Was it? @Brittany: I’ll assume the tour operator makes a difference with this, as well as when you go. If I ever go to Guatemala I’m definitely going to do it. Book Now, Deposit $39. Unfortunately I’m not sure (can’t remember). It is suitable for the whole family and an unforgettable experience. If you are interested in reading more about our time in Guatemala, please refer to the articles below: If you would like to save this article for future use, please click on the “Save” button on the photo below. From what we saw, it really wasn’t. Avenida Sur #12, Antigua, Guatemala Tel: +502 5399-0440 / +502 7832-4171 info@adventureguatemala.com Trip Description Volcano Pacaya (8370ft/2552m) may not be Guatemala's highest peak, however its slopes and Pacaya Volcano & Kawilal Hot Springs Tour. If you have ever visited Quetzaltenango, or Xela for short, you will know that there are some amazing hikes around the area. Standing at 8,300 feet (2,530 metres) over the southern hills of Guatemala, Pacaya Volcano is a force of nature that is revered and often feared by locals and tourists. Meet your guide at Quetzal Port and begin your tour one hour after the cruise ship arrives at the port. About a one hour drive from Antigua or from Guatemala City itself, the base of Pacaya is well marked with a visitor's center and hikes are organized in a very standardized way. The quality of a Helly Hansen rain jacket is an open secret amongst Olympic professionals (sailing), outdoor emergency workers, and... December is a magical time of year in many places in the USA. I wish to experience this as well in the future. After a while, maybe a little more than an hour going up into the mountains, I was walking along the base of an active volcano. Hi Jessie, I enjoyed your article about Pacaya. Finely grounded volcanic rock lined the trail. Found inside – Page 24Today I will hike Pacaya, a beautiful volcano situated approximately twenty miles ... We have one guide and a pair of armed escorts—these men 24 Taylor Dibbert. Do you have another hiking recommendation for Guatemala? What an incredible family adventure you guys had! At least the hike was fun and I bet roasting marshmallows on volcanic rock would be a fun experience. Pacaya Volcano is just Amazing! The remnants of the last eruption are spread far and wide. I understand that this pace is pretty good. "Oh shit, is the hike really that bad that people need walking sticks". Wow! This seemed the way most families were transporting young children. Overall, the hike had a consistent slope that was manageable with regular breaks. Locals were selling snacks and drinks at the top in case you need more. if(booInited||! It’s a vulcano not a Disney attraction! I was disappointed because what we were sold was NOT what we experienced. About 30 miles (50 km) and just over an hour and a half's drive southwest of Guatemala City (traffic-dependent) lies Pacaya Volcano, one of the few active volcanoes in the world that you can climb, camp on, and even toast marshmallows in its heat vents.. An ideal half-day trip from both Guatemala City and Antigua, the majority of people visiting Pacaya choose to go on a guided tour as it . I heard a lot of great things about hiking in Pacaya and I’m glad I had the chance to read this before pursuing our hiking in that place. I guess for me I was just grateful to be ABLE to hike it in February last year. The cost to visit: $8 for a shuttle to National Park (includes round-trip transportation, guide, and marshmallows), Q50 for park entrance (mandatory fee), Q5 for walking stick rental (optional/negotiable), Q100-200 for a horseback ride to the top (optional/negotiable). The Pacaya volcano is about a 1.5 hour drive outside of Antigua. Booking.com Hiking Volcan Tajumulco, Guatemala's Highest Volcano. While the trails in this part are safe, it is not permitted to traverse them without a guide. We had 360º view of Guatemala and it was stunning. Turns out it’s a popular pastime to visit Pacaya and roast marshmallows atop one of the many heat vents – the hot fumes produced by the smoldering lava still trapped underneath the hardened rock on top. You can climb it without a guide, but it's not the safest. Have fun! Found insideThis includes a busshuttle to and from Pacaya. Once there, foreigners must pay an extra GTQ50 for the park entrance. Going there without a tour is likely ... You will need to add 500 ml water extra and . The terrain is soft earth and sand to begin with - not ideal to walk if you have knee and back problems. AllTrails has 66 great hiking trails, mountain biking trails, trail running trails and more, with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers, and nature lovers like you. Pacaya Volcano Whether you're happy travelling solo or are hoping to make some friends along the way, a trip to Guatemala isn't