Red Hat Trip

I can’t believe it: a monkey pooped in my breakfast.
That was the morning when I climbed Mount Nyiragongo. I couldn’t help worrying that it was a bad omen.
My friends and I are nervous enough about climbing. We spent the night with an Australian couple at the Micano Hotel. They went to the volcano the day before. They said nothing except the horror story.
The guy who looks very strong told us that this is the most difficult thing I have ever done. You will struggle to do it.
But it is very worthwhile, the woman said happily. Just really, really, really hard. it’s too hard.
The four of us exchanged nervous eyes, and I quickly put an anti-altitude drug into my mouth. Mount Nyiragongo is an active volcano and the location of the largest lava lake in the world. It takes five hours and five miles to reach the top of the mountain on foot.
When we packed after breakfast and talked about things waiting for us, I tried to calm the butterflies in my stomach.
I really don’t want to fail.

After bumping in the cool air in the morning, we reached the foot of the volcano and began to organize everything I needed to do before hiking crazily. I handed my permit to the office staff, found the luggage room and put my backpack in it, and then peed in the worst toilet in the world. Subtitle: I have never had so many people dislike my Facebook page after posting photos! People don’t like my photos. It turns out that people don’t like to hear my urine accumulate around my hiking boots.
This experience has only brought me slight trauma. It’s time to meet my porters, cooks, guides and forest rangers. I spent $5 to buy a wooden walking stick, and then we gathered to listen to the briefing.

Before I could get ready for the challenge before me, suddenly, we walked up and waved my cane, because the fact proved that I didn’t know what to do.
This first segment is the warm-up stage of hiking: just trekking for 45 minutes on a reasonable flat ground in the jungle. This is the simplest part of hiking. Although I found it surprisingly challenging, it is not a good omen. The hiking began at 2000 meters, and my body found it difficult to adapt.
This is a time to chat with the people in the team to understand where we are from and what the hell brought us to Congo to climb an active volcano.

The second and third paragraphs are my favorite.
In the months before my departure, I have been training for the hiking in Lisbon, but the altitude makes me tired and I have no energy to walk fast. Because the rocks in these sections are loose and crumbling, we walk more slowly, and I can walk to the front of the team. I like to climb on rocks, so I feel like a fish in water during this climb.
Once, we stopped and stared at a crack on the earth, and sulfur vapor rose from the vent around us. In 2002, Nyiragongo volcano erupted from the side, sending a two-meter-high wave of lava into Goma, and we are now standing at the starting point of all this.
Our team is divided into two parts here – faster people and slower people. Although I think I should walk with slower people, I know that my physical level is higher than I think. I had a hard training for this. Before that, I had been walking ahead without any struggle.
I chose the fast group.
Then I knew it was a huge mistake.
Before that, we have been making steady progress. With the acceleration of the team’s pace, I was slowly surpassed until I fell directly behind.
This is a difficult process. This is the longest part of the hiking trip, which is much steeper than the stage we have encountered before. Our current altitude is rising rapidly, and we keep going up. We have little time to rest. I watched with dismay as the others continued to move ahead of me and could not see.
My forest ranger became very nervous in this situation and urged me to move forward. He didn’t want us to separate and hurt anyone.
I know I’m pushing myself too hard. The lava rocks began to become blurred and became a black ocean, because I was trying to inhale enough oxygen. More than once, I considered telling the ranger that I could not do it and needed to go down the mountain.
Is this altitude reaction?
Because I can’t speak French, I didn’t announce that my hiking trip was over. When I found the last rest station after an hour, I felt as if I could shed tears with joy.
I only have 30 minutes to hike to the top of the mountain, and I know I can do it.

I read in advance that the fifth paragraph is the most difficult, but I am not sure what can surpass the previous stage.
We all feel the altitude reaction now. We can’t breathe at 11000 feet. An incredible steep climb extends to the top in front of us.
There is no way to go. Just climb on the side of the volcano and choose the most reasonable route; No route is easier than others. We climbed up. Some people used both hands and feet. All of us climbed slowly. The smell of sulfur now began to seep into our nostrils.
The guide told us that it was very rare for everyone in our large team to climb to the top of the mountain, so I was very happy to see that no one could reach the top of the mountain. Even the 72-year-old from Singapore has succeeded, which makes me wonder how active I might be in my 70s. What a bad guy.

