Top Volcano Hikes in Beautiful Places Around the World
Lava fields, geothermal pools and scenery sculpted by looming cones promise to ignite your wanderlust on these trips to volcanic lands.
Destructive; regenerative; mercurial – it’s easy to see why volcanoes have been the subject of fascination, mythology and fear for as long as we’ve been around. Being close to a volcano is to experience the magnitude of the earth’s power unlike anything else – and you don’t even have to be within singeing-distance of a lava flow either. These hikes explore unforgettable volcanic landscapes safely – from the unique biology of the Galápagos to the fertile slopes of Sicily’s Mount Etna.
Taste La Dolce Vita in Sicily
Italy’s volcano-pocked island of Sicily is iconic for many reasons – its dramatic landscape, unique cuisine and baroque architecture among them. This eight-day tour covers all of its best bases, starting with sundown cocktails in the glamorous capital Palermo. The city’s fascinating history – and sizzling street food – is on the menu for the following day, after which you’ll be sailing off to the Aeolian Islands. Vulcano is one aptly named island, and you’ll get to discover its natural hot springs and black sand beaches, before visiting Mount Etna. Not only will you get the chance to hike on one of the world’s most famous volcanoes, you’ll also head go for lunch at a local farm at the foot of Etna, which puts the fertile volcanic land to delicious use.
From US$2924
Next available from 20th Apr 2024
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Trip highlights and details
STARTS AT
Palermo, Italy
ENDS AT
Siracusa, Sicily
DURATION
10
GROUP SIZE
14
PHYSICAL RATING
Light
STYLE
Discovery
Sip volcanic coffee in Costa Rica
Lush, rainforest-blanketed Costa Rica is a wildlife lover’s paradise – home to sloths, birds of paradise and jaguars. It’s also one of the world’s main coffee-producing capitals, thanks to its fertile volcanic soil – and this nine-day tour gives you the best of both worlds, as well as a splash of surfing on the Pacific coast. You’ll start with a locally guided tour of its vibrant capital, San José, before heading off to the Arenal volcano for a locally-harvested, freshly-roasted cup of joe. You’ll be staying at a gorgeous lodge near Arenal, which takes advantage of the area’s bountiful natural hot springs, so you can soak off in between jungle safaris, waterfall hikes and white-water rafting excursions.
From US$2199
Next available from 6th Apr 2024
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Trip highlights and details
STARTS AT
San Jose, Costa Rica
ENDS AT
Tamarindo, Provincia De Guanacaste
DURATION
8
GROUP SIZE
16
PHYSICAL RATING
Moderate
STYLE
Discovery
Absorb the great outdoors in The Azores
Scattered like jewels in the Atlantic, the Azores are a chain of volcanic islands seemingly tailor-made for adventure holidays. This six-day trip is as action-packed as you can get, starting with a walking tour of the islands’ capital Ponta Delgada, before cycling around – and kayaking across – volcanic crater lakes the following day. Next, it’s whale spotting in the islands’ wildlife-rich waters, followed by a bracing dip beneath a roaring waterfall, and a more soothing soak in some natural hot springs. There’s more waterfall action to come, with rappelling across one next on the agenda, before finishing with a cooking class using the islands’ natural geothermal heat to prepare a traditional meal in Furnas.
From US$1669
Next available from 29th Mar 2024
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Trip highlights and details
STARTS AT
Ponta Delgada, Portugal
ENDS AT
Ponta Delgada, Portugal
DURATION
6
GROUP SIZE
8
PHYSICAL RATING
Moderate
STYLE
Discovery
Experience a true South American adventure in Ecuador
Ecuador’s landscapes are like something out of an Indiana Jones film: from smouldering volcanoes to dense rainforest and thundering waterfalls, it ticks all the bucket-list adventure holiday boxes. This eight-day trip is a showreel of the country’s most unforgettable experiences, including multiple volcanoes. After starting off in Quito, it’s uphill all the way to Cotopaxi National Park, home to Cotopaxi stratovolcano. Meet high-altitude cowboys, hike around an emerald-green crater lake and swing over a volcanic valley, before wrapping things up in the Amazon with a whitewater raft tour along an Amazon tributary, and a soak in Andean hot springs.
From US$2199
Next available from 6th Apr 2024
Secure your spot with a low deposit
Trip highlights and details
STARTS AT
Quito, Ecuador
ENDS AT
Quito, Ecuador
DURATION
8
GROUP SIZE
16
PHYSICAL RATING
Moderate
STYLE
Discovery
Additional reporting by Gethin Morgan.
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