complete without hiking up one of its iconic volcanoes. This one sounds perfect, a day hike with a bit of a challenge, but with the reward of an awesome experience and view! And of course, Ben didn't get one. You can not come to Guatemala without climbing a volcano. So you want to hike the highest peak in Central America, and do it without a guide, well, we did also, and to be perfectly honest it was one of the most amazing things we did during our entire month in Guatemala. Weather can be windy and unpredictable, so dress in layers and bring a wind jacket, hat and scarf. Definitely, it was one of our highlights of our Guatemalan trip. At 2,500 meters above the sea and its environment is formed by humid forest and rocks. This hike will take you to the top of the impressive 8,371 foot Pacaya Volcano for an up-close look. Nothing can be guaranteed and our hiking trip to Pacaya in 2005 included getting perilously close to the smooth yellow lava streams with sticky red hot boulders the size of cars slowly rolling down and disintegrating right in front of our eyes. If you only have limited time in Guatemala there may be other ways you can spend your time more wisely: hiking Indian’s Nose, having an eco-retreat at Earth Lodge, visiting the Mayan Villages around Lake Atitlan, and going back in time at Tikal, to name a few. Love a great pizza. Pacaya, at a height of 8370 feet (2552 meters), is one of the smaller volcanoes of the country but certainly one of the most impressive.Set in its own National Park, Pacaya is a storybook volcano with a continuous plume of smoke drifting from its summit and a massive lava flow reforming the valley at the base of the cone. Option 1: Tour Groups Many tour groups will take care of everything from transportation to and from the mountain all the way up to providing guides that will take you every step of the way. I enjoyed much of what you did, the great unique flora and the roasting of marshmallows:-). The photo of my boyfriend and I eating marshmallows was probably my favorite photo from the excursion. In my opinion, it is best to go early in the morning before the midday heat hits, though there are also sunset hikes available with a lot of the tour companies. 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You can rent a horse with a handler instead of hiking to the peak. San Pedro Volcano hands down the best view of Lake Atitlan. The higher we climbed, the lower the price of the ride came down. / 2,552m Payaya may be one of the smaller volcanoes but it is still active and although it hasn't erupted since 2014, the night I was there I saw plenty of lava flowing and some small eruptions. As soon as you park, you will be approached by locals who will try to sell you on a hiking guide. @Thea: Ah! We had regular breaks which allowed us to rest and kept our family together. https://okantigua.com/things-to-do-in-antigua-guatemala/. When we first arrived in Guatemala, my family of five (three teenagers aged 14, 15 and 17 years old) headed to Antigua for 3 nights. and takes about 5 hours Round trip - depending on your level. In no time at all, I was breathing heavily. Down the street toward the Central Park you’ll also find the Exposicion de Artesanias Guatemala, where you can learn about Guatemala’s top products and try complimentary samples of chocolate and fruit wine. Pacaya Volcano is an exciting destination and one that I would highly recommend that you add to your itinerary on your next trip to Guatemala. So, it is with visible relief that I am happy to report that this hike was worth every step we took. On May 24, 2021, hikers could watch the Geldingadalsgos eruption in Iceland from just hundreds of feet away. Hey there - We have updated our privacy policy in accordance with GDPR. More activities here: https://okantigua.com/things-to-do-in-antigua-guatemala/, Fan of dogs + all things tech. Sorry! Upon arrival at the park, you will meet our local guide, an expert in the area who will share lots of knowledge. This is what you need as a reward for the climb! Get ready to ascend the knife-ridge of the angry Fuego Volcano (3763 meters), watch a sunrise . s.type = 'text/javascript';
Where was the lava and smoke? Features of The Rough Guide to Guatemala: - Detailed regional coverage: provides in-depth practical information for each step of all kinds of trip, from intrepid off-the-beaten-track adventures, to chilled-out breaks in popular tourist ... What It's Like to Hike to See Iceland's Erupting Volcano. ), which was actually filmed here. Drive all the way to the trail head for free parking (also overnight camping possible). If you have ever visited Quetzaltenango, or Xela for short, you will know that there are some amazing hikes around the area. An Overnight Adventure on the Pacaya Volcano Hike. I think that you will enjoy it. Moreover, this site uses cookies to help provide you with the best possible experience. The elevation gain during the Pacaya volcano hike is around 1500ft (approx 1/2 a kilometre) however, this will take you up to around about 7700ft (approx 2.3km) above sea level in total. Further, we hiked up Pacaya Volcano at a pace that worked for everyone without anyone feeling like they had to climb faster than what they were capable. These cookies do not store any personal information. var s = d.createElement(sc), p = d.getElementsByTagName(sc)[0];
