30 Once-in-a-Lifetime Adventures You Absolutely Need on Your Bucket List

24. Hiking to the Lava Lakes of Erta Ale – Ethiopia

For the ultimate adventure, take a trek to Erta Ale, one of the few permanent lava lakes on Earth. Nestled in Ethiopia’s Danakil Depression—one of the hottest and most inhospitable places on the planet—this trek is both grueling and rewarding. As you hike under the cover of darkness, the glow of molten lava illuminates the horizon, offering a mesmerizing spectacle of fire and rock. Few places on Earth make you feel like you’re standing at the edge of another world. If lava lakes are on your bucket list but Ethiopia is too remote, consider an active volcano trek in Hawaii’s Volcanoes National Park, where you can walk through lava tubes and witness eruptions from a safe distance.