Facts About Mount Nyiragongo

Facts about Mount Nyiragongo are insights about this stratovolcano that are worth knowing and noting. Mount Nyiragongo is an active volcano that has erupted up to 34 times since 1882 when they first started to record the volcano’s activity. Mount Nyiragongo is found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Virunga National Park, the oldest national park in the Congo and Africa established in 1925. Mount Nyiragongo is part of the Virunga Mountains Ranges, with other 7 volcanoes. It is however only Mount Nyiragongo and Mount Nyamulagira that are active volcanoes. It is Mount Nyiragongo, however, that is the most hiked with more than a million visits recorded. Travellers on a Congo safaris tour can have a Nyiragongo hike incorporated in their itinerary for great views and sight of the lava lake at the summit that is the largest in the entire world. Below are some of the facts about Mount Nyiragongo that any traveller can make use of as they plan on visiting or looking for reasons to actually hike the Nyiragongo;

One of the facts about Mount Nyiragongo is that it is a stratovolcano with a number of cinder cones.
The Nyiragongo is one of the Virunga mountain ranges in the Albertine Region and has an elevation of 3,470 meters above sea level.
Mount Nyiragongo is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Mount Nyiragongo, since 1882 when its activity was recorded first, has erupted up to 34 times.
The 1977 Mount Nyiragongo eruption had the walls of the lava lake cracked and the lake was drained in less than one hour
The most recent volcanic eruption of Mount Nyiragongo occurred in 2002. The most recent volcanic activity however was in 2016
The Nyiragongo erupted twice in 2002, 6 months apart.
The 2002 lava flow during the eruption streamed as far as Goma International Airport till Lake Kivu destroying up to 4,500 buildings leaving many homeless.
Mount Nyiragongo is still active to date, with surrounding area being contaminated by localised carbon dioxide that sips through open vents. These prove a threat to the humans with children being reported to have died from that.
Mount Nyiragongo has one of the largest lava lakes in the world, with a diameter of 1.2 kilometres and a depth of 200 metres.

The Nyiragongo volcano lava is different from most others ever seen. The lava is very fluid and moves very fast at a speed of about 20-60 miles per hour
The churning lava lake in the crater is hard for hikers to reach since it is hidden in the depths of Mount Nyiragongo. Travellers have to hike up to the altitude that is about 11,400 feet to sight the lava lake.
Mount Nyiragongo is a tough hike but one with the most rewarding sights.