Climbing Mount Nyiragongo – Hiking in DR Congo

Earlier this year, I completed my Cape Town to Cairo trip, visiting as many African countries as I could. When planning how to visit the Democratic Republic of Congo (also known as DR Congo, DRC or Congo-Kinshasa)—a country often associated with conflict and crime—I discovered Virunga National Park.

This park is home to gorilla trekking, chimpanzee walks, and the famous Mount Nyiragongo hike, where you can climb one of Africa’s most active volcanoes and witness the world’s largest lava lake.

In this Mount Nyiragongo travel guide, I’ll share my full experience—from booking the trip and crossing the border into the Democratic Republic of Congo, to climbing Mount Nyiragongo, spending the night at the summit beside the world’s largest lava lake, and finding hotel options in Goma afterwards.

Seeing an active volcano had been on my bucket list for years, so I knew I had to do it. I also ended up doing a gorilla trek and you can read more about my gorilla trekking experience here: Gorilla Trekking in the Democratic Republic of Congo

I’ll start this blog post by saying that this hike is the coolest thing I’ve EVER done in my life. And I’ve traveled extensively—I’ve gone skydiving, been on safaris in Africa, done multiple bungee jumps, hiked countless trails, scuba dived in amazing places, and seen some pretty incredible sights. But nothing compares to summiting Mount Nyiragongo in DR Congo and witnessing the insane views from the top of the world’s largest lava lake.

Booking Your Trip to Virunga National Park

I booked my trip through a Rwandan tour company called Green Hills Ecotours. They organize everything for you—transportation, visas, permits, and even food and accommodation if you choose. They also assist with the border crossing, which was a lifesaver for me since I had some issues returning to Rwanda (more on that in my next post about gorilla trekking).

The owner, Innocent, and his team go above and beyond to make sure you have a great experience. Everyone I met was kind and helpful, and their Tripadvisor reviews speak for themselves—almost all excellent and very good. That gave me confidence I was in the best hands for organizing my trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Alternatively, you can book your trip directly through Virunga National Park’s website.

Crossing the Border from Rwanda to DR Congo

Border crossing from Rwanda to DR Congo

Most travelers enter Virunga National Park by crossing the border from Gisenyi, Rwanda into Goma, Congo. Gisenyi is a charming lakeside town on Lake Kivu, and I highly recommend spending a night there before or after your Nyiragongo hike.

The entrance to the Virunga National Park

Green Hills Ecotours picked me up from my hotel, drove me to the border, assisted with all the formalities, and then continued straight through Goma to the starting point of the hike. The night before, I had met an Austrian traveler in Gisenyi who had also booked with Green Hills and was joining the trek. Even though I enjoy traveling solo, it was nice to share such a memorable experience with someone. We expected more people to join us at the trailhead, but it turned out we were the only ones! No complaints though—I actually preferred it, since we didn’t have to slow down or wait for a larger group (not that we were particularly fast climbing up either).

The Mount Nyiragongo Hike

Our group: two hikers, two porters and two guards

Before starting the hike, you’ll have the option to buy a wooden walking stick for $5, and I highly recommend it—it’s a huge help when balancing on the uneven lava rocks. You can also hire a porter, which I consider essential, as the climb is already challenging without carrying all your gear. The cost is $24, and don’t forget to tip your porter after the hike—their work is incredibly demanding and they make the trek so much easier.

One of our armed guards

The porter

The hike is divided into four sections, with a rest stop after each one. The first section is just a warm-up, as you stay more or less at the same altitude. During this part of the trek, we crossed paths with the previous group heading down. I was surprised to see how large their group was—at least ten people—compared to our tiny team of two.

The terrain after the first stop

After the first stop, the terrain changes and the ground becomes covered in loose lava rocks, making it harder to walk. You’ll also begin gaining altitude, though it’s not too physically demanding at this stage.

Spot the bird!

Gaboon viper sleeping

My hiking partner had asked before the hike if there were any snakes in the area, and he was told not to worry—there are no snakes. I was a bit disappointed to hear that because I’m always excited to see snakes or other exotic animals. Surprisingly, when we were hiking to our third stop, our guide actually spotted a snake. I was beyond excited when he said it was the Gaboon viper, supposedly the biggest poisonous snake in Congo! It was curled up asleep inside a bush, so there was no danger. Besides the snake, our guide also pointed out a camouflaged bird that I never would have seen myself because it blended completely into the surroundings.

One of the rest stops

When we reached the third stop and sat down to rest, I started to worry a little about altitude sickness, though I was still feeling fine. However, on the way from the third stop to the fourth, I began to feel dizzy and nauseous. Keep in mind, I’m not used to high altitudes, and this was my first time summiting a mountain like this. That stretch felt like the longest part of the hike, and we had to take several quick breaks before finally reaching the fourth rest stop.

