VOLCANOES TO CLIMB
Mount Rinjani LOMBOK , INDONE S IA
Elevation: 3,726 metres Terrain: Sand, savannah and ashy ascents Hiking time: 6-8 hours hiking per day Difficulty: Moderate to challenging. Strength, cardio and resistance training advised
Set within Indonesia’s Lesser Sunda Islands, Lombok is crowned by a volcano steeped in lore — the local Sasak community still perform rituals to honour the goddess said to reside beside her crater lake. Most treks take two to three days, starting at either Senaru or Sembalun village; be sure to bring camping gear, as there are no refuges on this mountain. Paths lead up through villages and rice paddies, then past grassland and waterfalls until the air cools and pine trees dominate the landscape. Inside the crater, head for 17sq mile Lake Segara Anak, whose waters — 20-22C year-round — are ideal for a refreshing dip. If you’re confi dent, carry on up the loose, rocky terrain to reach the crater rim for incredible views of cinder cones poking up through the clouds. The fi nal push along a narrow ridge is even more strenuous, with ash slowing your steps, but at the peak, 360-degree views of neighbouring Bali, smoking volcanoes and tropical islands might make you believe in a divine power.
Kilauea HAWAI ’ I, US
Elevation: 1,250 metres Terrain: Muddy paths and steaming craters Hiking time: 2-5 hours Difficulty: Accessible. Good fitness required, but no altitude training necessary
Although it’s one of the world’s most active volcanos, Kilauea is surprisingly easy to hike: the circular crater rim trail is well suited to beginners, but for something more strenuous, try the fi ve-hour Kilauea Iki Trail. The short and sweet Byron Ledge Trail, meanwhile, runs through rainforest, where ferns brush your shins and towering koa trees provide shade. Ornithologists will adore this part of the route — look out for endangered Hawai’ian geese. It can be tough to reach Kilauea’s summit, as the volcano is almost continuously erupting. Instead, descend a staircase to the Kilauea Iki Crater; this barren lake fl oor was once a pool of molten lava. Although you’re surrounded by greenery on the ridges, you’ll fi nd no life down here. Next, take a small detour to the Nahuku Lava Tube, where you can head inside the volcano; look out for stalactites formed by dripping lava. Finally, follow the path back to the trailhead to peer down into the boiling, blood-red Halema’uma’u lava lake.
Cotopaxi AND E S , EC UADOR
Elevation: 5,897 metres Terrain: Deep crevasses and glaciers Hiking time: 6-8 hours summit ascent, 2-3 descent Difficulty: Challenging. Hill climbing with weights, mountaineering equipment and altitude acclimatisation
Clockwise from top: Mount Rinjani’s crater is home to vast Lake Segara Anak, whose name means ‘child of the sea’; Mount Fuji is climbed by over 200,000 people each year; the weekly Zumbahua Market is held in the highlands near Cotopaxi Previous pages: Indonesia sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire and has more than 130 active volcanoes — the highest number of any country
Turn your head south from Ecuador’s high- altitude capital, Quito, and you’ll spot conical Cotopaxi pointing to the heavens. But don’t let its serene silhouette fool you; you’ll need serious mountaineering experience to conquer it, as you’ll face glaciers and avalanche risks — conditions rarely found this close to the Equator. You’ll start slow, with a two-hour trek over lava-singed, red- ochre soil, before bedding down at the José Rivas refuge. As well as a comfy bed and a simple cafe serving hot drinks and empanadas, the refuge has an indoor climbing wall, where most guides will also run through rope and crampon skills for the summit. Departing the warmth of the refuge as early as 1am, you’ll clamber over steep crimson scree to the edge of the glacier, complete with ice bridges and vertical drops. This is where it gets tough; you’ll be battling a 40-degree incline, but it’s worth it for the sunrise over Cotopaxi’s 800-metre-wide crater, which bathes snow-covered ridges and Andean vistas in blue and orange.
Mount Fuji HONSHU, JAPAN
Elevation: 3,776 metres Terrain: Volcanic scree, mountain trail Hiking time: 5-10 hours summit ascent, 5-6 descent Difficulty: Moderate. No technical climbing skills required, but altitude awareness advised
Gracing many a woodblock print, Mount Fuji’s symmetrical form is one of Japan’s most recognisable images. The mountain is also considered sacred, with mist-shrouded torii gates thought to mark the boundary between the human world and the realm of the spirits. More than half of all hikers choose the Yoshida Trail, easily reached by bus or train from Tokyo. The journey typically begins at the Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station, 2,300 metres above sea level (the highest point accessible by road). The initial section passes through deciduous forest before opening out onto shrub- covered volcanic scree where the trail becomes steeper and more exposed. Most hikers spend the late afternoon ascending to a mountain hut near the 8th station for rest and acclimatisation. Those aiming to reach the summit at sunrise usually depart around 2am. This fi nal stretch is the most demanding, with steep, winding paths and rapidly thinning air. Kusushi Shrine, guarded by komainu statues, marks the approach to the summit.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER – LAKES & MOUNTAINS COLLECTION 25
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