Combining a hike to Mount. Bisoke and Mount. Karisimbi in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, is a great way to spark off an adventurous beginning of a safari. This experience is not a day off adventure, as it requires a few days to reach the summits of both mountains. Mountain Karisimbi, being the tallest among the two, cannot be hiked in a day and requires at least two days for experienced hikers. Mountain Bisoke is slightly shorter than Mountain Karisimbi and therefore can be hiked in fewer days, relatively in a day.
This activity requires absolute preparation, especially mentally, as it can be physically and mentally draining. Although it may look like an incredibly difficult task to combine this hike of these mountains, it is actually not that hard. This is because these two mountains are located in the same area and a few meters or kilometers apart. Therefore, this gives room for experienced hikers to venture across the summits of these mountains are a short while on a combined hiking experience.
The phase of the land of a thousand hills that signifies Rwanda as a highland nation is not just a theory but rather a reality. The closeness of these two volcanic mountains, Bisoke and Karisimbi, makes their hikes easier and with utmost adventure. This combined hiking experience is not just a test of endurance but a discovery expedition to uncover the mountains’ hidden gems.
Hiking has never been a piece of cake, and when it comes to combining two hikes of different mountains, the experience and adventure double. Each mountain presents new challenges and also adventures, hence requiring incredible preparations when embarking on this adventure.
However, it is better to understand what these mountain areas are before unpacking how their combined hike can be all about. A combined hiking experience of Mount. Bisoke and Mount. Karisimbi gifts visitors and offers a time to walk the path of some of the great hikers.
These hikes through these great mountains pass through some of the hidden treasures of the mountains. From primates to bird species and beautiful views of the overlying mountains and the surrounding vegetation, visitors have a lot to see during this combined hike of Mountain Bisoke and Mountain Karisimbi.
Mountain Bisoke
In the heart of Volcanoes National Park, a standalone volcanic mountain shoots above the horizon of the park, announcing its presence. Mountain Bisoke sits at the international border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. This bisects the mountain in half, as one half is in Rwanda and the other in Congo. However, the summit lies in the side of Rwanda, and in most cases it can only be hiked from here. Mountain Bisoke falls in the Albertine Rift of the western arm of the East African Rift.
This mountain continues the stretch of the Virunga Mountains or ranges that begin from the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Many consider Mountain Bisoke as an extinct volcano, but this is not true. It is, however, the other way round, as Mountain Bisoke is an active volcano. This is because it is among the few volcanoes with the most recent eruptions recorded, such as in 1891 and 1957.
There have been reports by scientists and geographers from their findings that indicate that Mountain Bisoke may volcanically become active in the near future. At an elevation of about 3,711 meters above sea level, Mountain Bisoke towers its summit into the skyline, but it is not snow-capped.
Mountain Bisoke is very significant to Rwanda as a gorilla destination, as it harbors the last population of endangered mountain gorillas in the country. Dian Fossey, a renowned primatologist and conservationist, when she arrived in the park, she was amazed by the beauty of this mountain. She later set her base and work center close to the mountain. Hiking Mountain Bisoke is arguably challenging, as it requires a bit of technique since it is a standalone mountain with steep terrain.
Mountain Karisimbi
Among the volcanic mountains in Volcanoes National Park, Mountain Karisimbi is a name that strikes every hiker and adventure lover. With the summit of this great mountain standing at 4,507 meters above sea level, Mountain Karisimbi ranks first as the tallest mountain in the Virunga massif. Mountain Karisimbi towers above all its closest volcanoes, like Bisoke, Mikeno, and Nyiragongo, at an incredible height. At this great height comes a lot of responsibility, and this mountain is an inactive volcanic mountain.
The sides of this mountain are steep and require the necessary climbing gear and physical endurance. Mountain Karisimbi extends its massive size to the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. This mountain has a snow-capped summit that is only visible during the dry season.
This mountain was named from amasimbi, a Kinyarwanda word meaning snow, since Mountain Karisimbi is relatively snow-capped. The geographical sighting of Mountain Karisimbi sets it as the 11th-tallest mountain on the African continent. Hiking to the summit of Karisimbi offers incredible views and wildlife encounters, especially the primates and a lot of bird species.
What is the best time for combining Mount. Bisoke and Mount. Karisimbi hikes?
Since this combined hiking experience of the mountains Bisoke and Karisimbi is an outdoor activity, the dry season is the best time to embark on this experience. The dry season is experienced from June to September and December to February. The dry season is a period of excessive sunshine conditions that make the mountain hiking trails dry, and the vegetation canopies and undergrowth are sparse for easy navigation.
This alone increases the chances for a successful hike to the summits of these mountains. Karisimbi Mountain gives incredible views of the snow-capped summit during this period. This is unlike how it would be in the wet season when the trails are wet, muddy, and very slippery, making their navigation a nightmare.
What to pack for a combined hike of Mountain Bisoke and Mountain Karisimbi?
The success of a combined hike to the summits of Mountain Bisoke and Mountain Karisimbi lies greatly in the hiking gear. This gear is a lifesaver for most hikers, as the hiking experience can present difficult conditions, and if the gear is not right, then the hikes can be unsuccessful. Below is a list of some of the items to pack for a combined hiking experience of Mountain Bisoke and Mountain Karisimbi.
- Hiking boots
- Rain jacket
- Long-sleeved shirts
- Sweaters
- Reusable water bottle
- Energy-giving snacks
- A pair of jungle trousers
- A tent
- Sleeping bag
- First aid box
- Insect repellent
- Accessories like a hat, gloves, sunglasses, and sunscreen, etc.