In the process of climbing, I have wondered many times whether this hiking trip is worth it.
I have considered giving up countless times. The prospect of being able to breathe normally far exceeds the prospect of peeking at the world’s largest lava lake. This is just a volcano — how special can it be?
However, the first glimpse of lava will always be engraved in my memory.
It’s like staring at a photo. I have spent so much time studying Nyiragongo. Now I have finally arrived there, but I can’t feel its existence. I am so awed that I have to keep blinking to prove that this is not a dream.
A guide brought hot tea. We drank it gratefully and stared at the place that felt like the gate of hell. Everyone was speechless.
I sat on a nearby rock, smoking and watching the sunset, thinking that this would be one of the coolest things I have ever done in my life.
After my traumatic toilet experience at the beginning of today, I have been fully prepared to squat awkwardly in the fresh air, but Nyiragongo’s toilet is the best of all the toilets I have used.
There is even a toilet lid! But there is still no door, which makes me feel very disappointed.
But there is still no door, which is still very strange and very nerve-racking.
Veronga provides a set meal for hikers. You can pay a cook to climb the volcano with you, distribute snacks and drinks at the rest station, and then place three dishes in a warm hut when you reach the top of the mountain. For me, this decision was effortless. From the moment I stepped into the chef’s cabin, I was very happy that I chose it.
The meal was surprisingly delicious because it was cooked in a hot pot in the middle of a small wooden house.
At this point, I haven’t realized that high altitude will seriously affect your appetite. From the moment I finished the soup, I struggled to eat pasta and potatoes, and it was almost impossible to eat dessert. Although my stomach is struggling, I still eat as much as possible because I know I need energy tomorrow.
We stayed in the cabin for more than an hour. When everyone else shivered in the ice and snow outside, we still enjoyed such a warm place with great interest.
After that, we wrapped up our clothes, faced the severe cold again, and took fuzzy photos of the lava lake. Now it is finally dark.
When we sat together drinking hot tea, we discussed whether you would feel pain if you fell into the lava pool, or whether you would be obliterated in an instant. We talked about it as one of the coolest things we have ever seen, and shared the stories of other volcanoes we have climbed around the world; Other mountains we have climbed. Kilimanjaro in 2023? Don’t be surprised if you see me challenge it.
Some of me considered sitting on the edge and shivering for the night, watching the lava hit the ground of the crater like a wave. Some of me know that I will regret not making full use of my time in such a special place, but I also know that I will have a long and difficult climbing process the next morning, and I need some rest.

