Mount Karisimbi: Hiking Tours in Rwanda
Mountain Karisimbi is a dormant volcano found in the Virunga Mountains and is located on the borders of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its height is 4,507 meters and it is among the highest mountains in the East African Rift valley and the Virunga Mountains. The mountain its self is bordered by Mikeno in the north, Nyiragongo in the far west and Bisoke in the east. Mountain Karisimbi is believed to be the 11th highest mountain on the African Continent.
Karisimbi Trekking in Rwanda
The name was got from the word Amasimbi which means snow since its top gets snow during the dry season months – June, July and August. The Karisoke research centre which is famous got its name from the combination of Karisimbi and Bisoke and it was formed by Dian Fossey. This famous research center is found in between mountain Karisimbi and Bisoke and it was founded mainly to care and protect the mountain gorillas which live in the volcanoes national park.
Mountain Karisimbi has a pit crater called Muntango and is found in the southern direction of the summit and this mountain has over 100 cones which extend towards the shores of Lake Kivu, one of the famous lakes in Rwanda. The mountain has a caldera known as Brance with lots of explosion Breccias, tuffs as well as pumices which are located near the Karisimbi Mountain.
Karisimbi Mountain’s largest lava flow is 12km long and covers an area of about 23 Sq.km to the Far East side of the volcano and the lava thickness is 40 to 60m yet the maximum thickness is over 140m. The components of this volcano include the pit crater which is found on the southern direction of the summit cone with a diameter of about 1170 and 945 meters.
The mountain crater is covered with blocks and has a flat crater and the summit cone is steeper than the volcano with slopes of 25 to 30 degrees and has a regular shape of a strato volcano. The lava plain of this volcano also covers an area of 400 sq.km and does not contain water courses since most of the lava erupts from the crater and caldera. This volcano also contains adventive cones with a density higher than Mauna Kea volcanoes, Kilimanjaro and Etna.
Hiking mount Karisimbi can be done in 1 or 2 days and it’s rewarding due to its unique experience. This hike starts early in the morning and lasts between 6 to 7 hours as you navigate through the forested slopes before stopping at an altitude of about 3700m to have an overnight at the camp before endeavouring to finish the hike the next day.
When the hikers reach the top, they enjoy viewing many bird species, primates like the endangered mountain gorillas and the monkeys since this mountain is found close to volcanoes national park in Rwanda. Mountain Karisimbi has super exotic plants and vegetation of dense forest and the barren volcanic cores at the top of the summit and this mountain’s hiking trails are muddy especially in the rainy season because of the altitude.
Karisimbi volcano offers spectacular views at the top of the volcano since it is higher which enables climbers to see other peaks which are lower like the Nyiragongo, Bisoke and many others and on its top there is snow which was formed as a result of sleet and hail which accumulated at the higher elevations from the storms.
Therefore when you visit Rwanda mainly to for mountain gorilla safaris, add a compliment on your itinerary of climbing Mountain Karisimbi, even though it is strenuous, it is extremely rewarding.
