Nyamuragira Mountains : About 25 kilometers north of Lake Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the active volcano known as the Nyamuragira Mountains. One of Africa’s most active volcanoes, Nyamuragira Mountain, has erupted more than 40 times since 1885.
Nyamuragira Mountains
Numerous eruptions from the volcano’s flanks have resulted in the formation of numerous smaller, temporary volcanoes. One of the three currently active mountains in the Virunga massif, Nyamuragira Mountain is one of the eight volcanoes that make up the Virunga Mountains.
Geology of Nyamuragira Mountain
About 25 kilometers (16 miles) north of Lake Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nyamuragira is an active volcano close to the city of Goma. The volcano is located in the province of North Kivu, 13 kilometers (8.1 miles) to the north-northwest of Nyiragongo, a volcano whose eruption in 2002 severely damaged Goma city. The 1500-square-kilometer (580-square-mile) Nyamuragira Mountain is a 500-square-kilometer (120-square-mile) volcano. The mountain contrasts with the nearby steep sides with its low shield profile.
The majority of the sulfur dioxide released into the atmosphere comes from Nyamuragira Mountain, which is located in the East African Rift and rises to a height of 3056 meters. The volcano covers an area of 1500 square kilometers.
The shield volcano Nyamuragira, also known as Nyamuragira, has spectacular lava eruptions from a fissure that is located near one of the volcano’s flanks and has spilled northward away from populated areas.
The Nyamuragira volcano erupted on May 8, 2004, at 05:48 local time, and the lava flows stayed inside the national park’s boundaries. Ash also fell in several villages on the volcano’s west and north flanks. Additionally, the mountain released a significant amount of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. The lava from the 2010 eruptions is still flowing and can be seen on satellite images to the north and northeast of Lake Kivu, which is 25 kilometers away.
According to a 2016 scientific study, the lake at the bottom of the inner part of the Caldera had recently vanished, and while the cause of it is still unknown, the lava lake was releasing gases at the time.
A 500-meter-deep new lava lake was formed in 2014 between the months of June and August. This lake is still growing and will eventually produce lava flows. Additionally, Nyamuragira is one of the few volcanoes that has retained its lava lakes for a long time.
The dry season, which promotes simple and beneficial hiking conditions, is the best time to visit Nyamuragira Mountain. Since the trails will be dry, hiking will be easy. It is best to travel during the months of December, January, February, June, July, and August to avoid the slick slopes, muddy trails, and extreme cold. Typically, the dry months are June and July.
Always plan to spend the night when visiting Nyamuragira Mountain so that you can utilize the Virunga National Park‘s amenities. These include, among others, the Mikeno lodge, the Bukima tented camp, the Kibumba lodge, the Lake Kivu lodge, the Tchegera Island tented camp, and the Lulimbi tented camp.
In addition to hiking on the Nyamuragira volcano, you can engage in other activities like gorilla trekking, hiking on Mount Nyiragongo, chimpanzee tracking and habituation, which was introduced in Virunga National Park in 2016, canoeing on Lake Kivu, boating, and birdwatching with species like the Olive legion, Olive woodpecker, Kivu ground thrush, speckled mouse bird, black bee eater, black kite, and blue-headed coucal
You must have a hiking permit, which costs $300 and is sold to people at least 12 years old, in order to hike on Mount Nyamuragira. Following a briefing, hiking begins very early in the morning, and it’s at this point that you get to meet the guides, rangers, and porters. It costs between $15 and $25 to hire a porter. A hike up Nyamuragira begins at the Bukima ranger station and takes 3 to 4 hours to complete. Additionally, there are bungalows built at the summit of the mountain that cost $300 per night for hikers who want to spend the night there.
A raincoat, hiking boots, sunblock, insect repellent creams, enough water, a packed lunch, long-sleeved clothing, stockings, gloves, cameras, and long shirts to keep you warm are all necessary items to pack. It only takes a couple of hours to travel from Kigali to Goma, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and then another hour to the north of Lake Kivu to reach Nyamuragira Mountain.
