Volcano Tours,Treks and Adventures

Volcanoes are awe inspiring so why not take the adventure of a lifetime and visit a volcano! Hike to the summit of Etna Sicily,view lava flowing into the sea in Hawaii or take a flight over Hawaiis lava flows,gasp at the volcanic fireworks of Stromboli,be awe struck in Costa Rica at Arenal. Mount St Helens is Awesome and Mt Rainier beautifully dangerous.Take a flight or boat to White Island in New Zealand,See the volcano where Icelands ash cloud erupted from. Take some volcanic therapy and relax in a hot spring. Life is too short not to visit a volcano.

Check out our volcano visitor hot tips and real diary accounts of trips to volcanoes in Italy,USA(inc Hawaii) and Iceland. The Etna trip was literally a blast!

Volcano Safety

What to Take

For the volcanoes on this site you won't need highly specialised equipment but for some of the volcanoes a few bit of extra kit will help keep you comfortable and safe.The most important thing to take is some common sense and respect for the environment.

You should always follow the safety advice of the authorities and follow the access restrictions. Some pieces of clothing,equipment and supplies are common to all outdoor activities.

A strong pair of boots with a closed toe and a grippy sole. If you will be on rough paths then boots are essential but for one of the more touristy volcanoes with only short distances or made up paths then trainers are OK. Open toed sandals will fill up with ash and grit and expose your feet to fumaroles and sharp lava- leave them for the beach!

On rough terrain then long trousers will protect your legs from lava scrapes.Gaitors are realy useful to protect your lower legs and keep ash out of your boots.

An adjustable pole would be useful to steady you on unven terrain, test ground firmness and for descending ash slopes. A hat,suncream and sunglasses,not just for sun but for blown ash too!

A mask or handerchief to give you some protection from sulphurous fumes.A hard hat , in some cases this may be supplied by a guide ie Stromboli.Something to sit on to stop trousers ripping on lava and uncomfy lunch stops. Take care where you sit , sitting on 400C fumarole will not be comfy.If you take a camera be aware that volcanic ash can get in every where and steam and bases can be corrosive - so protect it.

Italian Volcanoes

Mount Etna Eruption 2000

On June 1st 2000 I was part of trekking group who were to hike across the summit area of Etna. The route we were to take is shown ,on the summit image, as a white path from left to right which passes in front of the smoking crater in the foreground. We made it to the slope on the left before retreating.

Previous to this we had observed some small but impressive lava fountains erupting from the southeast crater from a vantage point on the rim of the Valle de Bove. Reluctantly we tore ourselves away after spending an extra 10 minutes here- a vital 10 minutes as it turned out. The picture below was taken by Paul, a fellow trekker, of this activity at the SE crater- we were quite a way away!

Having finally left the SE crater we headed for the summit area in a big Mercedes overland truck , driving along an ash blackened road with banks of ash layered snow on either side. We got out at about 10000 feet.We began walking to the summit area , the altitude meant that it was a bit puffy and I found myself at the back plodding up a long ash blackened slope with rocky lava and snow patches.

As a I neared a crest I looked up to see a pure white puff of cloud coming from the ridge in front of me and then within a second a vertical jet of red hot lava getting taller shooting straight up into the air. The people ahead of me started to come back towards me - I'd only just got there!! I grabbed my camera and took a few pictures as they ran towards me .

The guides were telling us to run and keep running back the way we had come - on rough ground this was a bit tricky but all aches and pains go when you are running for your life and the threat of being barbecued!!

We ran for a long time and a long way .The Guides Mobile phones ringing to check we could see the eruption!! and to check we were ok. The cloud behind us filled the sky and was getting taller and taller and the lava jetting 100s of meters into the air . I could see lava bombs flying through the air up to 800-900m above the crater and some bombs apparently landed up to 2km away.

The eruption cloud below shot up over a mile into the sky and was the biggest eruption of that year so far.Tephra showers fell to the SE of the volcano as the wind was blowing this way.

We eventually ran to the truck which had been sent up to rescue us. We originally thought it was the Bocca Nova crater which had erupted but it turned out to be the SE crater we had seen earlier. The vent had clogged during the time we were driving and walking up the mountain this blockage was then blasted out of the volcano at 10.15 . Right on CUE!!

