Mount Nyiragongo Tour Operators and Travel Agencies
Are you looking to explore Virunga national park with safari activities like gorilla tracking and Nyiragongo volcano hike? Find a list of experienced Mount Nyiragongo tour operators and travel agencies for your next adventure.
These Mount Nyiragongo tour operators and travel agencies offer affordable prices for tour packages to different national parks that are open for tourism such as Virunga national park and Kahuzi Biega national park in DR Congo. Mount Nyiragongo hiking tours in DR Congo are one of the best experiences in Africa for adventure travelers.
List of trusted Mount Nyiragongo Tour Operators and Travel Agencies
Africa Adventure Vacations
Email: info@africaadventurevacations.com
Website: https://africaadventurevacations.com/
Phone +256752974500 (WhatsApp)
Gorilla Trekking Uganda
Email: info@gorillatrekk.com
Website: https://gorillatrekk.com/
Bwindi Uganda Gorilla Safaris
Email: book@bwindigorillapark.com
Website: https://bwindigorillapark.com/
Visit Rwanda Tours
Email: info@visitrwandatour.com
Website: https://visitrwandatour.com/
African Birding Trips
Email: info@africanbirdingtrips.com
Website: https://africanbirdingtrips.com/
Mount Nyiragongo can be visited throughout the year however the best time to hike the volcano is during the dry season which runs from December to mid-March and mid-June to September.
Mount Nyiragongo hikers start their adventure experiences from Kibati Ranger Post at an altitude of 1870m and reach the top of the Volcano at 3,470m, with a 6.5km hike each way.
During the dry season, hiking trails to the summit are not muddy and slippery which helps the travelers to reach the top of the volcano with the minimum challenge.
The dry season also enables clear views of the crater, Goma city, Virunga forest, Lake Kivu, Virunga Volcanoes, and Mount Rwenzori ranges while at the summit.
We recommend our guests to always take a lot of water to avoid dehydration and altitude sickness.
It is important to note that Mount Nyiragongo tour operators and travel agencies arrange camping facilities for hikers for an overnight stay. The cabins of Nyiragongo Volcano Summit Shelters have 2 single beds as well as a small space where travelers put their sleeping bags.
The cost of sleeping at the Volcano Summit Shelters is excluded from the $300 permit fee however, you are advised to pay an extra fee of $100 to cater for a sleeping bag, water, warm clothes, snacks, lunch, dinner, and breakfast. This cost also includes a cook to prepare meals. If you wish to save the extra $100, you can pack your own meals and camping equipment.
You can also hire a porter at USD 25 for 15kg bag. And yes, hiring a porter, helps to create employment for the local community.
Locally made walking sticks are available at Kabiti and can be purchased at the start of the trek at a cost of USD 10.
What travelers say about the Nyiragongo Volcano hike (Reviews)
“This was without any doubt one of the best experiences we have ever had. Climbing Mount Nyiragongo was such a rewarding and humble experience. Once we reached the top we were rewarded with an extraordinary view and experience.” (TripAdvisor review)
“This trip is one of the best things I have ever done! The view of the lava lake at night is like nothing on earth!” (TripAdvisor review)
“The lava lake is incredible and we spent hours watching the waves of lava and listening to its roars. This was a truly amazing and unforgettable experience, and probably one of the best things I have ever done.” (TripAdvisor review)
Methods suggested by most Mount Nyiragongo Tour Operators and Travel Agencies to Make Safe and Secure Payments for your Volcano hike
We would say not so many payment methods are supported by majority of tour operators in DR Congo and Africa in general, however, we have managed to list down some of the most common and safe methods you can use to make payments for your trip to Africa.
Bank transfer (EFT)
Currently, direct bank transfer to company bank accounts is the safest way of making payments for your African safari to Congo and any other destination. This method is commonly known as Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), wire transfer or whatever you may call it. Funds transferred via this method normally takes 4 – 7 working days to reflect on the tour operators’ accounts.
Pros; Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) are supported worldwide and is very effective especially when it comes to trust. Wiring money onto the company bank accounts is one way of possible ways to know that you are dealing with a fully registered travel agency because such accounts are only offered to registered safari tour operators and travel agencies. All tour operators in Congo and East African region support EFT, hence, the coverage is quite high compared to other methods of payment.
Cons; The charges associated with Electronic Funds Transfer, is usually high depending on the bank you are sending money to. In an incident where the operator mistakenly provides you with a local currency like UGX account instead of a USD or EURO account, the money would be converted to the local currency automatically at the bank rate which is quite low compared to the normal rates in the market for example 1 dollar may cost about UGX 3500 from Forex Bureaus but UGX 3100 from a bank which is quite a low exchange rate. Always confirm with your travel agency if you are sending money to USD / EURO account instead of a local currency account.
Pesapal
Pesapal works pretty much the same like 2CheckOut however, 2CheckOut is more powerful, well established and supports most countries around the world. Through Pesapal, you can securely make payments using a credit card (VISA & MASTERCARD) direct to travel agencies’ account through an embedded form that should exist on their respective websites. Pesapal normally sends a notification through your email with a payment confirmation link as a verification measure.
Pros; Pesapal is very easy to use and is definitely one of the most reliable ways to make credit card payments to Africa. A few operators have point of sale machines (POS) in Congo and within East African region therefore; most agencies use Pesapal to process card payments. Another advantage is the low surcharge of about 3.5% of the total amount to process your payments.
Cons; At times the system of Pesapal isn’t yet stable and up to standard. You might not feel the weight on your end but several travel agencies & safari operators in Congo complain about their services. Their customer care is not that standard and you can’t be guaranteed that they will charge your credit card, we have had scenarios when correct details fail to be charged via Pesapal and allow to be charged via a POS machine with same details. We would say that their system isn’t yet up to standard but it works just well.
Credit card
Yes, you should provide your credit card details to only trust worthy Congo travel agencies and safari operators. A few agencies have point of sale machines and are able to charge your credit card directly if you provide them with valid details.
Pros; Transfers done using credit cards are very quick and can be initiated easily irrespective of where you are. Bank processes are bit complicated compared to credit card payments hence you can save yourself from a lot of hustle making payments through credit cards.
Cons; Very few Mount Nyiragongo tour operators and travel agencies have POS machines. Most of them rely on Electronic Funds Transfer / Wire Transfers hence making payments using a credit card might be hard if a company lacks a Pesapal account.
Methods to avoid
You can make safe and secure payments for your African safari travel and tour using any of the above-mentioned methods however try as hard as you can to avoid transferring money on personnel bank accounts, use of Western Union, MoneyGram, Skrill (MoneyBookers), Payza, cryptocurrencies, PerfectMoney among others that we haven’t recommended. Many scammers use such payment platforms to process their payments therefore, always think twice before making any transactions through them unless you are very sure of the safari company you are dealing with.
