I had Nyiragongo in my bucket list for quite some time but I was hesitant because of the security situation in the Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Nyiragongo is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and hosts the largest active lava lake, a unique spectacle for nature lovers. The situation has improved considerably since 2012 and after some serious thinking we decided to go.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the poorest nations in the world, practically a failed state, possessing almost $24 trillion in mineral reserves. It is the epitome of the sub-saharan Africa and one of the best places to visit to understand what’s wrong in this continent. Unfortunately we had only one week to spend, so we focused mainly on nature and wildlife around lake Kivu, with very limited time left to better understand everyday life. It is definitely worth a second visit, maybe when the security situation improves, to see the rest of the country.
We flew to Kigali, in nearby Rwanda, being the most convenient international airport in the region. The itinerary included Goma, highland and lowland gorilla safaris, in the Virunga and Kahusi-Biega national parks, the climbing of mount Nyiragongo and a day of rest in the Tchegera island.
Here is complete list of the travelogues from this trip. Start reading here or click on any link to read the relevant post.
Travelogues
