Mount Nyiragongo Hike 2021

Mount Nyiragongo Hike 2021: With tourism slowly bouncing back after the coronavirus pandemic, many are searching for their next travel destination in 2021. When planning for your next adventure, you should not miss out on the Mount Nyiragongo hike this year.

A mount Nyiragongo hike is one of the mostly done activities by tourists visiting Virunga National Park in the eastern province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mount Nyiragongo is one of the active volcanoes in Congo; with its last eruption being reported in 2002. In 2010, the volcanic mountain showed signs of erupting but it has not erupted till date-2021.

Mount Nyiragongo in Congo is one of the volcanic mountains in the great Virunga Volcano Massif along with eight other volcanoes which include Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Karisimbi, Mount Bisoke, Mount Gahinga, Mount Muhabura, Mount Nyamuragira and Mount Mikeno; all of which are shared between Congo, Rwanda and Uganda.

The highlight of all Mount Nyiragongo hikes in 2021 is the molten lava lake that is found at the summit of the mountain. The scenery at the summit is nothing but spectacular as hikers are dazzled by the red lit sky which is a reflection of the red hot molten lava lake. This is why including a hike to Mount Nyiragongo in 2021 is worth every penny you have.

Hiking starts at the park’s headquarters in Kibati at 10:00 am. Just like tourists partaking any activity in the park are briefed, likewise visitors doing the Mount Nyiragongo hike will be briefed before hiking begins.

Hiking Mount Nyiragongo in Virunga national park in Congo takes between 5-6 hours for hikers to reach its summit; with a night spent at the mountain summit. Hikers are accompanied by well trained and knowledgeable park rangers, along with potters to carry your luggage at an extra fee.

There are accommodation shelters that have been constructed on the mountain for visitors who wish to spend an overnight on the mountain. The scenery at the lava lake during the night is an overwhelming sight that one can’t really put into words. The red glow created by the boiling molten lava in the Crater Lake is something that visitors don’t get to see every day.

A complete Mount Nyiragongo hike takes 2 days and does not involve a lot of vigorous activity, so any tourist can hike the mountain as long as you don’t have any conical illnesses. However, the altitude on the mountain can be extreme, so some hikers may tend to feel dizzy especially if you are hiking for the first time.

Once you get to the summit, hikers are rewarded with beautiful views of Virunga national park and the neighboring Volcanoes national park in Rwanda. Hikers will also have clear views of Lake Kivu which is shared by Congo and Rwanda.

The descend below the mountain starts the next morning at 6:30 am after having your breakfast. Descending the mountain can take between 3 to 4 hours. On you get to bottom of the mountain, proceed to Kibati where you will find your guide waiting for you.

Visitors can always combine a hike to Mount Nyiragongo with gorilla trekking in Virunga national park along with other activities offered by the park such as; chimpanzee habituation, hike Mount Rwenzori, guided forest walks and birding to mention but a few.

What you need for your Mount Nyiragongo Hike 2021.

Here are a few essential items to pack for your Mount Nyiragongo hike in 2021;

Hiking permit: A hiking permit for Mount Nyiragongo costs USD 300 dollars per person. This fee is nonrefundable and covers park entrance fees, security, transportation to and from the park, one night stay at the mountain summit and park guide fee. Visitors planning to hike Nyiragongo Mountain can book a hiking permit directly from Virunga national park offices in Goma or through a trusted tour operator company like Explore Rwanda Tours. The Nyiragongo hiking permit excludes porter fees and meals unless one book a Mikeno package that is fully equipped with everything including meals, rain jacket, sleeping bag, enough drinking water, a porter, a cook, and a warm sweater at USD 100 per package per person.

Appropriate hiking shoes: a comfortable pair of fitting shoes is essential and it should be light in weight and waterproof to enable you with stand long hours of ascending to the top of Nyiragongo.

A porter: the weight of your luggage determines how many porters you require for your Nyiragongo hike. Apart from helping in carrying the luggage, porters also offer a helping hand in difficult terrains by pushing or pulling the hiker.

Sleeping bag: in case you dint book a Nyiragongo backpack, then you will require to carry an appropriate sleeping bag considering the temperatures at the summit tend to be very low thus too much coldness. In case you book a Mikeno package then no need to worry about sleeping equipment as they are inclusive in the package at $100.

Warm attire: you need warm attire which includes stockings, gloves, long-sleeved attire, a rain jacket and a warm sweater to keep you warm throughout the night.

Packed lunch and enough drinking water: Ensure that you pack along some snacks to munch on during the hike to obtain some energy to push on till the end. Enough drinking water to keep you hydrated throughout your hiking expedition.

A cook: Since there are no hotels at the summit, hikers need to hire cooks that will take care of them as long as they are at the summit. Those who purchase the Nyiragongo backpack are lucky that the package doesn’t come with the sleeping equipment only but also comes along with the cooks.

A hiking stick: this hiking stick to keep you well balanced during the hike is provided free of charge by the park. However, visitors planning to hike the mountain can always bring along their own hiking sticks if you wish.

Other essential items to pack for your Mount Nyiragongo hike in 2021 include; a torch, camera and extra batteries, sunscreen and insect repellent cream, a cap/hat, sunglasses and some snacks.

Important Information to note when planning for your hike on Mount Nyiragongo in Congo.

While preparing to for your Mount Nyiragongo hike in 2021, here are a few things you ought to know.

All international visitors must obtain a visa to Congo which costs USD 105 per person.
A proof of yellow fever vaccination is required when travelling to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Particular level of fitness is required to manage the 6 hours hike and an overnight in the cold.
Ensure that all your valuable items are properly protected at all the time while at the summit since you are with different people from different backgrounds.

Conclusions: In case you wish to book a hike on Mount Nyiragongo in 2021, do not hesitate to get in touch with our team of expert tour consultants at Explore Rwanda Tours.