Camping at Mount Nyiragongo
How is camping at Mount Nyiragongo like? For travelers looking for a tour to Nyiragongo volcano always go camping while at the summit. This is one of the greatest adventure experiences where tourists get closer to nature while observing a boiling lava lake in Africa’s oldest national park
Tourists planning to book a camping safari to Mount Nyiragongo are advised to prepare the following gear;
Daypack: Your main gear will be carried by a porter (up to 15kg). You need to carry your own daypack. 30-40L is sufficient. We recommend Osprey daypacks.
Waterproof duffle bag: To carry your main gear we recommend using a 80-90L duffle bag. Large rucksacks (>65L) can also work.
Sleeping bag: You will need a 4-season or -20 Deg C sleeping bag and compression sack during your camping safari to Mount Nyiragongo. We recommend Mountain Hardwear or The North Face sleeping bags. You can hire sleeping bags from our team around Virunga national park in DR Congo.
Trekking poles: Trekking poles can reduce the impact on your joints by up to 20%. They are great for going down Mount Nyiragongo! We recommend adjustable Black Diamond trekking poles
Water bladder/bottles: Capacity to carry 3 litres of water. Options: 2 x 1.5 litre wide mouth nalgene bottles or 2 litre platypus + 1 litre water bottle. Note that disposable plastic bottles are not permitted on Mount Nyiragongo
Neck gaiter or scarf: It can get dusty on Mount Nyiragongo. We recommend bringing a neck gaiter or bandana. The most versatile options are made by Buff or Hoo-Rag Headwear
Warm beanie style hat: Go for a version of a beanie that is either knitted or fleeced for extra warmth. The North Face, Berghaus and Columbia all make good outdoor beanies
Sun hat: Preferably go for a hat that is wide-brimmed for protection, and has a neck cover if you aren’t going to be wearing a neck gaiter
Headlamp: You will need a headlamp with good light output for any late night toilet journeys, and importantly for summit night. Petzl make market-leading and affordable headlamps
Sunglasses: Choose a pair of high UV protection glasses as sun intensity above 4,500m is very high. Julbo are a great mountain sunglass brand but any brand with high UV protection will suffice
Warm gloves or mittens: For the cold nights and for the summit push we recommend heavyweight, insulated, preferably water resistant gloves. The North Face and Black Diamond are recommended brands
Lightweight Gloves: For lower slopes we recommend lightweight, fleece or quick drying fabric gloves. Berghaus and The North Face make good lightweight gloves
Trekking boots: We recommend using a mid-weight trekking boots with good ankle support. Recommended brands include: Salomon, Scarpa, Hi-Tec and Merrell
Training shoes: To wear around camp after a day’s trek we recommend bringing a pair of training shoes or sandals to make your camping safari at Mount Nyiragongo very comfortable.
Socks: 3-4 pairs of outer socks and 2-3 pairs of liner socks. We also recommend bringing 1 x thick thermal socks for summit night. Merino wool is the best material and Bridgedale or Smartwool make good trekking socks.
Gaiters: Help keep your trousers clean in wet and muddy or dusty conditions.
Thermal base layer: 1 x thermal base layer, ideally made from merino wool. Recommended brand is Icebreaker
Short sleeved shirt: 2 x lightweight, moisture wicking short sleeved shirts. Recommend brands include Icebreaker, Under Armour, Columbia, Berghaus
Long sleeve shirt: Go for a light or medium weight, moisture wicking long sleeve shirt (x2). Icebreaker, Berghaus and Under Armour make great breathable trekking shirts.
Fleece or soft shell jacket: A mid-weight polartec fleece jacket is ideal for Mount Nyiragongo. Berghaus, Helly Hansen and The North Face all make great fleeces
Insulated jacket: A good quality and warm down or primaloft jacket is required for the cold nights and summit push. Recommended brands include The North Face, Rab, Arc’Teryx and Mountain Hardwear
Hardshell outer jacket: A water/windproof hard shell outer jacket to protect you from the elements. Goretex material is best. Recommended brands include The North Face, Arc’teryx, Berghaus and Mountain Hardwear
Leggings: Thermal or fleece base layer for your legs. Merino wool is preferable. Recommend brand is Icebreaker.
Trekking trousers: Light or medium weight (x1) trekking trousers. Convertible trousers are an option. Recommended brands include Craghoppers and Columbia
Hardshell trousers: To protect yourself from the elements you need a good pair of waterproof/windproof hardshell trousers. Ideally Goretex. Patagonia, The North Face and Arc’Teryx all make good outer trousers
We advise travelers to carry rain gear because it is always possible to rain at any point of the trek. Rains are so common during the wet season which runs from March to May and later October to November.
