WOW, this is so freaking stunning. I can’t hide my excitement when my head peaks above the edge of the crater. After 7 hours of conquering loose lava rocks and steep hills, I finally reached the top of Mount Nyiragongo at 3500 meters. The reward is the most insane spectacle of nature I have ever witnessed, a smoking hot bubbling lava lake.
Let’s take a few steps back and see where all of this started. At the end of this post I added loads of travel tips and a full breakdown of the cost.
Acclimatizing at Kibumba Tented Camp
The last few days we have spotted the Nyiragongo volcano as a majestic backdrop of the luxury Kibumba Tented Camp. A bold mountain with a cute cloud escaping from the top. At night the white smoke colors deep orange red. While I am looking at the challenge ahead, I visualizing reaching the top, telling myself altitude would not be a problem and my fitness level as an IT nerd should be just fine.
A truck of armed rangers
Good morning DRC, today is the day! After a solid breakfast with pancakes and eggs we make our way to the exit. The jeep is waiting, the excitement is growing. The heavily armed rangers jump on a second jeep and another ranger takes a seat next to our driver. The people in Virunga National Park do everything they can to make sure we get safely from A to B. It’s quite an adventure to be escorted by such a convoy and if you have seen the Virunga documentary on Netflix you also understand this is not just for show.
Are we going on an expedition?
The last part of the road is a bit bumpy and we spot a big cannon before reaching the “base camp”. We register our names and pick up the rented Virunga backpacks with warm clothes, a poncho, sleeping bag, snacks and 3 large bottles of water. It costs 50 USD but it’s a no-brainer. It also includes a chef hiking with you to the top to prepare dinner & breakfast. In my own bag I packed a whole bunch of other warm clothes, head torch and an extra hiking set in a dry bag for the way down. It’s totally up to you if you want to carry your own bags or ask a porter to help. We paid 25 USD for each porter (one for the Virunga backpack and one for our own backpack). Another thing you can rent on the spot for 5 USD is a hiking stick. Do yourself a favor and get one, you will thank me later!
We are all set to go and it’s time for a briefing. There will be 4 sections, the first one is 45 min warm up, almost flat, the next 2 sections are rocky and uphill, the last section is like climbing a black ski slope filled with lava rocks (cold ones). In between each section there will be a spot to sit, catch our breath, have a snack and hydrate. Depending on the fitness of our group it will take between 5 and 8 hours.
It’s not a competition
Off we go. “It’s not a competition, everyone has to follow my pace, let’s start slowly”. After saying these words our guide / ranger takes of at a very decent pace, not what I would call slow. You have to keep in my mind that I am not an athlete, I walk quite a bit in the city on flat terrain but that’s it. A month before this trip I went 4 days to Hong Kong and hiked up and down the peak every day. In Belgium I ran 20 minutes every day for 2 weeks but that was the only preparation I did.
As expected the first section was very doable and everyone was in good spirit. The following sections are more challenging as there are a lot of loose rocks playing with your balance skills. I would arrive at the rest spots out of breath. A freshly made sandwich carried by our chef was a great way to gain some extra energy.
As we reach section 3, things start to become extra challenging. It suddenly starts raining and we quickly stop to get out our ponchos. We are also gaining altitude quickly forcing us to breath more deeply to get enough oxygen. The rest point is in sight but it takes another 30 minutes to reach it.
The last mile is the longest
We have been hiking for almost 7 hours when I look up and see the small shacks at the top of the volcano where we will spend the night. I feel confident I will reach there soon. The last section is both technically and physically hard but doable. Because of the altitude I feel a tiny bit lightheaded and I am out of breath but every step brings me closer to the top. At some moments lava rocks slide and I have to move quickly to not fall. Other times I have to backtrack and choose another path because it’s simply too steep.
I freaking made it to the top!
One last step, one more deep breath. I can’t stop smiling when I spot the insane lava lake when I peak over the edge of the crater for the first time. Hell Yeah, I freaking made it! Time to high 5 my travel buddy on this trip @bartla and enjoy a never ending out of this world lava spectacle. It’s like watching a mount doom scene of Lord of the rings, hard to describe, different than anything else I have witnessed before.
Dinner by a boiling lava lake
As the sun sets the spectacle only grows bigger. We can clearly see patches of lava bubbling and flares of fire escape from the lake. Smoke from the volcano is mixing with clouds, thunder, lighting, it’s excitingly beautiful.
After binge watching the lava show the chef invites us for dinner in a small shack next to the crater. Some people lose their appetite but was starving. The chef did an amazing job on an improvised charcoal fire. Hearty soup as starter, a mountain of pasta with veggies accompanied by a big chicken drumstick as main and fruits for dessert. It’s cozy and warm but our exchange of travel stories is interrupted by a small tornado that blows the ashes of the charcoal fire allover the place. It’s epic to feel nature’s force at 3500 meters, it’s all part of the experience!
We head back to the crater for another round of fireworks. It’s mesmerizing to follow the patterns of earth crust mixing and spattering in the boiling lava.
