Trekking peaks

At the northern edge of the Salar de Uyuni towers the Tunupa Volcano above the salt lake. On a day trip it is possible to hike to the crater rim at about 5,000 m or even further direction the top of the mountain. The base for the hike is in the tiny village of Coquesa, where there is not much more than a few houses and a hostel. From there you can start hiking but it makes it definitely a little easier to be driven some hundreds of meters uphill close to some caves with mummies at about 4,000 m. The hike from here is quite strenuous, especially approaching the edge of the crater where the terrain is sandy with small stones. The views are amazing though and worth the effort. When you stand about 1,500 meters above the salar you quickly forget the tough climb.

The most popular hike on São Nicolau island is probably the climb to the top of its highest mountain: Monte Gordo, just over 1,300 m high. Since recent years, the area around this mountain is protected and has become a national park. There is an information center at the start of the trail in Cachaço and they even have some leaflets with a very good trail map of the national park. The climb goes up steadily to the top from where you get 360° views of the island. With clear weather, you can see several of the Barlavento islands such as São Vicente and Santo Antão.
From here you can backtrack all the way or you can choose to just hike down a little the same way, then hike around the mountain, go over some ridges and then finally hike down to finish in the town of Praia Branca, which is strangely not a beach town as you would think of its name (praia is Portuguese for beach).

If you want to climb a volcano, you wanna get high with not too much effort and if you are acclimatised, Cerro Toco is an easy climb where you can reach 5,640 metres in less than 2 hours. It can also be a preparation for other but tougher high altitude climbs in the area.
The mountain is close to the Bolivian and Argentinean border and just about 50 kilometres away from San Pedro de Atacama. There is a road leading up a long way on the mountain from where it is just 350 altitude metres more to reach the top. The volcano does not have a conical shape such as some of its neighbours but from the summit you get an amazing view over Laguna Blanca in Bolivia and of the Licancabur volcano on the border.

As you slowly wind your way up from Dili into the hilly backcountry, the scenery turns lush and the air cool. 11 km from Maubisse, a rocky unsealed road snakes off the potholed main road and leads to the little village of Hatubuilico at the foot of Mt. Ramelau (2,963 m). Round wooden houses with thatched roofs are now dotting the sloping fields as you keep going into valley after valley until you get clear views of Ramelau's naked peak. Trek to the top (if you have warm clothes with you) and just enjoy the views before the clouds come rolling in.

Iceland has 30 volcanoes, which are more or less active, and there are good opportunities to climb them. The volcano Hekla is active and erupts around every decade. There is about 1,490 meters to the summit and it takes about 2-3 hours each way. You trek on volcanic rock, snow, ice and very small lava gravel, which is challenging to walk on, so proper hiking boots, perhaps walking stick and warm clothing is essential. It is quite a surreal experience to sit in a volcanic crater and eat your packed lunch, and there is a fantastic view over other mountains and glaciers. The otherwise cold peak is also covered with hot steam, so if you sit down on the ground, you can warm up your bum...

The summit of volcano Rinjani, Gunung Rinjani, (3,726 m) is not only the highest point on Lombok, but the second highest volcano in Indonesia (Gunung Kerinci on Sumatra is the highest). Rinjani is active, and so is the smaller and newer volcano, Baru Jari, inside its crater. Beside the new smoking mini cone, the crater also contains a holy lake called Segara Anak. Both the summit of Rinjani and the crater lake are considered sacred by the local Sasak people who climb the mountain as pilgrims, but anyone is welcome to do the trek when it is considered safe. There are several routes and the treks can be done from 3 days. You can arrange guide, equipment and porters in either Senaru, Sembalun Lawang or Sapit, though Senaru seems as the most popular starting place.

Mount Sibayak (Gunung Sibayak) is the other hikable volcano outside Berastagi beside Mount Sinabung (2,450 m). From the distance, Sibayak is less impressive than the perfect-cone Sinabung, but the hike to the crater is less strenuous and can be done leisurely in a couple of hours. The smelly volcano crater has two peaks, Puncak Antene (2,057 m) and Tapal Kuda (2,101 m). Both can be reached with a bit of scrambling and you will be rewarded with spectacular views, but don't underestimate the danger, for the cliffs are sheer and the rim is narrow. The highest peak on Sibayak mountain is Pintau (2,212 m) but it's remote, forested and inaccessible. The are several routes to the crater but some of them, if not all, can be a bit difficult to find at the start, so ask around. If you take the route down on the backside, you will pass the hot springs at Semangat Gunung (also known as Raja Berneh). Though Sibayak is considered to be one of the most accessible volcanoes to trek in Indonesia, people still get lost or hurt - an information displayed on a rusty sign at the bottom - so take care.

There are two volcanos near Berastagi that can be trekked; Sibayak (2,212 m) and Sinabung (2,450 m). The latest being the tallest one with the best view. The start of the trail can be difficult to find, but else fairly easy to follow to the top, where the stunning views are waiting. There are steep sections, where the use of hands is necessary. The trek can be done in one day from Berastagi town, but remember to get down from the summit in time before dark. Keep in mind that Mt. Sinabung is an active volcano and last erupted in 2010.

The volcano Fujisan is the icon of Japan and something you have to at least see, but even better hike. Its symmetrical cone is easily visible from Tokyo on a clear day and it's only getting more impressive the closer you get. The trek to the summit is fairly easy (though cold) and there are huts and tea houses along the routes that are open in the season (1st July to 27th August). It's probably the most trekked mountain in the world with more than 200,000 trekkers per year, but it only adds to the pilgrim experience to do it in crowds.

Mount Kenya (5,199 m), second only to Kilimanjaro (5,895 m) in Africa, actually consists of several peaks, the third highest (Point Lenana, 4,985 m) of which can be scaled without ropes. The park is stunning, with a wide variety of habitats. There are a number of approaches, with the slightly longer Chogoria being the most beautiful. Sirimon is a good alternative, and the two can be combined for a 5/6-day walk. The walking begins around 3,000 m, and if you are coming from Nairobi (1,500 m), be sure to take the high altitude into account. The summit is best experienced at sunrise; the peak of Mt Kilimanjaro can be seen on clear mornings. The hike is tough, and many visitors have to turn back before they reach the top. Hiring porters and a guide will increase your chances of success, and decrease the risk of getting lost. Also beware of the weather – the top of Mt Kenya has a permanent glacier, and temperatures on the mountains fall well below freezing on most nights. Too much rain or snow can make the experience unpleasant and dangerous. On a clear day, however, there are few places that can claim to be more beautiful.