Volcano boarding new adrenalin craze
Volcano boarding new travel trend Riders can reach speeds of up to 68km/h More crazy travel experiences
Volcano boarding new travel trend Riders can reach speeds of up to 68km/h More crazy travel experiences
FORGET snowboarding – volcano boarding is the hot new adrenalin craze among travellers.
Thousands of tourists are reportedly heading to the foothills of Nicaragua's Cerro Negro mountain to experience the thrill of hurtling down the active volcano at speeds of 68km/h.
Wearing bright orange jump suits, knee-pads and safety goggles, thrillseekers speed down the 725m (2380ft) volcano – known to locals as the "Black Mountain" – on plywood boards.
Created by Bigfoot Hostel and Green Pathways Tours in 2005, owner and manager Phillip Southan says the adrenalin ride has rapidly gained popularity.
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'This is the fourth year and to date we have taken over 10,000 people on this tour," Mr Southan told the UK's Daily Mail.
"What we offer is a tour for everyone with absolutely no experience necessary. One of the greatest attractions of the tour is that you get a bit of everything."
The tour starts with a 40-minute drive to the base of the volcano, where riders are taken on a 45-minute hike to the summit of Cerro Negro.
Participants then get to grips with the board during a lesson on a five-metre practice run. Then it's all downhill… literally.
Mr Southan says riders can reach speeds of up to 68km/h during the hair-raising 500m descent down the volcano.
But falling off is the least of their worries.
Cerro Negro is one of Nicaragua's most active volcanoes. It has erupted 20 times – most recently in 1999.
Mr Southan says all safety precautions are taken and considered when taking boarders on the volcano.
"When you are on top you will have the opportunity to walk in to the crater, up close with a smoking volcano. But the biggest risk is the risk is getting some scratches if you fall off," he said.
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