Not only is Mount Nyiragongo one of the world’s most active volcanoes, it’s the site of an honest-to-God lava lake.
Located in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the lava lake is formed by fresh magma surfacing from below the Earth’s crust. As it hardens, the magma often explodes, creating an otherworldly visual that looks more like a YES album cover design than a real life landscape.
South African photographer Scott Ramsay, who recorded a video of the lake in action, says that its average temperature is over 2100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Both Mount Nyiragongo and the lava lake are situated in Virunga National Park, known as Africa’s oldest national park, which contains more terrestrial biodiversity than any other park on the continent.
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