Of the 30 volcanic systems on , four are currently active, says Magnús Tumi Gudmundsson, professor of geophysics at the University of Iceland. These magma-spewing mounds are responsible for 80 percent of the country’s seismic activity, including glowing fissures that splinter the landscape for up to 2 miles. Despite the danger they present, Iceland’s volcanoes are luring travelers, not scaring them away.

“To witness these powerful forces, the roar of Earth, is mind blowing,” says Ingimundur Stefansson, an . “Man is a small potato in such a world.”

In part because of our fascination with the lava-loving caps, a destination previously known for roughing-it experiences has developed a luxury market. Now you can travel between distant locations in comfort, experience the volcanoes on foot or

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