4 volcano tourism activities to try – if you’re brave enough
Adrenaline junkies can now hike, bike, abseil or board across active volcanoes – including Pacaya in Guatemala, Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland and Japan’s Mount Fuji – but is it really worth the risk of molten lava and sudden eruption?
Does the idea of shredding down an active volcano sound like your idea of a fun holiday? Or hiking up the infamous Mount Vesuvius? If so, you’re probably an adventure seeker who is looking for the latest in alternative travel.
Volcano tourism is the latest wave to entice tourists who are tired of ordinary sightseeing. Nowadays, there are several different options to choose from, and we’ve highlighted the four best.
Boarding
There are not a lot of options where you can sled, or “board”, down a live volcano. Cerro Negro (Black Hill), located just outside León, Nicaragua, and Mount Yasur on the South Pacific island of Tanna, Vanuatu, are two of the most popular places to do it.
But first, you must find a reputable tour operator to take you there.
“In general, you should look for [tour operators] who specialise on that [particular] volcano and guides who know it well,” says Dr Rosaly Lopes, author of The Volcano Adventure Guide, and a senior research scientist at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, managed by the California Institute of Technology. “Volcanoes have their own peculiarities, so it’s really important to know as much about that specific volcano you want to visit as possible.”
After reading several accounts by those who’ve taken the plunge, this sounds very much like a sport where you take your life into your own hands – tour companies we queried often have a written disclaimer saying they hold no responsibility for any injuries, death or dismemberment while boarding.