Hiking Acatenango Volcano
I'm going to start off by saying this was a ONCE in a lifetime kind of experience. If you are outdoorsy, into hiking, or like a challenge, I highly recommend this trek. Just imagine sitting on the top of a volcano covered in biodiversity, looking out at multiple other volcanoes in the distance. All the sudden the closest volcano to you (Fuego) bursts out a crackling sound & explodes grey smoke & hot red lava to the surface. The glowing aura of the lava mesmerizes you as you are completely encompassed by its power & wonder. You are on top of the clouds looking down at the sky, 3,976 meters above sea level. You are in a dream you never thought you’d have.
We woke up at 6am on a Thursday morning in Antigua Guatemala, it was the day we were anticipating for so long. It was the day me & my partner were going to climb Acatenango Volcano. I got my things together, showered, drank two cups of black tea, & prepared myself. I just bought hiking shoes from a nearby market a few days before & was so surprised by how prepared I was for this hike. I realized that I had blisters on my feet from wearing them the night before, I knew I could not wear these shoes for an eight hour hike. I had to settle with my tainted air force 1’s. Super nervous about my shoe choice we finally made it to Wicos & Charlies (The amazing company we hiked with). I saw that some people were wearing old sneakers & vans, (one girl was even wearing sandals) so I didn't feel so alone. The guides were super friendly & welcoming & so were the other participants in our group. We collected our things & rented gloves, scarfs, jackets, hiking poles, bags, pants, hats, & everything we needed. We had to bring four litres of water (minimum) up the volcano with us to stay hydrated as our trek was over night. Wicos & Charlies also supplied us with a plant based & vegan lunch, dinner, & breakfast for the next morning. After about an hour of gathering our things & preparing we piled on to a bus & drove 50 minutes up a huge mountain. When we arrived at our destination it was super foggy & chilly & we were all praying it wouldn't stay like this the entire trek. I ended up getting a porter (someone to carry my bag) because I knew my hike would be so much more relaxed without carrying extra weight on my back (I highly recommend that it was so worth it extra - 150Q).
Then our hike began. The first section of land we trekked through was mostly farmland, we could see crops & land for miles. It was chilly, but as we walked it got more warm & more warm. The farmland was lovely & we could see workers in the fields, chickens, & dogs running around, it was super relaxing other than the trekking uphill part. Here we could see other hikers making their way down from the night before, they all looked exhausted but very happy. The next section of land was slightly more uphill, it was a stunning tropical forest climate (The cloud forest). The trees were lined with green moss & hanging branches would tickle our heads. Here the ground & air was moist, so we really needed to dig our poles into the soil. This climate was significantly warmer & as we got higher & higher I started taking my layers off. We could hear tons of different tropical birds in the trees. I felt like I was in the jungle. The next climate we went through was a shrubby, pine tree forest. This climate was much dryer & hotter, the sun started beaming down & kissing my face. The air smelt so fresh & clean, like fresh sandalwood incense. I couldn't help but keep looking down at all of the different species of plants, there were cacti, shrubs, flowers, and so many beautiful specimens.
We stopped for breaks frequently, & two & a half hours in stopped for lunch. The lunch was so delicious, vegan quinoa balls with mash potatoes & gravy. We were told many times to eat all the food we were given because of the amount of energy we needed. I was so grateful I had four liters of water & I drank sips frequently.
After lunch we kept trekking through the forest & eventually made our way to higher heights. I was doing great with the altitude as my body naturally adjusts to it. We looked out at extraordinary views & landscapes as we got higher. We could see Antigua from the bottom looking very small from where we were. I started to feel like I was above the clouds, because I was. The landscape got more rocky & steep at this point & we were taking frequent breaks. To be completely honest, I was feeling really great the entire time. I was very lucky the altitude didn't get to me.The only thing that bothered me was my hip flexors that started to hurt slightly in the last hour, I had to really focus on engaging my core to protect them. The last thirty minutes of trekking to base camp was my favourite as it was not really uphill & the entire trail we gazed at the most vast, expansive views; mountains, volcanos, & grasslands, it was all so surreal. At this point everyone was very excited to get to basecamp & I could see the anticipation in everyone's faces. When we reached the camp our jaws dropped. Fuego, the neighbouring volcano, was staring us straight in the face. Fuego was the closest volcano to us & it looked like we were at the exact same height as the top of its peak.
