Mount Karisimbi

Karisimbi reaches 4,507 metres on the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is the highest of the Virunga chain, an extinct volcano whose upper slopes carry giant lobelia and senecio before giving out to bare scree. The climb is done over two days with a night camped at around 3,700 metres, and it is cold: frost is normal at the camp and the summit is often in cloud. The name comes from a Kinyarwanda word for the white shell of snow that sometimes caps it.

History

On 27 February 1908 an expedition led by Egon von Kirschstein, coming down from the Branca crater, was caught in a hail and snowstorm in which twenty of its porters died. Between Karisimbi and Bisoke, Dian Fossey founded the Karisoke Research Center to observe the mountain gorillas (Wikipedia, Mount Karisimbi).

What's there

• The summit - the Virungas' high point at 4,507 metres, frequently in cloud.
• The giant lobelia - Afroalpine plants on the upper slopes, found only at this altitude.
• The high camp - an overnight stop at around 3,700 metres, cold enough for frost.
• The chain view - the other Virunga volcanoes lined up from the ridge.

When to go

June to September and December to February are the drier windows and the practical climbing seasons. The wet months turn the route to deep mud. Nights at the camp drop close to freezing in any season.

Practical notes

This is a hard two-day climb with a great deal of mud and a cold camp; many who start do not summit. A park permit, a guide and porters are compulsory and the cost is substantial. Cloud hides the view from the top more often than not.

Nearby

Bisoke is on the same massif, and Musanze is below to the east.

Key facts