Mount Karthala

Mount Karthala is a volcano on the island of Grand Comore in the Comoros.

Get in

Hiking to Karthala crater

The day starts early at 06:00 at 1 Mvouni where you meet the guide. There you start hiking up-a-hill for next 6-7 hours walking 13 km and climbing 1950 meters ascent. Scenery change is dramatic, you start at tropical, green and humid jungles, while you walk trees get thinner, smaller and less dense. Some parts are burned down to plant more profitable flora. At the highest point of the hike, you're surrounded just by bushes around. Thereafter you climb down to a crater, walk on grey sand. As you get closer to the crater, cracks in a rock releases stream, it gets pretty warm. The crater itself is huge and culminates the hike.

From there it's another 2 hours down to the basecamp which you reach at 14:00-15:00. It's a small settlement about 800 meters above sea level constituted of 5-8 tinplated sheds. Your guide might prepare dinner for both of you.

Next day awaits another 2-3 hours hike down to the starting point. You might be back to 2 Moroni city centre by 11:00.

One day hike would start at 06:00 and finish 17:00-19:00 depending on speed.

Overviewing to Karthala crater

Fees and permits

The entry to the region is free. There is nobody guarding the entrance and charging for it.

Guides available for €60 for one day. It is possible to do as a one long day hike for €60 or overnight for €100 at a small settlement around 800 meters above sea level. There's no such thing as tourist agencies around the city advertising the hike, so to find a guide you need to go to Mvouni village next to Moroni and ask around. It's a small village so you should have no problems getting a number of a guide.

Buy

No shops available on the route to the crater

Eat

No restaurants on the way however in a small settlement there is a place to make fire and pots

Drink

No water sources available

Sleep

There is a small settlement about 800 meters above sea level constituted of 5-8 tinplated sheds. Your guide would arrange the stay. One might sleep in a shed and camp outside.

Stay safe

The volcano is considered very active. It erupted 20 times since the 19th century, last time being 2005.