Here is a list of bizzare things about this story:

The Poseidan monitoring system was not working that morning

On a major ETNA website the paroxysm eruption had been predicted for that morning

The 10 minutes extra watching the SE crater erupting earlier on meant we were further away than we would have been if we had been on time - 10 minutes would have taken us into a real fix virtually next to the crater!

The wind was blowing the right way- 15 minutes later and we may have been showered as me walked downwind

On the 31st May at 10.45pm the wind was blowing the opposite way.

Vulcano Crater walk

I arrived in Vulcano on a small boat from the neighbouring island of Lipari. Before we landed we could smell the sulphur wafting across the sea. On landing we headed up through a small village to the start of the track and a big warning sign telling of all the dangers ahead. So we carried on!

Vulcano is only small so a quick hike and we came to the crater rim.Sulphur fumeroles filled the air with steam as we looked down into a inverted cone shaped crater. Clambering around we found bright yellow sulphur around steaming fumaroles at about 400C- stand too long and it will melt your boots! Go too near the fumeroles and you'll get a lung full of breath stopping warm, moist hydrogen sulphide.We had to cover our faces with scarves in the steamy bits. After a circuit of the crater we set off down a sloe deep in ash -like walking down a giant sand dune.

The sea in vulcano bubbles with warm water so after a mud bath we had a swim. Three tips from me here take all your jewellery off, wear an old swim suit and lastly if you re a girl just check you re not going more au natural than you intended!

Stromboli Night Hike

Stromboli is a 3000ft climb from sea level to the summit. Climbs start in the late afternoon and descend in the early hours to view the lava display at night.

We set off at about 4.00pm through thick undergrowth up and and up. The main thing I found out on the way up was that capers are not shellfish but flower buds!!!

Finally to the base of the final ridge where we would wait until dusk then ascend to the summit to see natures fireworks on cue. The ridge was obscured by cloud and soon it became pitch dark we couldn't go back it was too dangerous so we headed up into the murk by headtorch. I closely followed the guides feet - any more than a metre and i would lose his feet. I pointed my headtorch either side of the narrow ridge- nothing but black and swirling mist and the occasional growl of the volcano.

This photo is the best summit shot I got! Near the top we found a mother and her two chldren frightened and alone in the dark. Our guide took them under his wing and they came down with us. With our bamboo poles and headtorches we plunged down through deep ash in the pitch dark slipping and sliding as we went. A long walk down on mile after mile of ash and dust- skiing and slipping only by head torch.Through the bamboo and out for a beer at 2am!

You see a lot of young people in Stromboli with plastercasts on their arms. There are no cars so people scooter up and down the narrow streets and crash into walls- hence plastercasts.

Hawaii:Kilauea,Pu u oo and red hot lava

When we drove up to the summit of Kilauea it all seemed a bit flat. The road just went on and on. At the visitor centre we picked some leaflets,watched the film and asked about going to see the flowing lava.Apparently people go at dusk and walk back in the dark with a torch!Then off to the Crater Rim Hotel that sits perched on the edge of the Kilauea crater. It was all quite basic and a bit threadbare but was ok and the locaton was perfect for exploring the Volcano National Park.

Next day we decided to go round the crater rim and then down to the lava later in the afternoon. First stop the steaming cliffs and a view over the crater and then onto the Jaggar museum.Lots of Geological stuff to look at here and we could smell the sulphur.

We followed the road round to the SW rift, a big gash in the lava that just seemed to go on and on.Next round to the Halemaumau crater which used to contain a lava lake in the early 1900s.The crater sits within the floor of the main Kilauea caldera.There were offerings of food to pele the Hawaiin Goddess of the volcano.We then wandered out into the lava landscape of the main caldera.Black and red lava ridges and flows some only a few decades old.Quite disorientating and exposed in the hot sun.

Next stop the Kilauea Iki crater overlook the small crater had a lava lake and fountains of lava in . We picked up a tour with a sugarsweet ranger and then walked through the Thurston lava tube. All very friendly and tame.

We headed off down the chain of craters road over numerous lava flows until we descended a zig zag road down to the sea. We parked where everybody else had and walked past the NP van to where the lava had crossed the road.Walking on the lava is quite easy as it as smooth pahoehoe but there were holes so we had to watch our step. We followed yellow markers until they ran out and then the straggle of other lava seekers towards the steam. Some of the flows looked very fresh and the ground was quite hot. We later realised we were walking over the roofs of still flowing lava tubes.

