Top Volcano Hikes in Beautiful Places Around the World

Discover the top hikes to do in some of the most beautiful places in the world
Discover the top hikes to do in some of the most beautiful places in the world | © Deep Pixel / Alamy
Alex Allen

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.

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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

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ENDS AT

Siracusa, Sicily

DURATION

10

GROUP SIZE

14

PHYSICAL RATING

Light

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STYLE

Discovery

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Costa Rica misty mountain with forest in foreground

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

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ENDS AT

Tamarindo, Provincia De Guanacaste

DURATION

8

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Moderate

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STYLE

Discovery

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A person walks through the central volcanic ridge, a succession of old cones and craters occupied by small lakes, Pico Esperanca is the highest point of the island

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

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ENDS AT

Ponta Delgada, Portugal

DURATION

6

GROUP SIZE

8

PHYSICAL RATING

Moderate

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STYLE

Discovery

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Ascent towards the Jose Ribas Refuge, Cotopaxi Volcano, Cotopaxi National Park, Cotopaxi, Ecuador

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

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ENDS AT

Quito, Ecuador

DURATION

8

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Moderate

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STYLE

Discovery

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Additional reporting by Gethin Morgan.

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