10 exotic destinations that prove mother nature is out to get you

7. Námaskarð, Iceland

via farmholidays.is

Next on the list is another beautiful geothermal hot spot, this time at the base of Mt. Namafjall, in Iceland. This smelly (due to heavy sulfur generation) and bleak region is considered one the most active volcanic areas in Europe. The ground is dotted with solfaratas – boiling pools of mud and fumaroles – that shoot sulfur-filled steam into the air.

Just under the surface, there is constant geothermal activity which makes the ground itself very unstable. Visitors to the area are advised to stay on clearly marked paths as the crust has been known to crack open unexpectedly.

Thanks to the boiling, steaming earth and total lack of vegetation, Námaskarð has been nicknamed the “Gateway to Valhalla.”