These fiery images offer a glimpse inside the ‘Gateway To Hell’ – the world’s oldest continuously active lava lake. Travel photographer Joel Santos, 38, piloted a drone low over the bubbling lake, which reaches temperatures exceeding 1,100 degrees celsius.

The lake, which has had a continuous flow since 1906, is situated inside the Erta Ale volcano, otherwise known as Smoking Mountain, in the Afar region of northeastern Ethiopia. The volcano’s last major eruption occurred in 2005, killing 250 livestock and forcing thousands of nearby residents to flee. And the Portuguese photographer remained acute aware of the hazards posed by filming such a potentially devastating natural phenomenon at such close quarters.”

Licensing and Full Story at Barcroft TV
Footage cannot be used without licensing. © Joel Santos, 2016

Videographer / director: Joel Santos

Barcroft TV team:
Producer: Danny Baggott, Ellie Winstanley
Editor: Matthew Hoare