Nyiragongo is an active volcano in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, near lake Kivu and the border with Rwanda. To get there you go to Kigali in Rwanda and then travel by road to Goma in the Congo. Goma is the place where about a million refugees fled during and after the Rwandan Genocide. Before it had recovered from that, the volcano erupted and a lava flow went straight down the main street then taking a right turn at a T interesection which was lucky as the consequences of it hitting the lake were unknown. The climb up Nyiragongo is strenuous, but the view from the top is spectacular.

On the way we stopped to look at the lava flow through Goma (and the people who lived there) and also look at the local transport - the Chookoodoo. Goma is a fascinating place, though one with obvious problems caused by the unstable polital situation in the recent past and by its proximity to a very active volcano.

Steve Axford, Feb 2007