RouteMoroni

Mount Karthala: Hiking Comoros' Active Volcano

Climb Africa's most active volcano — Karthala rises 2,361 metres above Moroni and its enormous caldera is one of the world's largest, with a hike through ancient forest

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1
Karthala Trailhead at Boboni
The village of Boboni at 600 meters serves as the starting point for the Karthala climb — local guides are hired here for the 6-7 hour round trip
2
Cloud Forest Zone
Over 1,200 meters, the trail enters an extraordinary cloud forest hung with mosses, tree ferns and orchids found nowhere else on earth — Comoros' endemic species
3
Summit Plateau
The great summit plateau of 2,361 meters suddenly emerges from the forest — a lunar landscape of black lava and fumaroles steaming from recent eruptions
4
Chahale Caldera Rim
The largest caldera contains several nested craters and a permanent crater lake — a volcanic landscape that last erupted severely in 2007 and 2012
5
Indian Ocean 360 degree view
On clear mornings, the summit offers a 360-degree view across the Indian Ocean to Anjouan, Mohéli and Madagascar — the entire chain of islands spread out below
6
Descent through vanilla plantations
The descent route through the lower slopes passes vanilla plantations where the precious pods grow on climbing vines in the shade of forest trees