Active volcanoes

The south-west corner of Bolivia, straddling the border to Chile, is a unique area on this planet. It is protected as a national park but the beauty of this region reaches way beyond the borders of the park. The arid altiplano landscape is dotted with volcanoes such as the active Ollagüe (5863 m) where you can see smoke rise from its side, and the perfectly symmetrically shaped Licancabur volcano (5920 m) on the border with Chile.
The park and region is however mostly known for its many lakes that all have different colours from white to blue, green and red. The most famous ones are the Laguna Verde, at the Licancabur volcano and the Laguna Colorado. The colours of these mainly salty lakes come from different algae and plankton. It is this algae that attracts the three different species of flamingos that are present in high numbers at most of the lakes. This area keeps surprising because there is still much more to see. There are geysers and bubbling mud pools at Sol de Mañana, there are hot springs to warm up on a chilly morning, rock formations such as the Arbol de Piedra and there is the rabbit with a long tail called viscacha.

Pico do Fogo (2928 m) is Cabo Verde's highest point and, essentially, a volcano inside a volcano. It's surrounded by a black, moonscape; that will take any first-time visitor by surprise. Perfectly cone-formed the volcano itself is possible to climb in about three hours, though it's advisable to take a guide as the ascent is steep and the best paths change sporadically. Returning down, however, will take about forty minutes as the descent is made by a sprint in a cloud of dust and ash, down through the loose volcanic gravel that covers much of the volcano. A magnificent and fearsome, the volcano last erupted in 2014, and the local community here is yet to recover. This will inevitably put a limit on any visitor’s enjoyment climbing the volcano. But don't let that put you off, the money generated by homestays, the vineyards that survived and the guided climbs goes a long way in the rebuilding of the community.

Look up a map of Grande Comore, and you’ll see that this impressive volcano takes up almost half of the island. This imposing mountain is still an active volcano (the last eruption was in 2007), and many of the flows from previous eruptions can be seen around the island, some of them passing through villages. The crater of the volcano can be reached in a two-day hike (or in one long day if you are very fit), in a pretty steep and steady ascent going through plantations and dense forest, then through bushes and shrubs covered in ashes. At the rim of the crater, you could very well think you’re on the moon. As of 2014, the lava lake is under a layer of ashes, so the expected red glowing glare is not part of the scenery, but the smoking crater and the view coming down are well worth the effort.

There are four active lava lakes in the world, and Congo has one of them. The majestic Mt Nyiragongo – one of the Virunga volcanoes – has to be one of the natural wonders of the region. From time to time – depending on the security situation as well as weather conditions – it is actually possible to hike up to the rim of the crater and overnight here, with a surreal view of the molten rock below. But even if that’s not possible, or if your fitness level isn't up to the challenge, the nocturnal view of the volcano from Virunga National Park headquarters is mesmerising, its glow and the stars lighting up the night sky.

The Volcanoes National Park on Big Island used to be world famous for its flows of red glowing molten lava. However, the eruption in 2018 put an end to that. Today the national park is all about crater lookouts and hiking over old lava flows. To see where the lava once flow, head to the end of Chain of Craters Road. Since the landscape is constantly changing, start your visit at the well organized visitor center, which has the latest information about what is open or not. The national park is Hawaii's only UNESCO World Heritage site.

When Eyjafjallajökull erupted in 2010, the world stopped. Or much of Europe’s air traffic, at any rate. Locally, it forced the evacuation 800 people, and nearby farms were covered under a thick layer of ash. You wouldn’t know that when you drive past today, but there is a very interesting information centre just off the Ring Road – have a look at the 20 min video, narrated by one of the farmers. It is possible to hike up to the Eyjafjallajökull glacier and volcano, but it is a steep, full-day hike, and best not attempted without a guide. For those who don’t quite feel up to that challenge, and cannot afford to see it from the air, stop by the photographic sign in front of the farm – this will at least give you a good idea of what it looked like during the eruption.

Iceland has 30 volcanoes, which are more or less active, and there are good opportunities to climb them. The volcano Hekla is active and erupts around every decade. There is about 1,490 meters to the summit and it takes about 2-3 hours each way. You trek on volcanic rock, snow, ice and very small lava gravel, which is challenging to walk on, so proper hiking boots, perhaps walking stick and warm clothing is essential. It is quite a surreal experience to sit in a volcanic crater and eat your packed lunch, and there is a fantastic view over other mountains and glaciers. The otherwise cold peak is also covered with hot steam, so if you sit down on the ground, you can warm up your bum...

The summit of volcano Rinjani, Gunung Rinjani, (3,726 m) is not only the highest point on Lombok, but the second highest volcano in Indonesia (Gunung Kerinci on Sumatra is the highest). Rinjani is active, and so is the smaller and newer volcano, Baru Jari, inside its crater. Beside the new smoking mini cone, the crater also contains a holy lake called Segara Anak. Both the summit of Rinjani and the crater lake are considered sacred by the local Sasak people who climb the mountain as pilgrims, but anyone is welcome to do the trek when it is considered safe. There are several routes and the treks can be done from 3 days. You can arrange guide, equipment and porters in either Senaru, Sembalun Lawang or Sapit, though Senaru seems as the most popular starting place.

On each side of Tomohon is a volcano. The largest is Mt. Lokon (1580 m) which has a perfect cone. The smaller is Mt. Mahawu (1324 m) which has more gentle slopes. You can drive almost to the top of Mt. Mahawu, where you can walk all the way around the crater rim. Mt. Lokon is a slightly more challenging hike - but it's active. If not spewing ashes out, the peak can be reached within tree hours of trekking from the base (which on the other hand can be hard to find). Whatever volcano you choose to summit, you will be rewarded with magnificent views over Tomohon, Tondano Lake, and all the way to Manado.

Kagoshima would be a fairly ordinary Japanese mid-sized city pleasantly located on the shore of a bay, if it wasn't for the huge and active volcano Sakurajima on the other side. Last major eruption was in 1914 when it covered the town deep in ashes. Today it's one of the most active volcanoes in the world and blows smoke and ashes over the city frequently which makes an umbrella handy. The schools have taken this one step further and added a yellow helmet to their school uniforms, which makes the kids look like Bob the Builder. The volcano can be visited (though not climbed) and please note the many concrete shelters in case of Sakurajima should rumble.