Besides some clouds passing by, we are very lucky with the weather. It’s possible that the whole crater is covered and you can’t see a thing. In that case the rangers can wake you up at night when there is break in the mist.
Sleeping next to a volcano
With all this excitement it’s easy to forget how tired you are after over 7 hours of hiking but we decide to check out our sleeping shed.
It’s simple but we are surprised that the metal construction seems really steady and blocks out a lot of noise and almost all the heavy winds. On the floor are 2 plastic/rubber mattresses which are a perfect base for the thermal sleeping bags. Everyone warned me about the cold and I packed like 5 layers of clothes but this sleeping bag was a warm cocoon and I managed to catch a few hours of sleep.
Breakfast is ready!
Our chef woke up at 3 AM to prepare breakfast, keep in mind that there is no electricity and running water up here. We wake up around 5 AM and are surprised with a proper sized omelette on a toasted slice of bread and a mug of hot coffee. The perfect energy boost for the hike down.
Taking a dump above the clouds
Before we leave it’s time take a dump above the clouds. The toilet is a short hike down. It’s steep but there is a rope to hold on. When you reach the toilet shed you will probably hold your breath, it might be the strong smell or the insane lookout over the carpet of clouds. A wonderful place to do your business.
When it’s time to grab our stuff and decent we see a pool of puke next to one of the sleeping sheds. Maybe someone suffered from altitude sickness. I had been reading a lot about chances of getting it at 3500 meters and the best advise is to carry altitude sickness medication in case it hits you. Most people advise not to take it preventive as the side effects of the medication are very similar to altitude sickness itself and it’s important to know if you have severe symptoms because then the only cure is to decent. I was fine, I just suffered from a very light headache but again it’s hard to predict whether you are sensitive to it or not so just ask your doctor which medication to bring
The life saving stick on the hike down
I look back a last time into the massive crater and then it’s time to go all the way back down. This is where your 5 USD stick will save your life, seriously. Again I am not an experienced hiker so keep that in mind if you read this. The descent is steep and there are loose rocks everywhere. At times I slipped and used the stick to not fall down. Physically the descent is way easier than the hike up. My calves were burning but I was rarely out of breath. After 4 hours we were nearly back at base camp.
Once arrived at the last rest point, our guide thanked us for our perseverance and courage to take this challenge. Some people decide to turn back after a few hours of hiking but in our group everybody made it to the top and safely back down. We took some group pictures and tipped our porters, rangers and our chef. I have a lot of respect for the whole Virunga team, some of them didn’t even have water and filled bottles we drank from in a small reservoir at the top. They aced the hike carrying all our stuff, wearing rubber boots.
Is it worth it?
Hell Yes, 100% worth it. This one of the most unique experience in the world. I saw many pictures before but witnessing this force of a inner earth yourself is priceless. It’s one of those places on earth not swarmed by selfie stick tourists so the whole experience is laid-back and exclusive.
How to get to Mount Nyiragongo Volcano?
We flew to Kigali, Rwanda and took a 100 USD taxi ride to Goma, DRC. This border is often referred to as “La Grande Barrière”. It’s quite convenient because there is an office of Virunga National Park in the building. They arrange the DRC visa and guide you through to border procedures. After signing liability waivers, getting temperature checked and washing hands with chlorine water you are good to go. There was still some Ebola in DRC when we were there, which explains all the health measures.
Then the adventure starts! A jeep full of armed rangers will escort you to your lodge or straight to the volcano. I strongly advise you to book a night in the one of the lodges like Kibumba Tented Camp so you are well rested before the hike. All accommodation and activities can be arranged by Virunga National Park on https://bookings.visitvirunga.org
What does it cost to hike Nyiragongo?
- Required
- 300 USD permit to climb Mount Nyiragongo
- Optional
- 56 USD sleeping shed at the top (otherwise you have to bring your own tent)
- 100 USD backpack with poncho, thermal sleeping bag, snacks (egg, cookies, banana, juices) jacket
- 25 USD per porter, so if you take the Virunga backpack and you have another bag, you need to get 2 porters.
- 5 USD walking stick
- 231 USD per night per person at Kibumba Tented camp, includes dinners, breakfast etc
- 100 USD taxi ride from Kigali to Goma (double that if you need to return there)
Mount Nyiragongo Travel tips
Get al your vaccines for DRC and make sure you have the yellow fever certificate with you (no certificate is no entry to DRC).
Bring altitude sickness medication, ask your doctor for advise. It’s only 3500 meters but better to be prepared
Do some exercise before this trip, you don’t need to be an athlete but a basic condition is a good idea. To prepare I hiked the peak in Hong Kong up and down several days and ran 20 minutes each day a month before this trip. The hike was challenging but very doable.
You could fly in to Goma, DRC and go straight to the volcano to start the hike but I think it’s better to arrive one or two days earlier to acclimatize. We did a Gorilla trek before the hike which was epic as well. More on that in another post!
If you have any questions, drop them in the comments below and check out more travel inspiration on my Instagram, YouTube or Facebook page.