We situated ourselves in our cozy little camper & put a few more layers on (as it started to get cold) & then all the sudden we heard the loudest crash. Fuego blasted out rocks, gray smoke, & gooey red lava. I've never seen anything so beautiful & powerful in my life, it was like nature's fireworks. The rest of the night was all of us watching one of the most profound occurrences in nature. Every twenty to thirty minutes an explosion would happen & never fail to amaze everyone. We would scream & cheer to the lava in awe of its beauty & wonder. We gazed at the lava as it warmed us from the inside out. I felt the glory & power of mother nature run through my veins every time I heard an explosion. We had a lovely dinner of curry & rice & some warm hot chocolate for the soul. Some of the people in my group hiked all the way to Fuego (which is an option) .They loved it, but it seemed to be exhausting & I thoroughly enjoyed the view from where I was cozy in my camper. The night was very cold & I was super grateful we had sleeping bags & all of our warm clothing.
When the morning came we were relieved, we woke up at 5am to watch the most celestial sunrise I’ve ever seen. It was peering over the volcanos. Blue, orange, & purple filled the air surrounding the clouds. This was definitely my favourite view. The morning was spent relaxing & mentally preparing ourselves for the trek down the volcano. I was slightly nervous to go down as my shoes were super slippery & had no grip. The way down was hectic for me, we were told that we had to ski down with our poles so we didn't fall. This was super fun for the first hour & then after that my knees & thighs started to burn. I didn't realize how exhausted I was until we reached the end. We were 30 minutes away from the entrance & my legs actually started to give out which has never happened to me in my life. I was repeating mantras in my head so I could make it to the end. When I got to the finish line I was so proud of myself & felt like I was about to collapse to the ground. Everyone was at the bottom cheering for me & it felt so nice. I made it, I did the hard thing. I climbed one of the highest volcanoes in Central America. It was a big check off my bucket list. Something I've been wanting to do for so many years, & it was so much more liberating than I could have ever imagined.
Thinking of hiking Acatenango Volcano ?
Please do! You will NOT regret it!
Here are some tips:
Wear hiking shoes that are already worn in.
Go with Wicco’s & Charlies.
Bring more water than you think you’ll need. At Least 4 liters.
If you aren't an experienced hiker, get a porter to carry your bag. (150Q)
Make sure to carry all your garbage with you in a bag, don't litter!
Bring more clothes than you think you’ll need. (It gets really cold)
Hiking poles are a necessity.
Hydrate & get lots of rest the night before.
Don’t plan to do anything crazy for at least 2 days after the hike.
Believe in yourself! but if you have physical ailments & are very out of shape, this hike might be very challenging for you. Be discerning.
Wicos & Charlies is an amazing company to guide your volcano hike. They truly took amazing care of me & the rest of the group. They were super supportive & all the guides were really positive & fun to be around. They accommodated all of my needs & truly knew that volcano, like the back of their hands. They curated a very unique experience that was like no other. All the food they provide is vegan & plant-based & all of their packaging is eco-friendly & sustainable. I can tell this company really cares for the environment & community surrounding it, by how much work they put in. All of the guides & porters are from the nearest town Aldea La Soledad & have lived near this volcano their entire lives. They also give some of their proceeds to Santuario Vida Animal shelter to support the workers & animals. My overall experience was insanely extraordinary & I highly recommend this experience.
All included 2 day trek: in shared cabin $75 US
All included 2 day trek: in private cabin (price for 2) $199 US
*Includes: 4 meals, snacks, guide, cabin with camping gear, essential personal gear & transportation.
*You can also rent most of the equipment from Wiccos & Charlies.
Porters are priced depending on weight - 100Q-250Q
With Love,
Jia. xx
