Mount Bisoke also called Visoke locally is a dormant Volcano located at the border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. It raises 3711m above sea level and it’s among the eight Volcano Mountains that make the Virunga mountain ranges that run at the border of Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic. The biggest part of the mountain is in Rwanda Volcanoes national park including the two crater lakes on the peak.
Visoke or Bisoke is a Swahili word that means “soaked with water” and this came as a result of the two beautiful craters that soak the Volcano Mountain and hence the locals called so. The crates are at the peak and about 450m surface area and 100m deep. Another crater lake was formed almost at the top overlooking Mount Sabyinyo. The mountain is evergreen covered with green vegetation that ranges from forest to alpine through Sub-alpine. This vegetation cover is home to different wildlife such as mountain gorillas also called the gentle giants, golden monkeys, different bird species, buffalos, elephants and many more.
Like any other mountain, hiking is the main activity that takes place on Mount. Bisoke. Hiking to the summit through the different vegetation covers will make the best adventure in your lifetime. The hike can even be done by non-experienced hikers but experienced hikers reach the summit in just 3 hours. Hiking normally begins in the morning at around 7 am at the park headquarters and it commences with a briefing where the rules and regulations will be well stipulated.
Also, great information will be given to you about the five Volcanoes that are found in Rwanda plus what to expect while on this great hike. The park ranger guide or guides will guide you through the trek and they are very knowledgeable and experienced about the mountain and the park at large. The good thing is that the park rangers are natives of Kinigi and they have gained experience since childhood, they have been working in Volcanoes national park.
You are advised to hire a porter that will help you to carry extra luggage. During the hike, the guide will explain the history of formation and many more. This mountain last erupted in 1957 leaving a crater on the peak. It was formed as a result of rift action and this means that it is located in the Great Rift Valley.
When to hike Mount Bisoke?
Don’t worry about the time to hike Mount Bisoke all you need to know is that the dry period is the best moment to hike Mt Bisoke. This is because the trails are dry making them easy to penetrate. The rainy season makes the trail muddy and slippery hence hindering the experience. The dry seasons are between June to September and December to February. The rainy season is from March to May and October to November. You need to park a raincoat because no one can predict the African weather, a pair of binoculars to view distant objects, a camera with enough batteries to take memorable photos, energy-giving snacks and enough drinking water that will keep you fresh and energetic and much more.
Since Mount Bisoke is located in the Volcanoes national park, tourists can opt to take part in other activities like gorilla trekking which allows trekkers to spend an hour in the presence of the mountain gorillas and the overall experience can take about 2 to 8 hours. Golden monkey trekking is almost the same as gorilla trekking and the difference is that there is no limited number in trekking but for gorilla trekking, only it is limited to 8 people. Birding, nature walks, community experience of the Banyarwanda, visiting the twin lakes and much more.
