Nature

During a visit to Iceland in August 2014, I took a tour out of Reykjavik called “Inside the Volcano.” This tour of a hollow, dormant volcano has been operating for only about three years. I had read about it in ITN (July ’14, pg. 76) and was intrigued.

There are two ways to reach the volcano: (1) from the city center, ride a tour bus to a trail, then walk for 45 minutes over an uneven lava field or (2) from the domestic airport, take a 7-minute helicopter ride to the volcano.

Mt. Ontake, a volcano on Japan’s main island, Honshu, erupted unexpectedly on Sept. 27, killing at least 51 people. An estimated 250 people were on the mountain at the time of the eruption. Most made it down the popular hiking spot as ash clouds from the eruption rolled over them, while others found shelter in mountain lodges.  

by Sharon VanDewark; San Diego, CA

by Yvonne Horn, Contributing Editor

9 days/7 nights of in-depth learning and hands-on service in PERU, departing March 14 & 21, 2009. Highlights: Learn about rainforest ecology, traditional medicine, tribal cultures/create watercolor and sketch art/fish for piranha in Orejone Village/fly from Lima to Iquitos and sail 50 miles to Explorama Lodge/visit a Yagua village/meet the shaman at ReNuPeRu Ethnobotanical Garden/work on community project in a Ribereños village/canopy walk 100 feet aboveground. Land, $2,798. Single supplement, $298. Internal air, from $300.

14-day/13-night tour of ARGENTINA. Highlights: City tour of Buenos Aires/Iguazú Falls/fly to El Calafate, gateway to Patagonia/Glaciers National Park/cruise Lake Argentino, where ice blocks fall from Perito Moreno glacier/fly to Ushuaia/Tierra del Fuego National Park/3-night cruise aboard M/V Mare Australis, sailing Beagle Channel, Strait of Magellan/on Hornos Island, Cape Horn National Park/view Piloto and Nena glaciers via Zodiacs/penguin colony on Magdalena Island. Land, from $2,200. Single supplement, from $860.

11 days/10 nights in ICELAND, June 15-25, 2009. Highlights: Thingvellir National Park, site of world’s oldest democratic Parliament/Gullfoss waterfall/hot springs in Hveravellir/midnight sun in Akureyri/whale watch in Husavik/ducks, falcons, puffins, terns at Lake Myvatn/Vatnajokull glacier/ Reykjavik city tour/swim in Blue Lagoon. Land, $5,995. Single supplement, $895. Eldertreks (Toronto, ON, Canada; 800/741-7956, www.eldertreks.com).

The Llaima Volcano, in Conguillio National Park about 435 miles south of Santiago, Chile, spewed lava and ash in January and February 2008, but its eruption again in July prompted the evacuation of tourists and residents from the area.

Currently, two volcanoes are erupting in Chile. The other, Chaiten, farther south near Puerto Montt,  erupted spectacularly on May 2. Chile has a chain of 2,000-plus volcanoes (second only to Indonesia).

18 days/16 nights includes 4-day cruise. Departures through Feb. 16, 2009.

14 days/12 nights, May-September 2008.

Highlights: From Reykjavík, visit Gullfoss, Geysir and Thingvellir National Park/boat around Breida­fjördur island to see puffins and white-tailed eagles/Icelandic horses in Skagafjördur/boat a fjord from Akureyri to Hrisey Island/unique bird species at Lake Myvatn/see lava field at Dimmuborgir, climb ash crater, soak in Myvatn Nature Bath/Dettifoss, most powerful waterfall in Europe/at Lake Lögurinn, see farm mansion and visit Seydisfjörder village/boat among icebergs at Vanat­jökull, Europe’s largest glacier.