The Formidable Volcanoes of Antigua, Guatemala
I’m standing 3756m above sea level when silence falls around the campfire. Every so often Volcano Fuego, one of the world’s most active calderas, located close to the Guatemalan city of Antigua, shakes the ground beneath my feet and ejects streams of luminescent orange lava into the starry night sky.
Antigua was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979 thanks to its well-preserved Spanish colonial architecture. With cobbled streets, picturesque courtyards and brightly coloured buildings you could think you were on a movie set. This captivating city was once the capital of the Spanish empire in Latin America before a devastating earthquake in 1733 forced the Spanish to relocate.
Guatemala is located on the ‘Pacific Ring of Fire’ a seismically active region that is found around the edge of the Pacific Ocean. The country is home to 30 volcanoes, 3 of which are still active. 2 of them are located in close proximity to the city of Antigua; Volcano Fuego and Volcano Pacaya.
Stepping out into Antigua on a clear-skied day, I find myself unable to see anything other than a town in the shadow of 3 formidable volcanos; Volcano Agua, Fuego and Acatenango.
The Baby Volcano
I arrived in Antigua a few days earlier to take on one of Guatemala’s most adventurous hikes, climbing Volcano Acatenango. The first challenge begins a short journey away from Antigua at Volcano Pacaya. Climbing Pacaya is something of a warm-up for the big trek. Slightly to acclimatise to the altitude and a test of my volcano hiking abilities. Pacaya is considered one of Guatemala’s ‘baby volcanoes’ standing at 2,531m above sea level.
On arrival to the start of the trail, the cloud cover is so heavy that after only a few minutes of walking, I struggle to see where the trail began. We approach a resting spot halfway up Pacaya and the guide stops us to explain that the path we follow is the same as a pyroclastic flow followed in the recent eruption in 2022. It explains why the ground has started to look similar to that of a BBQ. Giant pieces of volcanic rock sit beneath my feet, making me wish I had some thicker-soled shoes.
One last uphill stretch means I am standing at one of the highest points of Volcano Pacaya. I try to imagine the views but in reality, I can just see a washout of thick white clouds and a friendly stray dog looking for a dotting tourist with food.
What takes around 2 hours to climb requires all of 15 minutes to descend. I bound down the volcano like I’m skiing down a dune made of ash, a striking difference from the earlier terrain. At this point, I learn one thing about volcano hiking, don’t wear white thin-soled shoes.
The Volcano Twins
A new day brings an early wake-up call at 5 am and a wait on an eerily empty street of Antigua. When the minivan pulls around the corner it doesn’t look like it could make it to the end of the street let alone up the steep windy roads to the starting point for hiking Volcano Acatenango.
On arrival, the owner of Soy Tours, Gilmer Soy, talks about the terrain and the signs of altitude sickness we need to look out for. Explaining the benefits of slowly inclining as opposed to racing to the top. He also shares some advice, which eases my nerves. Gilmer says, “You just have to believe you can get to the top, that’s the biggest hurdle.”
With Gilmer’s motivational words in my head and walking stick in hand, I embark along the start of the trail. For the first 2 hours, I walk through local farmland mostly tough stretches of sandy uphill trails. After passing by the official entrance and registering to enter the protected area, the trail enters into a biodiverse cloud forest.
In this cloud forest, you may be lucky enough to spot the elusive national bird, the Quetzal. Unfortunately, I’m not so lucky. After a few of the guides ‘Guatemalan time” estimations of how much further camp was, the high-rise trees begin to look a lot less taller until I was looking down on the cloud forest I was just trekking through.
The last part of the trail to camp is similar to the fine black ash of Pacaya I was skiing down the previous day. I hear two girls just a few steps in front of me cheering and I breathe a sigh of relief. After being shown to our tents and being able to put my weighty backpack down, I head straight to the camp’s viewpoint of Volcano Fuego.
Volcano Fuego is just opposite Volcano Acatenango less than a few miles from the camp I stand in. I struggle to comprehend where I stand, thinking back to just a few days ago, seeing these two neighbouring volcanoes dominate the skyline above the city. As I’m getting lost in that thought, I hear a loud rumble and witness the first eruption of Fuego since I arrived at camp. The plume of thick dark grey smoke rises higher and higher in the sky and I’m no longer thinking, just observing.
The warming effects of the uphill climb and excitement of a volcanic eruption I just witnessed begin to wear off and I’m left with the cold chill of being 3756 m above sea level. After wrapping up in every layer I possibly can, I take a seat alongside some fellow climbers and we begin to swap stories of our travels.
As the sun begins to disappear for the day, the clouds and sky become softer. It starts to look like all that lies below us is giant marshmallows. The clouds completely cover the land below leaving only the orange horizon line and the peak of Volcano Fuego in view. I watch as the sun fully disappears behind the clouds and the sky displays a faded show of oranges, pinks and purples. Until all I can see is streams of luminescent orange lava and the stars glistening in an immaculate nights sky.
Tips for Climbing Volcano Acatenango
It is possible to experience altitude sickness on this hike. For this reason, it is recommended you stay in Antigua for a couple of nights to acclimatise to being above sea level.
My number one piece of advice would be don’t rush the climb. To prevent altitude sickness, it’s better to take regular breaks. Also, take your time to observe the views on the way up. You’re climbing a volcano and for most people, this isn’t a thing you do every day. So appreciate your surroundings.
Pack lots of layers. You start the hike and you’ll get pretty sweaty pretty fast but it gets super cold overnight and first thing in the morning so make sure you have warmer layers.
Find more advice in my guide to Hiking Volcano Acatenango, Guatemala
Getting There - The closest airport to Antigua is 25 miles away; La Aurora International Airport. You can find airport transfers at GuateGo. There currently aren’t any direct flights from the UK, it will require a stopover most likely in the US.
Touring There - Soy Tours is a locally run company offering overnight trips up Volcano Acatenango for 500 Quetzals per person. CA Travellers offer day trips to hike Volcano Pacaya from Antigua for 150 Quetzals per person.
When to Go - For hiking Volcano Acatenango or Pacaya, the best time is during Guatemala’s dry season between November and April.
