NYIRAGONGO VOLCANO
Lakes of hot lava are one of the most spectacular forms of volcanic activity, but they are very difficult to see because there’s only a few of them in the world at any given time. So, if you want to see a really impressive lava lake, you have only one option left: Nyiragongo.
Nyiragongo volcano located in the east of Congo DRC, at around 19kms from Goma. It’s the most active volcano in the world. In 1997 and 2002, flows of very liquid lava broke out from cracks in the slopes. They covered 17km to Goma in just a few minutes, killed dozens of people in refugee camps, and left hundreds of thousands homeless. The eruptions temporarily drained the lava lake in the summit crater; volcanic gases suffocated heather forest on the upper slopes. Now the forest is recovering, and the wildlife is coming back. The climb takes 4-5 hours; there are a lot of rare birds and small mammals along the trail.

Located in Virunga national Park, it’s accessible to visitor from Goma or Gisenyi towns. The visit can take two to three days. Passing the night on the top of the Volcano allow to discover the night activity of the lava, which is visible from the camping site, on 3450m of altitude.
As we have told u before, the volcano visit can be done either two or three days. The two days visit with one night on the top, allows you to observe the sunset and sunrise, But especially to admire the nocturnal spectacle of the lake of Red hot lava in fusion.
The ascension starts behind the patrol post of the national park, on 1900m of altitude. The path begins in the forest where we find some very nice trees.

After walking about 50 minutes, you will reach the front of the first flow of the lava flown in
2002. The lava is presented here as unstable blocks, putting in Evidence a sticky flow. Then you pull up in the direction of the lava flow up to their source joining Shaheru adventive’s crater to the principal cone of Nyiragongo.

In some many was you can observer trunks of trees which were burnt and spoilt by the lava flow. Very far on slop you will distinguish a first very fluid lava flow which were broadcasted when the eruption begun and which covered a big part of the ground as gigantic storm.
On 2700m of altitude, you will join the eruptive fracture to the origin of those flows. This fracture has been active in 1977 eruption and is still largely opened and you can fund there different active cracks of the 2002 eruption. Leaving this area you will abandon the lava for finding again the former way which leads straight to the altitude forest.
Towards 2900m you will enter in arborescent heathen, this one make 3 to 5meter high
Very high you can discover giant lobelias and senecons kind of big cabbages to green thick grasses found on hail trunks.

Towards 3100m you will reach the affected area by acid gas rejected by the volcano. And you will admire the vegetation essentially composed of the heathen and senecons which seem to be burnt and lot of spoilt plants.
Towards 3300m of altitude, the vegetation starts to disappear for letting the place to a rocky slope.
Goma (1500m; pop 680,000)
In the year of 2002 the majestic Nyiragongo volcano erupted and the oozing lava buried most of the town’s streets, particularly the centre.
Since then Goma is a city under constant constructions, and in most suburbs water & electricity supplies are still erratic, to the point of non-existence.
The town itself worth a visit – on day, and when the bustling Congolese night life is awaking (which is quite early!).
Goma is also the base to climb Nyiragongo volcano, to do the cheapest Mountain Gorilla tracking in Virunga National Park and to do a Game drive in the Rwindi National Park, or to begin a fascinating overland to Kisangani, and cruise on The river Congo up to Kinshasa.
Upemba and Kundelungu National parks: These two parks are located in south east of the Drc in the Katanga province and home to some 1,800 different species, some of them discovered in 2003. While there you can also visit the Upemba Lake and The Lofoi falls the highest falls of Africa and the second in the world (after Salto Angel in Venezuela), with 384 m of height and a continuous water jet of 347 Mr.
Epulu Station: Located in the Ituri provinces it has become a popular destination because of the okapi and the presence of to many Bamboutis pygmies. Remember okapi can be found only here in the whole world. At Epulu one has also the possibility of walking in Ituri virgin forest with the Bamboutis pygmies.

Congo Tours, DRC Nyiragongo Volcano Safaris
Hakuna Matata Tours is your comprehensive travel company in the East Africa region, offering safaris in Rwanda, Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Burundi to see, Mountain Gorillas, Chimps, Birds, lions, to learn people culture, climbing Mountains and Active volcanoes among others.
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