Who Goes Volcano Trekking?

Talking with Dr. Tom Pfeiffer, Founder, VolcanoDiscovery

WHY DO PEOPLE FIND VOLCANOES INTERESTING?

Because volcanic activity speaks to our senses. It represents a basic element of nature — fire and earth — to which we instinctively have an attraction. It’s similar to how we feel when we look at the sky, the ocean, and other primordial elements. Also, each volcano has its own character; no two are exactly alike, and that’s interesting. Volcanoes influence people — they contribute to local culture, myths and legends. Last but not least, many volcanoes are simply beautiful to look at — take Mt. Fuji in Japan. Of course, volcanic eruptions can be dangerous and cause destruction, but in reality that doesn’t happen as often as the media suggests.

WHAT KINDS OF PEOPLE ARE ATTRACTED TO VOLCANO TREKS?

They vary, but most have some sort of interest in nature in general and active holidays, like walking or hiking. Most like the idea of some sort of adventure, something they don’t do every day. Some do have an interest in geology. Many are keen photographers. A certain group could be called volcano lovers: they’re sort of like storm chasers, they follow volcano eruptions and special tours designed for this. They come from all over the world, I’d say they tend to be in the 40–60 age range, and mostly they are single travelers or couples with grown children.

DO THEY HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF FITNESS?

We offer a large variety of tours — from easy excursions to more strenuous climbs. So at least most people can do and enjoy the easy ones. On the other side, for the Guatemala tour for example, we climb more than 1500 m to camp at a 3700 m elevation — so you need to be fit for that one. However, we don’t do extreme tours, we stay well below an elevation of 4000 m, so for most people an average level of fitness is enough.

ARE TOURS IN ENGLISH-ONLY?

English is our default language, but all our guides speak at least one more language. Depending on the group, we can offer tours in German, French, Italian, and Spanish.

DO YOU PROVIDE ALL THE NECESSARY GEAR?

This varies. Normally, we provide camping gear if needed and guests only bring their own sleeping bag. We also provide special equipment where necessary (rope, safety helmets etc).

WHAT KIND OF HIKING SHOES ARE BEST?

Shoes should cover your ankles (to prevent twisting) and be of good quality. You don’t want them to rip open easily when walking over blocky lava, for instance.

HOW CAN GUESTS BEST PROTECT THEIR CAMERA?

We say keep your cameras in a camera bag when not using them. Use a dust blower to clean them regularly, and cover most of the camera with plastic bags if the air is ashy. We do try to avoid being in the direction of any blowing ash, however.

WHAT KINDS OF MEALS DO YOU PROVIDE?

We pride ourselves in being able to offer high quality meals that reflect the local cuisine of wherever we’re touring. What is available is hugely dependent on location. On a tour in Italy, for example, you can expect some delicious Sicilian menus. In other places, the guides and cooks will be the ones preparing the meals often cooked over a camp fire outside. Either way, our guests will probably be surprised how great the food can be.

WHAT DO TRAVELERS GAIN FROM THIS EXPERIENCE?

I hope they come away with a new appreciation for the life forces beneath our feet — and to learn something wonderful and unique about each volcano and the countries we visit. I hope they will want to travel with us again.

Related posts:

Thus Montague John Rendall, then Headmaster of the historic English boarding school Winchester College, commemorated a brilliant former student in an introduction to the young man’s published…

When we feel strong emotions such as happiness, sadness, and/or frustration, we’re not sure why it may be due to our subconscious. The subconscious part of our brains is responsible for influencing…

In the event that there is one major change in business publicizing and showcasing as of late, it is web-based entertainment advertising. The amazing open doors for using web-based entertainment to…