Last month, I hostel-hopped across Guatemala with a couple of girlfriends. Guatemala borders Mexico and Belize, and is a land of stunning geographical and cultural contrasts. It’s also home to 33 volcanoes and some of the most active volcanoes in Central America.
Guatemala’s prime volcanic region lies in the country’s Western Highlands, a region of phenomenal hiking. Lago de Atitlán is ringed with volcanoes (dormant) and the giant lake is a caldera (collapsed volcano), the result of a massive ancient eruption.
Volcán Pacaya
If you want to hike alongside lava, head to Volcán Pacaya. This popular hike near the historic Mayan capital of Antigua, is steep, challenging but not too difficult, and will let you feel the heat; some hikers roast marshmallows over the hot lava rocks1 The 7,600-foot Pacaya is always a different experience for each visitor because its continuous eruptions mean that it’s growing and changing shape all the time.
Bubbling lava on Volcán Pacaya. Photo by Alexander H. M. Cascone.
The hike is an hour and a half up and an hour back down. Be prepared for volcanic gravel in your shoes, burning quads and breathtaking views. There are several vista points, which are phenomenal on clear days but still awe-inspiring to see in the drizzly afternoon of rainy season. Volcán Agua, below, is one of three other volcanoes in the vicinity. At the top, you’ll see—and hear—the gushing, spurting lava and fireballs rolling down the volcano.
Volcán Agua peeking through the clouds. Photo by Ray Rogers.
Getting There
Several tour companies in Antigua offer tours to Pacaya. We booked a tour through our hostel, Casa Amarilla. It’s an excellent hostel; 45Q per night (US$5.50) gets you a delicious complimentary breakfast, free Internet and clean drinking water.
It takes about an hour and a half to drive to the trailhead, where you’ll be greeted by a knowledgeable local guide (who will only speak Spanish) and dozens of village kids who’ll try to sell you ponchos and hand-whittled wooden trekking poles. I declined, but after an hour into the hike as it continued to get steeper, I sort of wish I’d bought the stick!
The tour guide stops often to ensure everyone is traveling together in a group. [Note: there are occasional reports of “banditos” in the area, but the guides are lightly armed and have radios to contact other support staff on the mountain; I felt completely safe.] For those who make it halfway and realize you can’t go any farther, locals with horses will come to your assistance.
Our tour cost: 90Q (US$11) with another 40Q (US$5) for the entrance fee into Pacaya National Park. Check out Quetzaltrekkers, a reputable trekking outfitter that specializes in daylong and multi-day volcano hikes.
