About Mount Nyiragongo in Virunga Congo.

Welcome to the Nyiragongo Volcano Guide offering travel information about climbing nyiragongo, where to stay( safari lodges and Trusted tours Operators in Congo, Cost of the Nyiragongo Hiking permit, gorilla trekking permits and Mountain Gorilla tracking adventure to Congo like 3 Days Gorilla Safari and 3 Days Nyiragongo climbing Safari to hike Nyiragongo Volcano.

Plan a Gorilla Trek Africa Adventure with Trusted tour Operator to congo will reward you visiting the primates of Congo ( Eastern Lowland Gorillas & Mountain Gorillas) with Nyiragongo Hike on 5 Days Congo gorilla Safari holiday.

Mount Nyiragongo is an active strato volcano with an elevation of 3,470 metres (11,380 ft)  in the Virunga Mountains associated with the Albertine Rift. It is located inside Virunga National Park, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, about 20 km (12 mi) north of the town of Goma and Lake Kivu and just west of the border with Rwanda. The main crater is about two kilometres wide and usually contains a lava lake.

Nyiragongo, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, is a large strato volcano. This type of volcano, also known as a composite cone, is the most picturesque of the volcano types with gentle lower slopes that rise steeply near the summit, and then break to reveal the smoking caldera. The summit stands at 3,468m (11,380ft), with an average diameter of 1.2 km (0.7 miles) across a deep crater formation. In the centre of the crater is the world’s largest lava lake. It is so bright that on a clear night, the glow can be seen not only from Goma but also from Rwanda. In the most recent volcanic eruption of 2002, a fissure opened on the south side of the volcano sending a lava flow toward the city of Goma, covering one-third of the city’s airport runway, and reaching Lake Kivu.

Geology of Mount Nyiragongo

Not much is known about how long the volcano has been erupting, but since 1882, it has erupted at least 34 times, including many periods where activity was continuous for years at a time, often in the form of a churning lava lake in the crater. The volcano partly overlaps with two older volcanoes, Baratu and Shaheru, and is also surrounded by hundreds of small volcanic cinder cones from flank eruptions.

The lava emitted in eruptions at Nyiragongo is often unusually fluid. Nyiragongo’s lava are made of melilite nephelinite, an alkali-rich type of volcanic rock whose unusual chemical composition may be a factor in the unusual fluidity of the lavas there. Whereas most lava flows move rather slowly and rarely pose a danger to human life, Nyiragongo’s lava flows may race downhill at up to 100 km/h (60 mph).

Climbing Mount Nyiragongo

Climbing the volcano is a two-mile-hike which starts 20 km (12 miles) north of Goma near Kibati. The trek takes approximately five hours and involves walking through lush forest and lava fields with a steep incline near the top. Please note that this is a serious hike and visitors need to be fit. The standard trip includes an overnight stay on the rim of the volcano in the Nyiragongo Crater Cabins, with comfortable beds, so visitors only have to bring a sleeping bag. The overnight stay is essential, as the view of the lava lake at night is stunning. The maximum group size per day is 24 pax. Minimum age for visitors is 12, check on the 3 Days Nyiragongo Hike Tour.

The Cost of the Nyiragongo Hiking Permit.

The Nyiragongo Permit can be booked through the Virunga Park or trusted tour operator recommended by the  Kahuzi Biega National Park travelers guide. But the Authority to confirm the availability is subjected to the confirmation from the park and its advisable to book the nyiragongo hike in advance to avoid disappointment like the case for Gorilla Trekking on a gorilla Safari.

What to Note while booking Nyiragongo Hike in Congo

Permit price does NOT include transport to the starting point of the hike, if your an independent traveler we recommend to check on the car rental firms in congo that offer transportation where by from Goma to Kibati they charge around USD 50 or to be booked through the Tour Operator.

Nyiragongo Trekkers must be at least 12 years of age and are required to bring full rain and cold weather gear (moisture-wicking base layer, sweater or fleece, jacket, rain resistant pants, long underwear, warm socks, hat, and a 0°C/32° – rated sleeping bag). Temperatures at the summit are routinely below freezing. Although most people arrive at the summit sweating from the steep climb, this sense of warmth quickly gives way to cold. A complete change of base layers is a must. Failure to bring proper gear will lead to hypothermia. Please do not endanger yourself and others by coming unprepared for these conditions.

PLEASE MAKE SURE TO ARRIVE AT THE KIBATI STATION (trail head for Nyiragongo) BY 9:15 AM ON THE DAY OF YOUR CLIMB. Climbers typically descend the volcano at between 6:30 – 7:00 am the next morning and arrive back at Kibati station by 11:30 am. If one intends to fly out of Kigali on the same day, please make sure to schedule your departure flight AFTER 6 pm in the evening hours due to the driving time from Gisenyi to Kigali and the driving speed.

Summit Shelters – Each of the twelve summit shelters contains two single beds on which visitors can put their sleeping bags. Although these shelters aren’t plush, they offer a welcome escape from the elements. The cost of staying in a summit shelter is included in the permit fee.

Meal Plan ($75) – includes snacks, lunch, and dinner on Day 1 and breakfast and snacks on Day 2. Water is also included for both days.

Meal and gear package ($100) – includes meal plan plus a sleeping bag, jacket, fleece top, hat and rain poncho.

Porters ($24) –  can be hired at the base of the climb to carry loads for $24 round trip (gratuity not included). The maximum weight that porters are authorized to carry is 15 kg. Porters can be arranged by speaking with a Virunga National Park ranger at the Kibati station.

Accommodation at the Top Summit of Nyiragongo Volcano.

Nyiragongo Crater Cabanas. On the edge of the Nyiragongo crater within sight of the sweltering lava lake, stand eight simple but firm Cabanas. Coloured black the Cabins blend in perfectly with the lava rock surroundings. Any trip up the volcano should include a night spent in these Cabins, that is why they have been included in the price of the volcano permit. They allow visitors to spend their night in sufficient comfort whilst also giving rise to the
opportunity to view the lava lake from the top of the crater at any point during the night. Each Cabana is fitted
with two beds allowing 16 visitors to reside at the crater at the same time.

What visitors should bring. For the Volcano trek in Nyiragongo:

The Nyiragongo Cabin takes a max of 24 pax and the availability of the nyiragongo hike is 24pax per day and check out what to bring incase your not paying for the mikeno package of USD 100.

• Sleeping Bag & Food (lunch, dinner, breakfast) will be provided by Origins Safaris.
•  Water (3 litres p.p. minimum) and any other drinks required
• Change of dry clothes and Rain gear
• Good walking shoes
• Warm Clothes (sweater, jacket) is very cold up there.
• Sun cream, Hat
• Torch/head torch
• Camera

Source: Official, www.nyiragongovolcano.org to find more detailed information about Mount Nyiragongo Hike in Congo once combined with gorilla trekking to Virunga  for mountain Gorillas or Kahuzi Biega National Park for Eastern Lowland Gorillas