Goma Today: The Front Line of the North Kivu Conflict
Overlooking Lake Kivu and shadowed by the active Nyiragongo volcano, Goma is one of Africa's most geographically spectacular cities, gateway to the mountain gorillas of Virunga National Park.
The volcano, dominating the city just kilometers away, hosts one of the world's rare permanent lava lakes, a destination sought by hikers before the current crisis.
Since 2022 the M23 rebel group, according to various sources supported by neighboring Rwanda, has conducted an offensive that led to the occupation of Goma itself in 2025, after months of fighting.
The conflict has caused hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons, concentrated in improvised camps around the city, and serious human rights violations documented by various international organizations.
The instability has also disrupted tourist access to Virunga National Park, one of the few places in the world where mountain gorillas can be observed in their natural habitat.
The situation remains fluid and any security assessment risks becoming quickly overtaken by events on the ground, which is why travel to the region is not recommended.
In peaceful conditions, Goma would be an ideal base for mountain gorilla trekking, an excursion to the Nyiragongo lava lake, and a stay on the shores of Lake Kivu.
The return of stability to North Kivu is the necessary condition for this unique corner of Africa to become accessible to visitors once again.
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