The Pacaya Volcano
Pacaya Volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in Guatemala, and also the most touristic. There are 33 volcanoes in Guatemala, and 3 of them are active. Pacaya, Fuego and Santiaguito. Of course, as soon as I started organizing my trip to this country, climbing Pacaya was one of the activities that I couldn't miss.
For me, this was a very special trip that taught me a lot about resilience, tolerance, patience and overcoming. Above all, it showed me that we should judge less and understand more. It was a trip to celebrate my 46th birthday, it was the first time I had traveled alone to Central America, and it was the first big trip after I had completely changed my life (professionally and otherwise). This is the first article about the trip to Guatemala and Mexico.
Back to Pacaya...
Here you can walk on petrified lava, feel the heat of the magma under your feet, eat pizza cooked in the heat of the volcano and melt marshmallows in the cracks in the rocks.
I've had some incredible travel experiences, but I'd venture to say that this is one of the best and most spectacular. For lovers of nature, hiking and outdoor experiences, it's an unmissable experience.
How to visit
A guide is required for the visit. Since it is an active volcano and is constantly active, it is considered a dangerous activity. Being an active volcano, eruptions are frequent, but they are predicted in advance. As it is an active volcano, it is not possible to climb to the top of the volcano, but it is still an extraordinary experience.
The volcano lies within a protected area, the "Pacaya Volcano and Calderas Lagoon National Park". As I said, you can only enter the park with an accredited guide.
To visit the volcano you should expect to spend around 6 hours from the moment you leave your accommodation until you return. It may take longer, but it certainly won't take less time. That's because you should expect to drive 1.5 hours from the city of Antigua Guatemala to the town of San Vicente Pacaya. Then another 1.5 hours uphill and another 1.5 hours downhill, plus the way back to your accommodation.
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- Comfortable clothing
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- Backpack
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- Hiking boots
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- Jacket for the end of the day / to the top of the volcano
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- Waterproof
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- Hat
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- Water and snacks/dried fruit
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- Lantern
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- Sunscreen
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- Walking stick
You can book the tour online or at one of the local agencies. In either case, round-trip transportation from your accommodation and an accredited guide to accompany you on the ascent are included. Entrance to the park is not included in the price of the tour, the entrance fee is 100 Guatemalan Quetzals (approximately 12 euros at the exchange rate of 12/2022). This amount is used for the maintenance and upkeep of the park.
When you pay at the park, you'll be signed in and a bracelet will be put on your wrist; when you leave, you'll have to sign out. You'll be given a small bottle of water and when you reach the volcano's crater your guide will "roast" marshmallows in the cracks in the rocks. Then you go down a bit and find an improvised restaurant in the middle of the rocks, where, just imagine.... pizzas are cooked using the heat of the earth.
There are full-day tours where you can also camp, but the most popular are the half-day tours. Which is what I did. There are two possible times, 6am and 2pm. I chose the 2pm one so that I could see the sunset, but it was very foggy and there was no glimpse of the sunset.
Touring at this time of day has the disadvantage that it gets dark quite early and we made almost the entire descent completely in the dark, which makes the journey very difficult. Carrying a flashlight is really essential because they are not available to buy or rent in the park. I didn't know and ended up using my cell phone flashlight, which is clearly not enough.
The volcano is about 49 km from the city of Antigua Guatemala, about 1.5 hours by car (van) and 25 km south of the country's capital, Guatemala City. It is 2550 meters high and the last eruption was in March 2021, which caused the closure of the Guatemalan capital's airport, De La Aurora International Airport, for 24 hours. Due to the ash and dust coming from the volcano.
The hike itself isn't very difficult, and the hardest part is the initial stretch, due to the steepness. However, the heat and humidity make the climb challenging. It is possible to make the ascent on horseback at an extra cost, and you will also find people renting sticks to use as hiking poles (at the end they will ask you for the poles back).
I did the whole walk on foot and without a stick. I drank a lot of water during the walk and stopped maybe 3 times, short breaks of 5 or 10 minutes, our guide looked like he had wings on his feet.
Practical Guide
Where to sleep
Antigua Guatemala
My suggestion is that you stay in Antigua Guatemala City and buy a tour to climb the volcano. During my stay in Guatemala I stayed in the city of Antigua Guatemala in two different accommodations which I recommend. In Antigua, the accommodations are old manor houses and palaces with interior patios and antique colonial-style furniture. I advise you to book well in advance because at certain times of the year it can be difficult to get accommodation, especially during Holy Week.
In my case, I had to change accommodation because I couldn't find one that I liked and that was available for the days I was in town. Maybe it was because there was an event for the Guinness Book of Records at the weekend, I don't know if that's why, but it's a possibility.
This accommodation is very well located right in the center of Antigua Guatemala, where everything is close by, restaurants, tourist attractions, cafés and even a Starbucks, for coffee lovers. There's always a lot going on in the streets, lots of tourists and lots of police.
As well as breakfast included, the lodge has a restaurant where you can have your main meals. I chose to have breakfast in the accommodation and have my main meals outside. To get to know the city and its varied cuisine.
This accommodation is a little away from the center of Antigua Guatemala City, and it's difficult to find restaurants, cafés or any kind of shopping here. It's also not advisable to walk down the street at night. However, the accommodation is very pleasant and only includes breakfast. There is no restaurant for main meals.
How to get there
As I've already mentioned, I think the best option is to hire a Tour with transportation included, but if you want to be more adventurous you can rent a car to get to San Vicente Pacaya. You can always take advantage of the DiscoverCars (I recently moved back to the center of Lisbon and sold my car, and whenever I need a vehicle I always turn to them).
Best time to visit
The dry season (or summer) is from November to April. This is therefore the best time to visit the Volcano.
Security and Travel Insurance
As I've already mentioned, Pacaya is an active volcano, so there is always some risk associated with it, and it's essential to follow the guide's instructions. We have to be especially careful on the descent due to the loose rocks. Taking out travel insurance is essential on any trip, and on trips involving experiences of this kind it's a must. When traveling, I always use Heymondo Seguros travel insurance, and you can take out the your insurance with a 5% discount.
What to take up Pacaya Volcano
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- Comfortable clothing
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- Backpack
-
- Hiking boots
-
- Jacket for the end of the day / to the top of the volcano
-
- Waterproof
-
- Hat
-
- Water and snacks/dried fruit
-
- Lantern
-
- Sunscreen
-
- Walking stick
Other articles about Guatemala
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