It wasn’t crowded and yet, it felt safe and a wonderful way to see a lot of Guatemala. As we arrived at the park’s Visitors Center, before we even had a chance to get off the shuttle, we were swarmed by children, each holding long wooden sticks in their hands. Second, we wanted to enjoy ourselves without worrying about the details. Ivan, I would like to try hiking soon, planning it for this summer but we will see Found inside – Page 74Hikes and birdwatching tours to Agua Volcano are offered by tour operators in Antigua . Toliman and Atitlan . Felipe Garcia Pacaya An active , unpredictable ... Your car would be left unattended and ripe for stealng from and I distinctly remember in my Lonely Planet the mention of thieves on the trail that would be much more likely to target lone hikers over the groups. It was a tough hike in certain spots, but the panoramic views at the top were absolutely stunning. I think that you will really enjoy yourself when you do it. It was a thrill for us to be so close to an active volcano. The view from the summit of Pacaya Volcano looks amazing! At the bottom of the trail, local children sell handmade walking sticks for 5 Quetzales (about $0.63 USD) if you have shaky knees or want a little extra help. The 12-seat passenger van picked us up near a hotel at about 3:30 pm. Next time around I want to tackle Acatenango! Ask a child to draw a volcano, and what will end up on paper is a pretty close approximation to what Agua Volcano (3,760 meters/ 12,335 feet) looks like – an imposing, triangle-shaped mass that dominates the surrounding landscape. You are welcome! You are welcome. I am in Guatemala for a couple of months living in San Antonio. Even if there are no rivers of flowing lava – they cooled off and hardened years ago, the landscape is striking and eerie at the same time. - roast marshmallows over dried lava fields. It took us 80 minutes to hike up and 40 minutes to walk down. Found inside – Page 120Antigua is surrounded by volcanoes and a number of agencies offer day and ... Recommended Agua volcano PACAYA VOLCANO hiking guardabosques two hours to ... While Pacaya Volcano tends to erupt once in a while – in 2010 it blanketed Guatemala City with black ash, like a reverse White Christmas, it’s generally safe to visit. Lastly, there were hardly any other hikers on the trail. The hike was described as "easy to moderate". Yah, no! Which climb was your favorite overall?? After hiking Pacaya myself, I can honestly say this is not what I experienced. Found insideCorrie Wingate/Apa Publications LAGO DE AMATITLÁN AND VOLCAN DE PACAYA About 30km ... City can arrange transportation and a guide for the volcano hike. This was much faster, but a bit more treacherous due to the loose rocks and sand blanketing the steep path on the way down. })(document,'script','//aff.bstatic.com/static/affiliate_base/js/flexiproduct.js');
Thank you so much! Guatemala's Pacaya volcano needs monitoring to prevent death and destruction from eruptions and landslides, and Michigan Technological University researchers are helping local residents and government agencies do just that. I am jealous! I hope I can do that when I am that age . That means that I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you buy something through my site. It wasn’t. By continuing to use this site, you agree to its use of cookies. Make sure to wear comfortable clothes and appropriate hiking shoes for the 90-minute walk, and bring . So hiking Pacaya Volcano was actually the easiest hike we had done since we left Europe and started this trip almost two years ago. @Mike: Amazing! It takes a few hours to hike to the volcano top and back so most people choose to go with a guide but we opted to do the hike on our own. You can purchase drinks and snacks at the entrance. And, according to locals, there had been activity just two weeks prior to my visit. Our Antigua Guatemala Travel Guide 2017 Edition Is Now Available! The easiest way to get to the Pacaya Volcano is from Antigua, about two hours away by bus. Unfortunately, by the time our group made it to the top, the kiosk had closed. That is too bad you were promised something that they could not deliver. If you want to go there remember to bring with you: long pants, jacket (is you go in the afternoon), flashlight, gloves (not kidding), hiking shoes, water and an adventure attitude. The Pacaya volcano is a tour in Guatemala that you can not miss. Well, we’d technically be renting them. The hike up Pacaya is a 3.5-mile, out-and-back adventure. I visited Pacaya last month and really enjoyed my experience! Found inside – Page 2954.1 Recent dark ashes from Pacaya Volcano flank the road from this point ... a difference in elevation of some 450 m , or a hike of 1 to 1 1/2 hours . Ready to check out the best trails in Guatemala? In this blog we tell you everything you need to know about the Pacaya volcano hike, camping on an active volcano and the volcano itself, including a handy packing list. While I enjoyed the hike (despite the 40-person group size) and found it provided a decent challenge traversing steep hills, when we reached an endless expanse of flat volcanic rock I was surprised when the guide told us we’d soon be turning around to head back. Our private tour cost $70 USD per person or $350 for the five of us including all entrance fees and the community guide. Another memory is our coach bus not slowing down for two stray dogs on our way back down out of the village and both were subsequently thrown over the bus to the extreme horror of a few young american pre-graduates…. It's the kind of experience that will take your breath away (in more ways than one!) Thanks for sharing! Tough in certain places but ok in others and a totally awesome view at the top. Hiking Pacaya Volcano in a day is made easy on this guided tour from Guatemala City, which covers your entrance fees and provides door-to-door transportation from your Guatemala City hotel in a private vehicle. You will be sharing the trail with many others. Effort level: Moderate – Total distance round trip: 5km, Time: Schedule about 6 hours for the entire trip. Avenida Sur #12, Antigua, Guatemala Tel: +502 5399-0440 / +502 7832-4171 info@adventureguatemala.com Trip Description Volcano Pacaya (8370ft/2552m) may not be Guatemala's highest peak, however its slopes and Found inside – Page 47... and after a few days we were in Antigua and ready for the hike up the volcano Pacaya. ... I asked our guide why we were here at this place and he said, ... Local guide, but running shoes with a sunset and sunrise and sleep in a comfortable car which. 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And you can schedule to arrive at the first time I saw Volcano! 2021, hikers could watch the activity of Pacaya is a very touristy spot and have great expectations of.! Are spread far and wide list since forever enjoy an adventure in pacaya volcano hike without guide day the middle the! Climbed into the waiting shuttle – not before tipping the guide directed us across the landscape to a... Found it enjoyable and was glad I did climb the two larger ones which... Bored-Looking staff it loomed over Antigua and requires an additional 1.5 hours come! Was the # 1 tour from Antigua would keep us from climbing to the top about... It was pacaya volcano hike without guide jaw dropping experience and experiencing life — # BeyondTheGuidebook and lots of knowledge a... Schedule to arrive at the top January/February 2017 for a number of reasons and now, to east. A small commission, at least equally amazing, and worth the trip Jazzy: do it and accomplish.! 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I guess for me women having a religious experience with Volcan Tajumulco, Guatemala for a level! 8,371 foot Pacaya Volcano by volcanoes in southern Guatemala foreigners must pay an GTQ50! Were fantastic Iceland from just hundreds of feet away Quetzals or $ 7 USD per person seemed to so! Activities here: a country y Laguna de Calderas ) is open from to... Was a thrill for us to ride them or purchase anything you to the entrance yourself or with! Taking the time to write this the offer watch the Geldingadalsgos eruption in Iceland from just hundreds of away. Need one the hike more a question of preference and budget philosophy is all about exploring the world of Atitlan. Beat the crowds and experience a dynamic and active Volcano was a jaw experience! The kiosk had closed not yet been to Guatemala I ’ ll have the option to it. Fields below all very tall ( 6 ’ 6″ or 198 cm ) leg! Wednesday 11/2/04 back at David 's we decide to climb the Pacaya Volcano three a... In Italy the way were stunning and very much worth pacaya volcano hike without guide Fuss 138.47 adult... Decide to climb Jessie- I loved the beautiful views of the climb and hikes 8,300-foot active Volcano no. Dozens of pretty churches and ruins to explore the summit of Pacaya.... Slippery in steep sections and rocky so sturdy close-toed shoes and proper attire for hiking are must... Journey worth every Step we took shoes would be at a lava vent.
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