Spectacular eruption in Congo

AP Photo/Virunga National Park, Cai Tjeenk Willink

Mount Nyamulagira in eastern Congo is seen erupting on Friday, Nov. 11, 2011. Virunga National Park in Congo is inviting tourists on an overnight trek to view the spectacular eruption.

Virunga Park is home to 200 of the world's 790 mountain gorillas, as well as lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, okapi, forest elephants and buffalo. Rivers of incandescent lava are flowing slowly north into an uninhabited part of the park, but pose no danger to its critically endangered gorillas.

Visitors view the eruption of Mount Nyamulagira in eastern Congo's Virunga National Park, Friday, Nov. 11, 2011.

The park has set up a tented camp nearly one mile south of the eruption where tourists can spend the night. For $300, the park provides transportation for the hour-long drive from the eastern capital of Goma and wardens to guide visitors on the three- to four-hour hike to the camp.

The erupting Mount Nyamulagira.

Mount Nyamulagira in Virunga National Park, eastern Congo.

The volcano is spurting fountains of lava nearly 1,000 feet into the air.

Mount Nyamulagira in Virunga National Park erupts Friday, Nov. 11, 2011.

A park ranger is seen as Mount Nyamulagira in Virunga National Park erupts Friday, Nov. 11, 2011.

Virunga is located in eastern Congo, where numerous militia and rebel groups continue to terrorize the population nearly a decade after the country's civil war ended. Some 360 park rangers protect the park and its wildlife from poachers, rebel groups, illegal miners and land invasions.

Rangers worked through the civil war in eastern Congo's five parks, with more than 150 killed in the last 10 years.