Mount Bisoke is one of the activities you can do in the volcanoes of East Africa. It is located in the Virunga range on the border of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Most of the mountain and its summit are in Rwanda.
Standing at 3,711 meters high, Bisoke is a stratovolcano, which means it is built from ash and layers of lava that have piled up with each eruption. The mountain has two recorded eruptions that happened in 1891 and 1957.
The name Bisoke comes from the Swahili word “Visoke,” which means soaked in water. This refers to the two crater lakes found at this cone-shaped volcano.
At the peak is a crater lake called Lake Visoke, which has a diameter of 400 meters and a depth of 100 meters.
The other crater lake is Lake Ngezi, located on the sides of Mount Bisoke and about 11 kilometers from the summit. The two crater lakes were created after the 1957 eruption.
The Mount Bisoke Hike
Hikes to Mount Bisoke are generally considered less difficult and are usually done in one day. This does not mean the hike is without challenges.
The trail to the summit has stinging insects, thorny plants, tough terrain, and muddy paths that can test even experienced hikers. Because the mountain is very steep, oxygen levels can also be low.
To manage the hike, you need a good level of physical fitness. Mental strength also plays a big role in completing the hike successfully.
Like other hikes in the Virunga ranges, the Mount Bisoke hike starts early in the morning. It begins with a briefing at the Volcanoes National Park headquarters, where you are told the dos and don’ts during the hike, and you are assigned a park ranger.
You are offered two optional trails. The first and most popular trail leads straight to the crater lake and takes about 6 hours to complete — 4 hours to reach the summit and 2 hours to descend.
The other trail is shorter and leads you to Lake Ngezi. It takes about 3 hours to complete — 2 hours to reach the lake and 1 hour to descend.
Walking along Lake Ngezi offers a good chance to see rare bird species, enjoy the Alpine vegetation, and walk through the bamboo forests.
The most unforgettable part is when you reach the crater lake and see views of the other mountains in the range: Sabyinyo, Nyiragongo, Karisimbi, Mikeno, Gahinga, and Muhabura.
You will also see the foggy summit, and if the weather is good and you have time, you might even enjoy a picnic by the crater lake.
What else to do near Mount Bisoke?
Mount Bisoke is also home to groups of mountain gorillas, so you may be lucky to see these endangered animals.
However, sightings are not guaranteed, and if you meet gorillas, you must keep a safe distance because some gorillas are not habituated.
Your time with them might be limited to about 10 minutes, and without a gorilla trekking permit, you will not be allowed to take pictures.
Near the mountain, you can also visit the tomb of the American researcher and primatologist, Dr. Dian Fossey, who set up the Karisoke Research Center in the Virunga Mountains.
Dr. Fossey did important research on gorilla behavior and helped open the way for today’s conservation efforts.
Other wildlife you might encounter during the hike includes forest elephants, buffaloes, and golden monkeys.
The best time to hike Mount Bisoke is during the dry seasons when the trails are less muddy, especially from June to September and December to February.
