Mount Nyamuragira
Mount Nyamuragira is located just 14 kilometers north west of the worlds active volcano mount Nyiragongo and 25 kilometers west of Lake Kivu, the shield volcano is also often known as Nyamulagila
Mount Nyamuragira derives its name from a local Kinyarwanda verb Kuragira inka to mean “ herd cows” mount Nyamuragira has Aldo erupted at least 40 times since 1885, the recent eruption was on the 8th of November 2011
The eruptions often caused the creation of smaller volcanoes which have disappeared after some time, mount Nyamuragira eruptions realize large amount of Sulphur dioxide which had got a negative effect to the surroundings
Mount Nyamuragira has got a volume of 500 cubic km and extensive lava flows 1500 kilometers squared of the East African rifts, the fluid lava flows. Mount Nyamuragira, mount Nyiragongo and mount Bisoke are the only active volcanoes in the Virunga massif.
Mount Nyamuragira is 3058 meters high with a caldera which is 2 kilometers wide with walls of 500 meters high, the volcano has eruptions inside the caldera summit and extensive rift zones on the flanks producing numerous fissures and cinder cones.
The 2016 scientific study shows that the lake at the bottom of the inner pit of the caldera had recently disappeared and the reason for its disappearance is not yet well known but gases were being realized from the place of the lava lake
Mount Nyamuragira is one of the few volcanoes that have kept the lava lakes for decades, the formation of the new lava lake occurred in June to August 2014 with a depth of 500 meters which continues to grow and can form lava flows in future.
Apart from hiking one of the worlds active volcanoes tourists can involve in a lot of other activities around Virunga national park that can be seen below;
Gorillas in the world can only be found in three countries in the world that is Uganda, Rwanda and Congo please encounter this man’s closest relatives and you will have unforgettable lifetime experience. The greater advantage is that gorilla permits in Congo are cheaper compared to Rwanda and Uganda and Congo is also not very crowded therefore you will have the wildness to yourself.
Explore Maiko national park
Maiko national lark is situated in the remote part of the country and it’s divided into three sectors at Maiko national park you can view animals such as the endangered Okapi, endemic aquatic Genet and forest elephants among the rest.
Hike mount Nyiragongo
Tourists can also hike to mount Nyiragongo and see the world largest lava lake with hot gases and fumes bumbling up throughout the year, hiking this magnificent mountain takes about 4-6 hours depending on the speed and fitness of hikers.
Chimpanzee trekking
Tourists can Aldo add chimpanzee trekking to their bucket list in Virunga national park. Chimpanzee habituation was introduced in Virunga national park in 2014.
Birding
Virunga national park is also a birders paradise and bird enthusiasts can spot birds such as; Kivu ground thrush, olive legion, olive woodpecker, blue headed coucal, speckled mouse birds, black kite and paradise flycatcher among the rest.
Cultural experience
Congo is one of the places you can encounter unique African culture, you can get entertained with local traditional dances, songs and learn about peoples day to day ways of living plus getting souvenirs to take back home for remembrance .
The best time for visiting Nyamuragira national park is during the dry season when the trails are not muddy and you can have clear views of the crater and equally not get disrupted by the rains.
Tourists visiting Nyamuragira can sleep at the accommodation units in Virunga national park such as Mikeno lodge, Bukima tented camp, Tchegera island tented camp, Kibumba tented camp and many others