Finally there it was bright orange lava flowing into the sea. As a wave came up it would chill the flow and then it would break through again. Bits fell of and the steam rose it was really beautiful and mesmorising.We decided not to stay after dark as it seemed quite hazadous to walk back in the dark. As we arrived back at the car we gave our unused torch to another couple just setting out in the dark without one!

The next day we took a flight from Hilo in a very hot small plane over the Pu oo oo vent. We saw red hot glows coming from the vents, lots of steam and numerous lava flows.

Hawaii:Haleakala - Big Red

Haleakala is the biggest volcano on Mauii to see. We drove through sugar cane fields to the bottom of he mountain road then zig zagged our way up o 10,000 feet leaving the clouds below us. When we arrived at the top I gasped abit as we were so high. It was really windy and quite cold. We looked round the little observatory place which was protection from the wind.

We walked down the Sliding sands trail into the the red,vast dusty crater floor. Absolutely massive. It was really tempting to keep walking down but we knew we would have to come back out. So we picked a crater and walked to it.

The thin air was noticeable and I had to get into a real rhythm to get out again. It was really dusty and it got every where later when we got back to the hotel my legs were red with dust and that was with trousers on.

Awesome Mt St Helens

I Have been here a couple of times and my jaw always drops a mile.This volcano is truly awesome , the hole in the mountainside where the eruption blasted out is enormous- Awesome is the best word to describe it.

The first time I went I only really got to potter around. But the view from the Johnston ridge observatory is phenominal , although a bit dependent on the weather.

The second time I went we walked Eastwards from the Observatory on a path which narrowed with a cliff and a drop.We got closer to the volcano. The whole landscape is grey and dusty but 25 years on the plants are reclaiming the land. A plant looks like Rose Bay Willow Herb was everywhere - pink spikes I call them.You can still see combed down trees and the view into the Tootle river shows the lahars.

The visitor centre has a great film with a surprise at the end .

Mt.Rainier ,Paradise and Bears

This is a real beauty and the beast experience the stunning beauty of the mountain and the realistion that this is the most dangerous volcano on the continent.

However this a great place to visit , the meadows reminded me of Austria with all the flowers. Paradise is an apt description for the location of the visitor centre. There was a good choice of walks,I did a circular walk up through the meadows. We encountered some bears so we did have to keep singing and talking as bears don't like surprises.

The visitor centre had a really good film.

Yellowstone:Where is the volcano?

I did'nt really know much about Yellowstone when I went just that it an amazing national park in the USA famous for Old Faithful and Yogi Bear. It was fascinating to find out what a whopper of a volcano it was. So big you can't see it!

We camped just outside the park and had a dip in the "boiling river"where a hot spring flows into a fast flowing river to make a perfectly warm spot- very relaxing.

Mammoth Springs was like a big layered cake - terraces of minerals and cascading water.

The whole landscape steamed and boiled as we travelled to Old Faithful . We waited on the circular benches with around 1500 other people for the eruption and it happened right on time. Next a 3 mile round trip walk to look at the other geysers and pools in the area.Such bright colours and very steamy sulphur clouds everywhere. All quite flat walking!

Next onto the enormous Yellowstone lake and Yellowstone Canyon - so this is why its called Yellowstone! Very spectacular coloured cliffs with two amazing waterfalls to look at. Saw a little black bear looking for its tea by the side of the road. Hey booboo!

Iceland Land of Ice and Fire

The Icelandic language produces some amazing words and there are some very long signposts!The roads go on and on with no turns because there is nowhere to turn to. But this is what I loved about the place. Many views had absolutley no evidence of people just natural landscapes, it really is beautiful. The people are stunning and friendly what a great place.

I saw way too much to include here but I would say highlights for me were the Basar area, Skaftafells,Eldgja fire gorge - really awesome . Landmannalaugar- those colours and a thermal bath in the river , Hekla, Geysir and Strokkur,Gullfoss- bigwatefall,Thingvellir where the Plates pull apart and the brilliantly named Fartifoss.You can't miss the columnar basalt its everywhere. Not so keen on the rotten shark or the raw fish buffet I had in Reykjavik.

Reykjavik is really great ; people live on the main shopping street in small houses, the cathedral is made of concrete,you can go for a drink on a patrol boat from the cod wars and they party all night. It is really expensive though but the capital is the only place to spend your money I did n't really need money elsewhere.