Mount Bromo is an active volcano that lies in the middle of a large Indonesian valley called “Sea of Sand”. This valley is an enormous caldera created by the ground collapsing after a major eruption. At 2,329 meters (7,641 ft), Mount Bromo is not the highest peak but the most well-known volcano in Indonesia. Its name derives from the Javanese pronunciation of Brahama, the Hindu creator god.

The Erta Ale volcano is one of the very few places in the world where you can easily reach the edge of a lava lake in permanent boiling, one of the most beastly spectacles of nature. It is reached from the Bahari camp in the desert of Danakil (Afar Depression, Ethiopia), with a gentle climb of about three hours (10 km / 6.2 mi). A late afternoon start is ideal so as to avoid the peak hours of the scorching sun (bearing in mind that it is one of the hottest places on the planet).

The Kawah Ijen is an active stratovolcano complex lying on a 16-km (10-mi) caldera in East Java, Indonesia. Its crater emits hot, flammable sulfurous gases which gives off mesmerizing electric blue flames as they emerge into the Earth’s oxygen-rich atmosphere. A two-hour hike is required to reach the crater, followed by a 45-minute hike down to the bank of the crater, where there’s an incredible turquoise blue lake, as a result of its extreme acidity and high concentration of dissolved metals.

Fimmvörðuháls is an area in southern Iceland which means “five cairns pass” in Icelandic. The Fimmvörðuháls Trekking is a 22-kilometre (14 mi) hike that goes from Þórsmörk to the Atlantic coast, passing through 3 unique landscapes: volcanic soil covered by lime-green moss, the glaciers of Mýrdalsjökull and Eyjafjallajökull, with an ice cap that covers the caldera of a 1,651-metre (5417-ft) tall active volcano, and lush green meadows with 26 waterfalls along the Skógá river.

Situated in the southeast corner of Reunion Island, “Piton de la Fournaise” is one of the world’s most active volcanoes. Erupting for the first time about 50,000 years ago, records note that this basaltic shield volcano has erupted nearly 180 times since such eruptions were first recorded in 1640. The most recent occurred in 2019. The GR R2 traverse is a multi-day backpacking expedition that crosses the Reunion Island from north to south (St Denis to St Philippe).

The Kilimanjaro is a large stratovolcano in Tanzania composed of three volcanic cones: Kibo (dormant but could erupt again), Mawenzi, and Shira (extinct). Uhuru Peak is the highest summit on Kibo’s crater rim. At 5,895 meters (19,341 ft) above sea level and at about 4,900 meters (16,100 ft) above its plateau base, it is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest single free-standing mountain in the world.

Standing at 3,776 meters (12,389 ft), Mount Fuji (also known as Fujisan or Fujiyama) is the highest point in Japan. It is an active stratovolcano which last erupted in 1707. Together with Mount Tate and Mount Haku, it is one of Japan’s three holy mountains, which has attracted pilgrims for centuries. For its longstanding inspiration to artists and poets, UNESCO added it to its World Heritage List in 2013 as a Cultural Site.

Seventeen million years ago, an intense period of volcanism began near present day’s Nevada – Oregon – Idaho tri-state border in the United States. Just over 2 million years ago the first of three eruptions occurred in the area we now know as Yellowstone, and one of the largest ever super volcanoes was discovered. The Yellowstone caldera is in almost constant motion, and while experts don’t expect another eruption anytime soon, that underground “hotspot” continues to shape the park we see today.

Emerging from a temperate rainforest with powerful waterfalls, and surrounded by wildflower meadows, this imposing stratovolcano is considered one of the most dangerous in the world. Due to its large amount of glacial ice, this 4,392 m (14,411 ft) volcano could produce massive lahars that would threaten the entire Puyallup River valley. Mount Rainier was first known as “Tacoma” (“mother of waters” in the Lushootseed language, spoken by the Puyallup people, the original inhabitants of the area).

Mount Teide is an active volcano in Tenerife, Canary Islands (Spain). At 3,718 m (12,198 ft), it is the highest mountain in Spain. It’s last eruption was in 1909. The Teide National Park is the most visited national park in Spain and Europe, which incited UNESCO to label it a World Heritage Site in 2007.