Sleep is very rare. I tossed and turned for several hours in the cabin with poor thermal insulation. Mattresses are more like fitness mats, which are made of materials without any thermal insulation capacity. Without anything as a pillow, it is like leaning your face against the window for several hours in winter.
I took Diamox to prevent altitude reaction, and the side effects of pricking pain are also breaking out: my whole face has a feeling of acupuncture. My tongue, lips, eyes, as well as my hands and feet. Diamox also has diuretic effect, so in addition to paralysis, I climb to the lava outside every hour to urinate.
Although the outer room can be accessed in the daytime, it is very dangerous to try to go downstairs after nightfall, even with headlights. On the contrary, I squatted on the rock next to the cabin and listened to the lava bubbling and splashing around me. Countless twinkling stars lit up my skin for other people who emptied their bladder at the same time to see.
Trying to sleep — sneaking back outside — trying to sleep — sneaking back outside — so on and on until 5:00 in the morning, it’s time to start our day.
We had breakfast in the chef’s cabin: a rich meal of fruit, meat, cheese and yogurt, but my appetite was still poor because of the high altitude, so I could hardly eat anything.
After meeting my friends, I learned that one of them was vomiting all night. Our conclusion is that either it is food poisoning or the altitude is too high. I hope it is the latter, because we are about to reach the lower ground quickly.
We packed our backpacks, picked up our walking sticks, and braced ourselves for going downhill.
If I find it difficult to climb the mountain, I know it will have no impact on today’s adventure. Online reports vary: some people only get to the bottom of the mountain in half the time; Some people took twice as long to get down the mountain. I know that no matter how long it takes, I will try to keep upright.
The first section is probably the most difficult section today. This is the steepest part of the hiking trip. It is composed of loose lava. Once you try to transfer any weight to these rocks, they will fall down.
Taking a deep breath, I tentatively extended my foot, and my arm swung in a big circle as I tested every rock on my toes. There is almost no way to know which stones will fall, until it is too late for you to fall with them. I have no confidence.
Within a few minutes, my porter rushed down from the crater and held out a hand in my direction.
“Thank you!” I was ecstatic because he looked up shyly and smiled at me.
As we walked together, he held my hand tightly and pointed to the place where my feet should go. I generally shook around. I felt that it was much harder than trying to stand straight when surfing.
I would like to tell you how I finally found my foothold, but that is a lie.
When we walked on the gravel, I really ran everywhere. In our 24-member team, only one girl and I are the only ones who need the continuous help of the porters.
In the process of downhill, the fourth paragraph is also so ruthless. If no one tells me where to put my feet, the second and third paragraphs will be very nervous.
I can’t finish the task alone.
I may fall down every step I take. If I don’t have my porter beside me, I will have to slip down.
Either you do this or you risk breaking your ankle.

When we approached the last rest stop, we knew that we had only a way to go. This feeling could not be described in words.
In less than an hour, my legs can move freely, and I can finally take a bath. When we began to walk through the most flat road, I began to wave my climbing stick in the air and ran towards the end, my knees just slightly trembling. I realized that I had succeeded. I couldn’t keep smiling on my face.
At the end of the hiking trip, we were busy tipping each forest ranger, exchanging contact information, finding our means of transportation, and finding our luggage. The scene was chaotic. I handed out my spare cash, found the Veronica truck waiting for me, and began to say goodbye. Some people are going back to Goma, some people are going to the border of Rwanda, and I have not finished my trip in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
After taking some final photos, I picked up my backpack, climbed onto the truck, and turned to wave goodbye to my friends.
In this way, the most incredible experience of my life ended.

What you need to know before climbing
The mountain top is 5000 times colder than you think. Trust me: bring twice the warm clothes you think you need. Everyone in my team was freezing all night.
Don’t join a tour group. It sounds incredible, but my time in the Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the most relaxing trips I have ever participated in. I know it sounds scary, but once you get there, it’s nothing. Booking through Veronga’s website is fast and direct. The park will send people to meet you at the border and stay with you all the time without worrying about any problems. Because you can only go hiking through Veronga National Park, you are simply paying more money to the travel company to get the same experience.
Hiking is difficult, but it can be done. It took us five hours to reach the top of the mountain and three hours to return to the bottom of the mountain. Some teams climbed to the top of the mountain in only 4 hours; Some take 12 hours and arrive after nightfall. It was a difficult hike. There are no curves, so you are walking directly on the volcano, with almost no rest. This can easily become the most difficult physical challenge I set for myself. But don’t give up because of this: if you can walk about 15 miles on the flat ground without stopping, you should have enough physical strength to reach the top.
This is an affordable way to taste travel in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Congo is one of the ten most dangerous countries in the world, so extensive travel there is not an option unless you want to die. Climbing Nyiragongo is a very safe way to spend 24 hours in this country and do some bad things at the same time.
You may not be able to see anything: you can’t predict the weather, and our trip is lucky in the end. The night before, the weather was so gloomy that people at the top of the mountain didn’t even see the shadow of lava when they were there. During our whole journey to the top of the mountain, the sky was completely clear. Unfortunately, you may walk all the way to the top of the volcano, but you can’t see anything there. Nature!
It’s worth spending money on extra things. I don’t know how I would cope without my excellent porter, so I strongly recommend spending $24 to hire one. In addition, you can also spend $5 to buy a wooden walking stick, which is very worthwhile when going downhill. Finally, you can buy an equipment+meal package for $100. Although this is not necessary, there is no need to pack sleeping bags and prepare dinner and breakfast for yourself on the top of the volcano, which is a huge harvest.
Diamox is a good idea. Unless you have stayed above 3500 meters (about the altitude of Cuzco, Peru) and know that you are not prone to altitude sickness, it is wise to reserve Diamox (medicine for preventing altitude sickness) and take it during hiking. A friend of mine developed symptoms of plateau reaction and vomited all night on the edge of the volcano.

