Pacaya Volcano Day Trip from Antigua

We were picked up right on time at the hotel in Antigua by our driver and about 1 hour later we were introduced to our tour guide at the volcano's base. Kids swarm around us to sell/rent walking sticks and we were offered horse rides. After a quick stop at the basic restroom we started our walk followed closely by horses and their jockeys offering 'taxi for the lady' but after 15 min they went away. From that point we really enjoyed our excursion, our guide was from the area and shared a lot of information. We watch and hear! the nearby Fire volcano sending ashes into the sky from different look outs and made our way to the Lava Store in about 2 hours. A few meters from there we eat our marshmallows and walk the last hill to the last look out before going back to the car and come back to Antigua. We reached town around 1:30pm, so it's actually a HALF day trip rather than a Day trip from Antigua. From the last lookout we saw people walking closer to the crater. The guide explained that this trail was closed and recently opened by authorities and that it was a different excursion. It looked more demanding but definitively that was the excursion I would liked to do to see the lava pool. In summary, we had an enjoyable morning and one day a would like to come back to see Pacaya closer.

Awesome experience!!!

Would have been cool to summit the volcano, but that day it was pretty active so for safety reasons we stayed back. Overall the hike was pretty amazing. The roasting of the marshmallows over a geothermal vent was kind of meh.

Hiking the Pacaya volcano was one of the main reasons we planned our trip to Guatemala. Booking through Guatemalan Adventures was easy and painless. We were met in the hotel lobby by our guide, Miguel, that morning running slightly late. That happens when you're traveling with a two year old, though. We got in the van, and then we were on our way to the volcano. On the drive out, Miguel pointed out a lot of the local sites as we went by. He made sure to give us the history of some of the other volcanoes and point out two more on the drive to Pacaya. We even got a little bit of background information on Guatemala City. Miguel gave us an overview of what to expect when we got to the volcano as well as pointing out more natural sites on the way up. When we arrived at the base of the volcano, there were several locals trying to sell us sticks or rent us horses. Best thing to do is just say No and keep walking if you don't want them. Miguel introduced us to another local guide making the climb with us, Luis. After a quick restroom break, we were on our way up. The first little bit is a little steep and tough as it's almost rocky cobblestones. Once you're past that, it gets a bit easier. Luis and Miguel stopped several times to point out some of the local flora and fauna of interest, and we would stop several times for pictures overlooking some incredible views. The hike itself isn't strenuous if you're an active person, but I could see it being pretty tough for people that aren't used to physical exercise. Trekking poles would have definitely made the climb a bit easier, and we found ourselves wishing we had brought them a couple of times. Some of the spots get slippery in places, especially on the way down, but Luis and Miguel were always quick to point those areas out to us. Once we got to the top or as close to the top as you can get without special permits, the view was well worth the work. It was simply stunning. We could see some steam rising out of Pacaya, and we had a great view of the Agua and Fuego volcanoes as well. Once we took in the view for a bit, we descended into a field of cooled lava rock. Well, most of it was cool. Stopping to roast marshmallows over a steam vent was one of the highlights of our trip. Dogs will follow you, but they're mostly just hoping you drop your marshmallows. Luis and Miguel had marshmallows with them, but if you have special dietary needs we're vegan, so the gelatin in normal marshmallows is a no-go for us, you can bring your own. On the hike back down the mountain, the two year old traveling with us wanted to walk down rather than ride in my girlfriend's traveling pack she brought for him. Luis and Miguel helped him most of the way down the mountain, and he loved it! We left the volcano talking the whole way back about how the hike up and down was so amazing and incredible. Once back at the hotel, I realized I might have left my cel phone in the van, so I emailed Guatemalan Adventures to ask about it. Miguel had my phone, turned around and drove 20 minutes back to our hotel just to bring my cel phone back to me. He was our guide the next day, so I was perfectly fine knowing my phone was safe, and I would have it tomorrow. I really appreciated the extra mile he went to get it back to me so quickly. If you're planning a trip to Pacaya, I can't recommend Guatemalan Adventures enough. Book them knowing you'll be treated well, and if you get Miguel as your guide, know you're in for a first class experience.