you love adventure and are looking for a good hiking experience, including mountain climbing to the top of a volcano and a glimpse of bubbling lava, then Mount Nyiragongo stratovolcano hiking safaris are perfect for you. The hiking trail is led by two armed game rangers or guides; one goes before the team and the other follows at the back to ensure safety. The guides set a 20-minute rest time for you during the hike to the summit, but you do not need to rest for that long to avoid delaying the group.
The actual hike to Nyiragongo can last for about three days; the three days involve hiking up to Nyiragongo, trekking up on the mountain and then coming back down from it on the last day.
The hike to the top of the mountain takes about 9-10 hours over a distance of about 10 miles to the top of Mount Nyiragongo; it starts in the morning at around 8:00 am EAT and by the drop of dusk you can be at the top of Mount Nyiragongo. It starts at 6510 ft and ends when the summit is reached. At the top of Mount Nyiragongo, you can get a chance to experience the night view of the bubbling crater full of hot red lava.
At the top or summit of Mount Nyiragongo, there are a few camping cottages where you can rest over the night. The night is much scarier up at the mountain, as the smoke from the bubbling crater can leave you thinking about hell. The hot red flash from the lava crater, however, is magnificent when seen during the night, supplemented with the starry night sky; a night at the top of the mountain is an epic time and a moment you will never forget.
The next morning, you climb down from the 20-mile-high summit, but it’s not as hard as going up. The hike down Nyiragongo is an opportunity for you to see many animals that you might have dodged on your way up, for example, warthogs, snakes, a few monkeys and a lot of birds and butterflies, among others.
How to get to Mount Nyiragongo
Reaching the Mountain is not challenging; from Rwanda-Kigali international airport, you can board an airport taxi to Gisenyi port on Lake Kivu. From Gisenyi, it will take you about 30 minutes to cross to Goma town in Congo, still on Lake Kivu. Mount Nyiragongo is located at a distance of about 9 miles, so you can hire a taxi to take you to the bottom of the mountain from Goma town. There are also public buses that can provide cheaper transport to Mount Nyiragongo. The public means of transport are cheap but may delay you.