You can leave your luggage behind. Maybe this is just my worry, but I am very worried about how to handle my luggage during hiking. The good news is that when you are hiking, there is a luggage room where you can put your luggage. I bought an equipment bag from Veronga, which contained a full backpack, so I asked the porter to carry it to the top of the mountain; I put my backpack in the storage room.
Don’t watch the news until you arrive. With regard to the security situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, you need to know that if tourists are likely to encounter any danger, Veronga will close the whole park and let no one enter. This is reasonable — if tourists have an accident there, they will suffer huge losses. Because of this, I suggest that you do not, do not, or read any news about the Democratic Republic of the Congo before you arrive, because what you do is scare yourself. Two weeks before my arrival, there were news reports that hundreds of local people — as well as two United Nations staff members — were found buried in mass graves, the militia escaped from prison on a large scale, a school was shelled, the Ebola virus revived, and more. It is better to be ignorant, knowing that if you have any real danger, you will not be allowed to enter the park.
Don’t get too close to the edge. There are no obstacles on the top of Nilagongo, and it is easy to slip. A few years ago, a Chinese woman died when she fell into the crater. One of our tour guides even witnessed this scene and told a rather terrible story in the whole experience. Needless to say, be very careful not to get too close to the edge — even for taking pictures.
Don’t try to fly over volcanoes with drones. Our guide called the volcano the graveyard of drones, because dozens of damaged drones were everywhere on the top of the mountain. This is related to the impact of volcanic ash in the air on their flight.
If you want a smaller team, please avoid weekends. Weekend is the busiest time for hiking, because the staff of the United Nations and non-governmental organizations in Goma often sign up for climbing on Saturday. On the Saturday I chose, we had a team of about 24 people, but the normal number was more like 6 or 8. Although I usually like small groups, we have such a group of people on our mountaineering team. I’m glad that we have so many people to cheer each other.
Tip your porters, cooks, forest rangers and tour guides. Take extra cash with you and tip everyone when you finish hiking. These people risk their lives every day to take tourists around Veronga, so you must express your gratitude. I gave the porter a tip of $50 (which may be five times his expected value!), and the cook, forest ranger and guide each $10.
Purchase travel insurance. Yes, you need it – don’t be silly. Arrange travel insurance for your travel in advance, and expect to find a supplier to provide insurance for you, because this is a more dangerous destination than most people. If you get nothing, Battleface is a good choice, because they can provide insurance for almost anyone’s travel. But I recommend SafetyWing, whose price is reasonable and covers tourists to D.R.C.

