Africa's Green and
Fiery Heart
Executive summary by darmansjah
Perhaps nowhere on Earth is the dual creative and
destructive nature of volcanoes more evident than in central Africa’s Virunga
Volcanoes Massif. Straddling the borders between Rwanda, Uganda, and the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, the eight-volcano chain is one of Earth’s
most active volcanic regions and a veritable salad bowl for mountain gorillas,
chimpanzees, elephants, and other wildlife. Landscapes in all three countries
conjure visions of both Eden and hell.
In Congo, the swirling plume of the active Nyiragongo
Volcano (above) beckons. Check on the security situation in the troubled
country before going, but those who make the steep five-hour hike up Nyiragongo
are rewarded with heady vistas of the world’s largest lava lake. Spend the
night on the rim to fully experience the crater’s fiery light and sound
spectacle.
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