3 Days Nyiragongo Hiking Safari from Kigali or Goma
3 Days Nyiragongo Hiking Safari from Kigali or Goma: This 3 days Mount Nyiragongo hiking tour brings you to Africa’s oldest national park to see a boiling lava lake. The Nyiragongo volcano stands 3,470 meters tall and is one of the few mountains in the world with molten lava at its top.
Mount Nyiragongo’s molten lava is unique in that it contains little silica, allowing it to flow quicker than lava from other volcanoes across the world. Its lava flow is likened to Mount Hawaii’s, which moves at 100 kilometers per hour. The mountain has erupted 32 times since 1882. The most recent eruption took place in 2002.
The lava poured up to Lake Kivu in about 10 minutes, killing lives and property in Goma. The mountain has remained stable for a long time, with no significant eruptions, making it ideal for tourists. Furthermore, a team of foreign and local experts keeps an eye on the peak for any odd behavior.
Hiking Mount Nyiragongo is one of the two most popular activities in Congo’s Virunga National Park, along with gorilla trekking. Every year, hundreds of visitors go to the volcano, enticed by the prospect of seeing the glistening red-hot lava at the peak.
As one climbs to the summit, one can see the other Virunga volcanoes (Mikeno, Karisimbi, Bisoke, Gahinga, Muhabura, and Sabyinyo), Lake Kivu, Goma, and national parks in the backdrop (Virunga, Volcanoes and Kahuzi Biega). It is also possible to view monkeys, birds and bushbucks along the slopes of the mountain.
Mount Nyiragongo is a three-day hike. It takes around 5 hours to reach the peak and about 4 hours to return. Hikers must plan to spend the night at Nyiragongo’s peak since darkness provides the most spectacular and stunning view of the lava lake. Even Goma inhabitants are taken aback by the sight of the red magma lighting up the entire sky at night. This tour simply entails ascending the mountain, however it may be combined with gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park for one of Africa’s most unforgettable experiences.
More days are necessary when paired with gorilla trekking in Virunga, however you can also check out our 3day Congo gorilla trip package. The three-day Mount Nyiragongo hike begins in Goma, Congo, or Gisenyi, Rwanda.
Tour Itinerary for 3 Days Nyiragongo Hiking Safari.
3 Days Nyiragongo hike from and back to Kigali
Day 1: Pickup from Kigali & Transfer to Goma
Your guide will pick you up at the airport or another agreed-upon location in Kigali and, depending on time, take you on a brief tour of the city, including a visit to Kimironko market and the genocide monument. After lunch, cross the Congo border to Goma, where you will check in at the tourism border at the Grand Barrier to obtain a volcanic permit, and then move to your accommodation for the evening. Dinner and an overnight stay at the Linda Hotel
Day 2: Nyiragongo Hiking
You will depart your hotel in Goma early morning to report to Bukima and start your Nyiragongo hike with overnight at the summit where you will enjoy exciting views of the lava lake. Dinner and overnight stay at Camp shelters.
Day 3: Descend Nyiragongo & transfer to Kigali
You will descend Nyiragongo back to Bukima by 11am and depart Congo transferring to Kigali arriving in the late afternoon or early evening. Have lunch and visit the genocide memorial site, visit the Caplaki crafts village and transfer to your hotel or the airport for your departure flight.
What you need when planning your 3 Days Nyiragongo Hiking Safari From Kigali.
Hiking permits, a passport, a yellow fever vaccination card, and a Congo Visa are the most crucial prerequisites for climbing Mount Nyiragongo. There is a direct hiking permit to the mountain available.
Mount Nyiragongo may be climbed from Virunga National Park or through any reputable tour operator for a non-refundable cost of $356. Congo visas are harder to get than those for Uganda or Rwanda, 3 Days Nyiragongo Hiking Safari from Kigali or Goma.
Your tour operator company or the national park should be able to assist you with the application process. A single 14-day tourist visa to Congo costs $105 per person. Other travel documentation, such as a yellow fever vaccination certificate and a passport, are required.
Other travel documentation, such as a yellow fever vaccination certificate and a passport, are required. If you book your 3 Days Nyiragongo hiking safari from Kigali through a trusted tour operator like Explore Rwanda Tours, expect to pay around $1,231 per person if you are traveling with someone. This cost includes transportation, lodging, food, water, and porters.