Things to prepare for hiking in Nyiragongo Mountain
Suitable waterproof hiking boots. When you are at the top of the mountain, it is very common to rain, so you should find a pair of waterproof hiking boots to keep your feet as dry as possible. Make sure your boots are worn in before you arrive to make sure they are comfortable when climbing up and down the volcano. I am wearing the Salomon X Ultra Mid 2 GTX. They have no problems during this particular hiking trip – they are warm, comfortable, waterproof, and won’t make my feet blister or ache.
More socks. They can keep your feet warm, and wearing two pairs of socks can help prevent blisters during hiking. I suggest buying a pair of socks made of merino wool, because they will be super soft, keep your feet cool when you sweat, and keep warm when you are cold.
Waterproof mountaineering pants. The weather changes very quickly. It is very common, not rare, to encounter rain or even hail at the top of Nilagongo. Waterproof mountaineering pants are a good idea to keep yourself warm and dry, which is very important because people already know that hypothermia will occur when they are not dressed on the top of the mountain.
So many warm clothes: If you choose Veronga’s equipment bag, you already have a sweater and raincoat in your bag, but I suggest you also bring some extra clothes. I wear thermal pants under my hiking pants. In my upper body, I have a thermal bottom, a thermal sweater, two sweaters, and a raincoat. When walking outside, I’m still cold!
A hat, a pair of gloves, and a scarf. That’s true. Now you totally think it’s unnecessary, but I promise you will be very happy to bring these things with you. When it is almost snowy and windy outside and you sleep in a hut with holes in the wall, you will appreciate any extra warmth you can get.
A headlamp worn at night. One of the best ways to prevent or treat altitude sickness is to keep water. If you decide to take Diamox, you will urinate anyway because it is a diuretic. When you go into the cold air to release your hands, you are expected to spend a lot of time with your cabin mates for the night. A headlight will make it very easy, especially when you stumble over loose lava on the way to the toilet.
A dry bag. It’s definitely worth buying a dry bag, put your warm clothes, your camera and other important things in it. In this way, if it rains, you don’t have to wear wet clothes. I have been traveling with this 13-liter Sea to Summit dry bag for five years — I like its strong, light, and can let me down even with water.

How to get to Virunga National Park/Democratic Republic of Congo
If you are wise, you will arrange your visa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo through Virunga National Park. Once you buy your license, you can complete all this online, and it is a seamless process from beginning to end. My visa was approved within 48 hours, and no paperwork was required.
However, with this visa, you can only enter the country through the border crossing between Giseni in Rwanda and Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Giseni has two crossing points, so before you leave the country, please make sure you are at the right crossing point.
You will probably fly to Kigali and then go to Giseni by private car or public transport. The one-way cost of the former is usually $100, and the cost of bus to Giseni is about $15. Then you need to take the mototaxi less than $1. It takes four hours to get from Kigali to Giseni – although the distance is very short, the road is winding, so the driving is very slow.
Transit is very easy, and it is no different from any other land transit I have done. Stamp from Rwanda, show your yellow fever card (you need this to enter the country), check your temperature, and then stamp into the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The whole process only takes 5 minutes. If you encounter any problems when crossing the border (or other places in the park), you can call Viany for help at+243 99 1715401, so before you go to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it is worth making sure that you can make a call within the country.

How to climb Mount Nyiragongo within the budget
It is easier to complete the Nyiragongo hiking within the budget than the mountain gorilla hiking (although you should try to do these two things in your trip), because you do not need to stay in the Democratic Republic of Congo the night before climbing. Veronga National Park can meet you at the border and take you directly to the starting point of the hiking trip in the morning. Giseni, on the other side of the border, has rooms starting from $11. If you decide to spend the night in Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, you will see at least $40. Once you get off the volcano, you can cross the border back to Rwanda and get cheaper accommodation.
The license to climb Nilagongo through Veronga National Park is $300, and the price includes accommodation in the cabin on the top of the mountain.
I personally suggest that you pay an extra $24 to hire a porter to carry your backpack to the top of the mountain, because walking for five hours with more than 10 kilograms of stuff on your back in high altitude areas will only make you collapse.
I also suggest spending $100 on equipment+meal package. The package includes a warm sleeping bag and pad, a raincoat and a sweater. You can also get snacks, 5 liters of water, and three delicious dishes cooked for you in the warm cabin on the top of the mountain. Let’s put it this way, anyone who doesn’t spend money on equipment bags is very jealous of our feast at the top of the mountain.
However, if you have a tight budget and are a super athlete, you can skip these extra things and just pay for the license.

Walking on Mount Nyiragongo: the highlight of my life!
I have said it many times, but guys, this is really the most important experience in my life! If you want to know whether it’s worth spending money, I can tell you that I’m planning to do it again next year.
If you want to know whether it is worth spending money, I can tell you that I am planning to do it again next year, because it is simply incredible. It’s easy and worth the money
So if you are hesitant to go, please skip it and go to the website of Veronica.
I promise it will be one of the best things you have ever done.