In July 2017, we took 12 team mates on expedition to explore the oldest national park in Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s fabled Virunga.
On their journey through the dramatic volcanic landscape, the team climbed to the Nyiragongo lava lake, encountered the mighty mountain gorillas, and learnt of the local community’s grassroots activism to protect the national park, before embarking on their second mission; an exploratory trek into the mountains of the moon, the Rwenzoris.
Few people venture into these jungle-bound peaks from the DRC side. Dense jungle vegetation made progress slow, while scrambling up rocky lava flows challenged the team’s limits to reach altitudes of 4462m. Expedition goals achieved, they descended into the jungle once more to cross the border and celebrate their success in Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park, bearing witness to Central Africa’s breath-taking biodiversity at every point of the compass.
These are team DRC’s expedition highlights, as shot by expedition leader Dave Luke and teammates Kirsten Thomson and Michael Kelley.
Will you be one of the fortunate 12 people prepared to navigate the natural beauty of Virunga in 2018? Find out more about becoming a team mate on our DRC:Virunga Expedition, and ready yourself for an epic adventure.