Kibati patrol post in Virunga national park
Kibati patrol post in Virunga national park is located at the foothills of Mount Nyiragongo. Kibati patrol post is where all the preparations for hiking Mountain Nyiragongo start from, so all hikers to Nyiragongo volcano step a foot at this place. Kibati patrol post is located 15kms which is about 30 minutes’ drive from Goma town, and 40 minutes’ drive from Mikeno Tented Lodge.
Kibati ranger post is a place where you can find hiking permits for mountain Nyiragongo, porters, ranger guides, and some of the hiking gear as well as gorilla trekking gear for Virunga national park. Mountain Nyiragongo is the most active volcano in Africa, its last eruption took place in May 2021 and thousands of people were displaced as well as animals were killed. The volcano hosts the largest lave lake in the world (200 meter-wide) which you can spot while at the summit.
At Kibati patrol post is where hikers who never booked their hiking permits in advance can pick them up and they should do so before 9 am because after that the briefing and hiking begin, Hiking to the summit of Nyiragongo takes 5-6 hours, it’s challenging and rewarding at the same time. At the summit of mount Nyiragongo, you will stand at the edge of an active volcano spot the biggest lava lake and surrounding areas. The night is spent at the summit shelters which have mattresses and pillows inside. The next day is when you hike down the volcano, meet your driver for a transfer to the lodge or your next destination.
Tourist activities near Kibati patrol post
Gorilla trekking in Virunga national park: Kibati patrol post is located a few kilometers from Bukima patrol post where mountain gorilla trekking activities do start. Virunga national park is one of the places in the world where mountain gorillas do live. Gorilla trekking is the most done activity in this park and it’s done among 8 fully habituated mountain gorilla families.
Trekking mountain gorillas in Virunga starts with a briefing from the park offices then armed ranger guides lead the trekkers into the jungle to search for these endangered apes. The trekking activity takes 2-5 hours of passing through different trails, meeting different mammals, primates and birds but as soon as the mountain gorillas are located, trekkers are given 1 hour to be around these apes, watch them d daily activities, take photos and learn about their habits.
Nyiragongo volcano hiking: Kibati patrol post is located at the foothills of mountain Nyiragongo. Hiking mountain Nyiragongo is the other most done activity in Virunga national park and it’s from this area that the hikers meet for a briefing before starting the hike. At Kibati patrol post, rangers teach the hikers about the rules and regulations of the hiking activity before armed ranger guides lead the hikers to the summit.
The hike to the summit of Nyiragongo is a bit challenging as it takes hikers through steep and steeper slopes that are very difficult to hike. The journey to the summit takes 5-6 hours of meeting different park mammals, primates, birds, and vegetation cover. The summit of Nyiragongo is rewarding with stunning views of the largest lava lake, Virunga volcanoes, Virunga national park, Lake Kivu, and Rwenzori Mountain among others.
Birding: Around Kibati patrol post are some of the best birding spots in Virunga national park. Birding around Kibati patrol post gives you an opportunity to encounter over 706 bird species that have found their home in Virunga national park. Birding activities are led by armed ranger guides who protect you from dangerous wild animals and rebels.
Birds around Kibati patrol post include northern puffback, black-headed waxbill, tropical boubou, narrow-tailed starling, variable sunbird, black and white mannikin, mountain sooty boubou, grey-backed camaroptera, white-browned crombec, sharpe’s starling, yellow white-eye, common waxbill, baglafecht weaver, black-throated wattle-eye, and chinspot batis.
Other bird species are wahlberg’s eagle, African goshawk, blue-headed sunbird, African hobby, harrier hawk, brown necked parrot, Rwenzori double-collared sunbird, white-tailed crested flycatcher, handsome spurfowl, mountain buzzard, speckled mousebird, black and white -casqued hornbill, white-tailed blue flycatcher, and red-chested cuckoo among others.
Visit Goma city: Goma city is located only 30 minutes’ drive from Kibati patrol post. The city is located in the North Kivu province of DR Congo near Gisenyi in the Albertine rift region. Goma city is the capital city in the eastern Congo province with a huge population and a lot of attractions. A visit to Goma city will give you an opportunity to explore different places such as markets shops, interact with the local people see how they live their day to live life, visit local art and craft shops, taste local foods, and also enjoy traditional performances from local dancers.