Camping on Guatemala’s 3rd tallest volcano and watching an active volcano erupt every 10 minutes? Here is your itinerary for this one of a lifetime adventure.
Guatemala is home to volcanoes, rainforests and ancient Mayan sites and if you are an adventure seeker, this is your destination! This country has the highest density of volcanos in the world and if experiencing an active volcano is on your bucket list, then Guatemala is a MUST visit. Our trip will take
How to get there: There are direct and inexpensive connections from major US cities like LA, Orlando, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta and NYC.
What to pack: Warm clothes! Guatemala City is located at almost 5,000 ft. / 1,500 meters and it can get cooler. For your volcano hike, bring warm layers as temperatures are around freezing point at night. Make sure to pack water, a jacket, gloves, long hiking pants, sunscreen, hat, scarf, flashlight and good hiking shoes.
Which volcano? Visitors normally choose between Pacaya or Acatenango. Pacaya is the more commonly visited volcano with an easy 1.5 hour hike through lava fields and there are tour options for day hikes with optional spa visits or hikes with an overnight stay. Pacaya is with 2,552 meters / 8,372 ft. significantly smaller than its sister volcanoes Fuego, Agua or Acatenango. We chose the Acatenango, the 3rd tallest volcano in Guatemala with 3,976 meters / 13,045 ft. This hike is challenging, but so rewarding. See below for more info!
Tour Company: we booked with Old Town Outfitters and had a perfect experience. They customized the trip according to our needs and schedule and our guide was knowledgeable and we felt in great hands. The tour operator provided us with sleeping bags, a tent, mats, hiking sticks and head lamps (head lamps are not always included, so make sure to verify that). There is also an option to add a porter service for $25 per day. Our private customized tour package, including transfer and porter service was around $500 for two adults.
Best time to visit: Guatemala’s dry season is between November and April, with temperatures ranging between 53°F – 80°F (12 – 27 °C) and only a few rainy days. Our volcano hike was in January and we had perfect conditions.
Safety: Guatemala has a high crime rate and can be dangerous. Book your tours with a trusted agency, stay in safe neighborhoods and travel by taxi or Uber instead of walking at night. Antigua is very safe and just be more careful in Guatemala City.
Day 1: We booked the 2 day with overnight stay on the Acatenango volcano hike and the tour company picked us up directly at the airport and drove us to Aldea La Soledad (2.5 hour transfer), from where our hike started. Hiking Acatenango can be challenging as you hike almost 5.5 miles / 9 km up the volcano, and are climbing an elevation of 4,000 ft. / 1,200 meters. The hike will take you 4 – 5 hours and you will first walk through the farmland, then cross the tropical cloud forest and finally hike through an alpine forest until reaching the terrace base camp at almost 12,000 ft. / 3,600 meters. Along the entire path, you may be hearing the volcanic explosions from neighboring Volcán de Fuego and once you get closer to the campsite you will see the explosions first hand – this means you made it and your hard work paid off!
For all non-frequent campers (I’m one of them), it will take a moment to adjust, but it’s so worth it! It’s only for one night and you will experience an adventure of a lifetime. From this campsite you have amazing views over to Volcán de Fuego and will see and hear it erupt 9 – 18 times per hour. Also for the sunrise, you will have a breathtaking view of the surrounding volcanoes and the pacific ocean. The red color of the lava is only visible in the dark and dawn, so staying overnight is absolutely worth it! The obvious drawback of this experience is that there are no facilities and no “inside” place to warm up. But I did it, so can you!
Day 2: In the morning you have the option to hike the Acatenango Summit, hike over to Volcan de Fuego or stay at the campsite to watch the sunrise. After breakfast, you will start the hike back down which will feel so easy compared to the efforts from the previous day. We got back to our shuttle around 10 am and headed to Antigua for a city tour. Antigua was built by the Spanish in 1543 and was Guatemala’s 3rd capital. Today the city is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is famous for its Spanish colonial buildings that were destroyed by an earthquake and never rebuilt.
Where to stay: We are Hyatt loyalty guests and stayed at the Hyatt Centric Guatemala City which is a stunning property with a rooftop pool & terrace and modern rooms. There are also many great Boutique Hotel options in Antigua and it’s certainly worth it staying a night there.
Day 3: Guatemala City Tour. We took an Uber from the Hyatt to the historic center ($4 one way) and got off in front of the Cathedral of Guatemala City and the National Palace of Culture. From here you can safely walk to the underground market called Mercado Central and stop for some souvenir shopping. Afterwards, follow 8 Calle to 6A Avenida and take a left down a pedestrian street with shops, until you get to 10A Calle where you take another left. On this street you can stop at Los Tres Tiempos for a drink on their roof top bar.
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