Goma Airport Discovery Guided Tour

Goma International Airport was established in 1976 with a runway of 3000m long. The airport, being a transit area for minerals and tourists, has largely contributed to the development  of the city to what it is today. The 1977 Nyiragongo eruption did not destroy the airport which remained in use for only local flights. However, the 2002 volcanic eruption seriously damaged the airport reducing it to 1,500 meters. In attempt to keeping it open for business the Government invested in renovating it to 2,000 meters in 2015, a year in which it also received its first international commercial flight, Ethiopian Airlines.

Before that, the short runway and lack of adequate instruments largely contributed to a number of crashes. Some planes ended their journey  in the city, others in the lava to the north. The city by itself has a record of air crash than in the whole of DRC. Besides, wars are also among main factors that nourished the state of abandonment of the Goma Airport as visitors will witness it.  In 2018, the Airport has been equipped with beacons to accommodate night flights.

Recently, in July 2020, the last 1,000 meters of renovation were completed, bringing it to the  initial 3,000 meters as requires international standards. Now, it  welcomes all type of planes. For instance, on July 17, 2020, a Boeing 777 direct from Karachi landed in Goma bringing UN peacekeeping soldiers.

Do you want to go behind the scenes at Goma Airport? A guided tour is one solution. During the visits, you will discover all the most interesting parts of the third most dynamic airport of the D.R. of Congo, and importantly the Goma Abandoned Airport to witness how these old flying birds are actually servicing and dormitory and houses.

What to expect?

An expert guide is going to take you on an inside trip for one to two hours through the fascinating world of the airport and aviation in general. The group registers as passengers, will go through a passport / identity and security check, then find out what is going on inside and behind the scenes of Goma Airport. The tour includes:

• Visit of the departure area (check-in counters, companies, tour operators)
• Access to the boarding lounge after passing through passenger control.
• Explanations from the guide about what is happening around the departure of a plane.
• Visit to the Airport Traffic Control Tower;
• The visit of the new 3,000-meter runway with the possibility of witnessing the take-off and / or landing of an aircraft;
• Board an airplane parked on the tarmac;
• Goma Abandoned Airport for old and abandoned planes;
• The visit of some aircraft hangars and the airport fire brigade installations;
• Visiting the various airport services;
• Possibility of driving on the runway with your own car (Contact us in advance for this service. It has a specific price).

Note: It is better to be aware that it is for Airport Authorities  to fix the starting time. An early booking will highly be appreciated.