An extra rest stop before reaching the fourth official stop

The fourth stop

The fourth rest stop is a small hut where you can change clothes and put on extra layers. Up to this point, I had been fine in just hiking pants and a T-shirt, but by the time we reached the fourth stop, the temperature had dropped drastically. I layered up with a hoodie, jacket, hat, and gloves. Once we reached the summit, I added running tights under my pants and a cardigan under my hoodie to stay warm.

The view from the fourth stop – you can already see the cabins!

The final segment to the summit is short, and you can already see the huts from the fourth stop. Still, it felt physically challenging for me because of the altitude sickness. I had to really focus on not throwing up on the spot! Thankfully, once I reached the summit and had a little time to adjust, I started to feel better. In total, it took us around five hours to reach the top.

Cabins at the Summit

The cabins

At the summit, there are a few rows of simple cabins, and since we were the only ones there, we got to choose the huts closest to the lava lake. Each cabin only has a mattress on the floor, so don’t expect anything fancy. You’ll need to bring your own sleeping bag and plenty of warm clothes, as it gets extremely cold at night. A headlamp is also essential because it gets pitch dark and there are no lights.

If, like me, you’ve been traveling around Africa without winter gear (like a hat, gloves, or thermals), head to Kimironko Market in Kigali before your trip. I spent some time searching in Kigali for affordable warm clothing, and that market was the best option. Trust me—you really do need proper layers for Mount Nyiragongo. Don’t underestimate how freezing it can get at the top!

The toilet

There’s also a toilet located a bit further down from the huts. When we did the hike it was very foggy, and finding the outhouse—especially as it got darker—was a real challenge. Getting back up wasn’t any easier, as the lava rocks are slippery, so take care. The toilet itself was fairly clean and even came with a view, since the hut didn’t have a door. Just remember to bring your own toilet paper!

The World’s Largest Lava Lake

The very first thing I did upon reaching the summit was, of course, head straight to the viewpoint to see the lava lake. But to my surprise, the first sight wasn’t the lava—it was a man climbing up from the crater using a rope. What the heck? I thought. Our guide explained that the BBC was filming a documentary, and their crew had already spent a week living in a tent down inside the volcano, only coming up when they needed food. I could just about spot their tent near the lava lake. Later that night, I was even invited to join the BBC group for dinner. They had their own chef who cooked a delicious vegetable soup and pasta—definitely not the kind of meal I expected at the top of an active volcano!

If you book your trip through the Virunga National Park website, you can pay extra to have meals included, and a chef will accompany you on the hike. With Green Hills Ecotours, I was provided with water and a packed lunch of sandwiches and fruit. There’s also a basic hut with a “kitchen” area where you can use the fire and pots if you prefer to prepare your own food. I was a bit underprepared when it came to food, so the unexpected dinner provided by the BBC crew was a lifesaver.

You can also cook if you want

If you’re lucky and the sky is clear, your guide will wake you up in the middle of the night to see the lava lake, as the orange glow is even more dramatic in the darkness. Unfortunately, we weren’t that lucky—the crater was covered by clouds the entire night. Instead, I stayed up late by the fire chatting with the guards, trying to keep warm in the freezing cold. To my surprise, my Rwandan SIM card still had a signal, so I even managed to use the internet from the top of a volcano in Congo!

The Descent

The view from the hiking trail

We left early in the morning to hike back, and while many people had said that the descent was just as tough as the climb, I didn’t find that to be the case. You do need to be cautious with the slippery, sharp lava rocks, but overall it felt much easier for me since I was no longer struggling with altitude sickness.

We only made two very short rest stops on the way down, and along the trail we also paused quickly to see the snake (still asleep in the same spot!) and a chameleon. Overall, we moved fast and made it down in what felt like record time—just about an hour. We arrived so early that the next group hadn’t even left yet, so we ended up waiting around half an hour for our driver.

Where to Stay in Goma

My hotel room in Goma. Hotel Jerryson

When the driver picked us up, he took us to Goma to find a hotel. My hiking partner had already booked this hotel on booking.com. There are not that many options you can book online on booking.com though. Hotel la Versailles Goma was the cheapest option at the time, although nowadays you can find a few more “budget” choices. That said, don’t expect great value for money—hotels in DR Congo are often overpriced and very basic, as the country isn’t really geared toward tourism yet.

My tour company had recommended Centre d’Accueil Caritas, which is considered one of the best mid-range options in Goma. Unfortunately, since I hadn’t booked anything in advance, it was already full. The driver eventually took me to Hotel Jerryson nearby, where I got a very simple room for $50. It wasn’t much, but it was fine for the night.

The next day, I went gorilla trekking—but more on that in my next post!

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