How to hike a volcano in Guatemala

My guide handed me a steaming pink marshmallow on a skewer. As I bit into the gooey sweetness, I took in my surroundings. Golden hour light enveloped us as we stood in the rocky lava fields. Steam rose lazily from the vents in the rocks. That’s where we propped up our marshmallows, melting them in the volcano’s fumes. As I took in the view, I wondered how I found myself hiking an active volcano.

There’s only few places in the world where you can hike to the top of a volcano, let alone an active one. But if that’s on your bucket list, like it was on mine, there’s no better place to do it then Guatemala.

In February, I joined a hiking tour to trek to the top of Pacaya Volcano. I found this hike to be a great introduction to hiking in Guatemala, one of the biggest tourist attractions in the country. This day hike is considered a more moderate, accessible option in comparison to the popular Acatenango Volcano, which involves a multi-day trek. However, the elevation and steep inclines still make this a challenge. Although we only hiked about 2.5 miles to the top, the ascent is steep and the elevation can be unrelenting. 

The tour started with a shuttle pickup from my hotel, Hotel y Arte in Antigua around 2 p.m. From there we proceeded to pick up more people until the shuttle was full. Then we started our drive out to Pacaya Volcano. It took about 1.5 hours. Once we arrived, we met with our two guides for the hike. We also had the option to rent hiking sticks sold by local boys. There was also the option to ride a horse instead, which costs an additional 200 Quetzales. 

After paying the entrance fee, which was about 100Q, our group started the steep climb along the trail. We stopped for multiple breaks along the way, to catch our breath and make sure everyone was able to stick together. 

Throughout the hike up, we were treated to stunning views of several other volcanoes, including multiple eruptions from Volcano Fuego. 

I consider myself to be an active person, in pretty good shape. However, this hike had me breathing hard. Reaching the top was worth it though, for the gorgeous views of the 3 volcanoes in the distance. After a few minutes our guides led us into the lava fields, pointing out ash from eruptions as recent as 2021. We snacked on our marshmallows, gathered our energy, and started the trip back. 

In total, our trip took around 6 hours, from leaving the hotel to returning to the hotel after the hike. 

How to do it: 

I booked my tour through my hotel, which cost about 1000Q. This included pickup and drop off from my hotel, as well as a guide. It is optional, although recommended to tip your guides as well. 

Although I don’t have my exact tour information, here is a tour group that was also highly recommended to me.

Getting there: 

Pacaya Volcano is located about an hour and a half drive from Antigua. The closest airport is Guatemala City. From there, most people take a taxi or Uber to Antigua. The tour I booked handled the transportation from Antigua. However, it is possible to drive to the trail head if you rent a car. Be aware that this hike is not recommended without a guide.