Hiking Mount Bisoke
Hiking Mount Bisoke- Mountain Bisoke also known as Visoke in Rwanda is a Virunga volcano mountain that is situated in volcanoes national park. Mountain Bisoke is one of the dominant volcanoes in volcanoes national park but what makes it unique is the crater lake at the summit. The mountain is 3711m high and getting to the summit will take you through along the steep slopes, different vegetation covers, and sights of different park animals.
Tourists interested in hiking mountain Bisoke will fly into Kigali international airport and connect to volcanoes national park that is located in the northwestern part of the country. Mountain Bisoke harbors so a lot of wildlife animals among which include mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, duikers, giant forest hogs, buffaloes, spotted hyenas, elephants, several monkeys, and different bird species. Hikers can combine hiking Mountain Bisoke with mountain gorillas trekking.
Hiking Mount Bisoke is one of the activities you can be part of while on a safari in the park. The hike takes 6 hours to go up and descend the mountain and this depends on the speed of hikers. Experienced hikers can hike this mountain for only 3 hours and descend in just an hour.
Mountain Bisoke is one of the popular mountains in volcanoes national park famous for its crater lake at the summit and the go-filled summit. The summit of the mountain gives you stunning views of the surrounding areas. On the slopes of Mountain Bisoke, you meet animals like elephants, duikers, buffaloes, spotted hyenas, giant forest hogs, monkeys, and several bird species.
Climbing Mount Bisoke
Climbing Mount Bisoke normally starts early in the morning at Kinigi park headquarters with a briefing about rules and regulations from rangers. At the briefing center, there are so many tourists but you are grouped according to the activity you are going to do. Here you will be tasked to show your hiking permit, passport, and other necessary documents.
After the briefing, you will be transferred to the starting point by your safari driver where you will meet armed ranger guides. At the beginning of the mountain, you will be given a walking stick that will help you to balance. If you have extra luggage, you will have to hire porters at a fee to carry for you throughout the hike.
The armed ranger guides will lead you through the hike to protect you from wild animals and to give you all the information you need throughout the hike. Hiking Mount Bisoke takes you through different vegetation covers and rocks before reaching the summit. You will actually meet some of the park animals like the mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, buffaloes, duikers, giant forest hogs, monkeys, and different bird species.
After several hours of hiking and reaching the summit, you will be able to have some time relaxing, have a fantastic of the surrounding areas, the national park, mountains like Karisimbi, and Mikeno and you will have a great view of the crater lake.
After enjoying some good time at the summit, you will start on your journey back to the starting point with opportunities f meetings some of the park mammals, primates, and different bird species. On reaching the starting point, you will meet your driver-guide and they will transfer you to the next destination.
Packing list for hiking Mount Bisoke
Fitness is the first thing you need to have a fantastic hiking safari on Mountain Bisoke. You must be focused to complete the hike to the summit of the mountain regardless of the challenges you are likely to encounter. You need to pack long-sleeved clothes, headgear, hand gloves, waterproof hiking shoes, stockings, insect repellents, a camera, binoculars, sunscreen, walking stick, drinking water, energy-giving snacks, face mask, and sanitizer.
How much does it cost to hike Mount Bisoke?
The permit for hiking Mountain Bisoke should not put on you under pressure for you don’t need to purchase it in advance. You can buy a hiking permit for Mount Bisoke on the day of hiking from Kinigi Park headquarters. All hikers do pay $75 per person per hike. The hiking permit includes ranger fees but excludes transport, accommodation, and park entrance fees.
The best time to hike Mountain Bisoke
Tourists interested in hiking Mount Bisoke can do so at any time of the year just that there are some months that are better than the rest and these are the drier months. Tourists should hike mount Bisoke in the drier months of June to September and December to February because during these months there is little rainfall, the hiking trails are dry, the vegetation on the mountain is short giving clear views of animals, the roads leading to the park are passable and the clouds are clear giving beautiful views of the surrounding.
Tourists interested in hiking Mountain Bisoke can still do so in the rainy season which occurs from March to May and October to November. During these months there is plenty of rainfall which leaves the trekking trails muddy and slippery and this reduces the speed of hikers, the vegetation on the slopes of the mountain is tall and thick giving unclear views of the park animals, the clouds are not clear and this gives unclear views of the surrounding areas, and the roads leading to the park are impassable.
