Nyiragongo, a stratovolcano in the Virunga Mountains associated with the Albertine Rift, is one of Africa’s most famous volcano in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC, the Democratic Republic of the Congo) and is the place in which you can find the most amazing scenery. The volcano is located 10 kilometers north of Kivu provincial capital (1.52 ° south latitude, longitude 29 °) inside Virunga National Park and is notorious for its lava lake and producing lateral eruptions with extremely fluid, fast-moving lava flows that repeatedly devastated areas around the volcano.

The lava lake contained deep summit crater becomes famous in the 1960’s and 70’s when vulcanologist starts to study it. Nyiragongo had been active for half a century before it drained in one of the most catastrophic eruptions in 1977 through opening its outer flanks, pouring out a huge lava flow and killing hundreds of people as the result. A similar event happened again in January 2002, lava flow from flank vent drained the lake, cut through Goma and reached Lake Kivu. That eruption kills 147 people and destroys 4500 buildings which leaves 120,000 people homeless.

The main crater in Nyiragongo is about 2 km wide and has two distinct cooled lave benches (about 3175m and 2975m wide) within the crater wall. There is usually a lava lake in the crater. The lava lake has been well known in history and the maximum elevation in size was 3250m wide with depth of 600m. Nyiragongo and nearby Nyamuragira together are responsible for 40% of Africa’s volcanic eruptions.

Nyiragongo’s lava is usually fluid containing lots of melilite nephelinite, an alkali-rich type of volcanic rock in which has unusual chemical composition, low silica content, and that makes it flow faster (up to 60 miles per hour) whereas most lava flows move slowly and rarely pose a danger to human life.

Things to do

• Hike to the crater especially at night. It’s really worth the hassle.
  • You will need a porter who can be found at the entrance station of the volcano in kibati 17kms from Goma.
  • The hike starts at 1984 meters and ends in the crater rim at 3470 meters with 4 rest places in middle.
  • It rains most of time on Nyiragongo, you need to prepare.
  • Bring stove and pots if you do not want to eat cold food.
  • Bring a good head touch and earplugs because the wind is very noisy in the night.
  • Mikeno Lodge is a good place to stay