Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes

  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Dawn approaching, Tajumulco summit, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Fuego erupting from Acatenango, dawn, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Volc Agua pre dawn from Acatenango, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Santiaguito Up Close from Santa Maria, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Fuego eruping at night, from Acatenango camp, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Acatenango dawn shadow, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Across  mysterious Chichabal crater lake, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Chichabal, offering in the sand, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Dawn on Volcan Santa Maria , Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, East to Agua from Acatenango, dawn, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Evening light from southern Tajumulco peak, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Forest, Acatenango, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Fuego belching, from Tajumulco, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Fuego erupting at dawn, Acatenango, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Fuego erupting at dawn, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Fuego from below Acatenango dummit, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Fuego Gently Erupting, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, High open pine forest traverse, Acatenango, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, High open pine forest traverse, Acatenango, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Lake Atitlan, Volcan San Pedro, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Main Tajumulco peak from southern peak, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Pacaya cone from across lava shoulder, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Santiaguito, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Santiaguito y Santa Maria, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Tajumulco, ascent, on the ridge, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Tajumulco, blue morning view, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Tajumuolco, evening on s summit, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, V Agua from Pacaya shoulder, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, View over volcanoes Acatenango and Agua, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Volc Agua pre dawn from Acatenango, Walkopedia
  • Guatemala Western Volcanic Highlands, Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes, Volcan de Fuego, Walkopedia

Key information: Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes

  • A series of incredible volcanoes in the Guatemalan highlands to set your heart racing, including Central America’s highest peak.
  • Experience erupting volcanoes, geological oddities, visual splendours  and sensational sunrises.

Walkopedia rating

(Top 100)
  • Walkopedia rating91
  • Beauty35
  • Natural interest20
  • Human interest5
  • Charisma34
  • Negative points3
  • Total rating91
  • Note: Neg: Tough altitude

Vital Statistics

  • Length: Variable
  • Maximum Altitude: 4,219m
  • Level of Difficulty: Variable
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Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes: Fuego erupting from Acatenango, dawn - © William Mackesy

WALK SUMMARY

A series of incredible volcanoes in Guatemala’s western highlands to set your heart racing, including Central America’s highest peak. Experience erupting volcanoes, geological oddities, visual splendours and sensational sunrises, the occasional remains of rich Mayan culture – and the opportunity to soak in hot volcanic springs.

A good start point for a journey to meet the magnificent Guatemalan volcanoes would be the delightful World Heritage Site city of Antigua. It offers a colourful and historic experience, with impressive architecture and a friendly atmosphere. It is a 1.5 hour drive to the beginning of the trails to climb Pacaya and Acatenango.

Volcan Pacaya:

2,552m Pacaya is a classic active volcano, often with an intriguing plume of smoke rising from its summit. It has to be said, it is more magnificent and brooding than beautiful. Climb through forest and fields to reach the lava wastes and a slog to the summit. 10km, 3+hrs return – a useful acclimatizer for the higher and tougher volcanoes.

Volcan Zunil:

This is a delightfully mixed experience. After a long forest ascent, you reach high, open altiplano grazed grasslands, then climb the foot of the long and wonderful Siete Cruces ridge, passing 7 former Mayan ceremonial sites, to the summit at 3,542m. 15km/8-10hrs return. It is both a delight and a good idea to give yourself time and camp quite close below the summit at a high and view-rich campsite.

Volcan Santa Maria:

A high (3,770m), classic volcanic cone boasting astonishing views into the neighbouring, active but lower Volcan Santiaguito’s crater. This is a long day walk – a grueling 10km/4.5+hrs to the summit and 8-9hrs return walk, but it is worth the slog, as you savour the visual drama around you.

Volcan Tajumulco:

Close to the border with Mexico, Tajumulco is the highest point in Central America at 4,219m. It is a long return walk, so best broken up with a night up there (at around 4,000m, so quite high). Climb through woodland then up a superb, long ridge (with huge views of course) to the high ground and the campsite. You can climb the peak then return to camp, or (better) hit the summit at dawn the next day. 14km/9-10hrs return.

Volcan San Pedro:

This attractive, vegetated cone looms above the south-west side of the beautiful Lake Atitlan. It reaches 3,020m and will generously share with you its enormous views over the lake and to the mountains and volcanoes surrounding it. It is a another steep slog (9km/6-7hr), although with less altitude to contend with than on some of its fraternity.

Volcan Acatenango and Volcan Fuego:

These volcanoes are conjoined, so often walked together. The exhausting but interesting climb up Volcan Acatenango at 3,976m passes through various vegetation zones; cornfields, bamboo, cloud and pine forests. You are rewarded at the top with a view across all 7 of the magnificent main Guatemala volcanoes and onto Fuego busily puffing away (it is fiery and unforgettable from the campsite at night.). 10km/5-6hrs.

You will camp on the saddle between the volcanoes. Connected to Acatenango, 3,763m Volcan Fuego is claimed to be the world’s most continuously active volcano and is approached on a thrilling ridge which swings across some minor peaks to the final cone.  

Chicabal crater:

Chicabal crater lake sits an hour or so south-west of Xila in Guatemala's volcanic highlands. Steep cobbled then dirt tracks head up and round through pleasing wooded hillside to the crater rim, then steeply down to the crater floor. The lake occupies the whole floor and is beautiful, quiet, mysterious and slightly numinous, so it no surprise that it is sacred, and people come to worship in Mayan-descended ceremonies. Fascinating, and a good variant and aclimatiser.

This can be tough walking on high, remote mountains with sometimes unpredictable weather and where altitude can cause real problems. Come prepared.

We’d love to share more! Please help us by recommending your best walks/making suggestions and sending photos! Thank you!

Other accounts: share your experiences

Your comments on this walk, your experiences and suggestions, and your photos are very welcome. Where appropriate, you will be credited for your contribution.

Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes: Volc Agua pre dawn from Acatenango - © William Mackesy

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

We have a lot of helpful practical information and tips about this walk, covering everything from the best books and maps, to timing and weather, geting there, possible problems, whether you need a guide and where to find them, and useful websites. This section is only open to members.

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Safety and problems: All walks have inherent risks and potential problems, and many of the walks featured on this website involve significant risks, dangers and problems. Problems of any sort can arise on any walk. This website does not purport to identify any (or all) actual or potential risks, dangers and problems that may relate to any particular walk.

Any person who is considering undertaking this walk should do careful research and make their own assessment of the risks, dangers and possible problems involved. They should also go to “Important information” for further important information.

Anyone planning an expedition to this place should see further important information about this walk.

Safety and problems: All walks have inherent risks and potential problems, and many of the walks featured on this website involve significant risks, dangers and problems. Problems of any sort can arise on any walk. This website does not purport to identify any (or all) actual or potential risks, dangers and problems that may relate to any particular walk.

Any person who is considering undertaking this walk should do careful research and make their own assessment of the risks, dangers and possible problems involved. They should also go to “Important information” for further important information.

Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes: Santiaguito Up Close from Santa Maria - © Flickr user nmarritz

OTHER ACCOUNTS
share your experiences

Add your experiences, suggestions and photos. We would be delighted to receive your writing and ideas (which will be attributed appropriately where published).

Anyone planning an expedition to this place should see further important information about this walk.

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Guatemalas Amazing Volcanoes: Fuego eruping at night, from Acatenango camp - © William Mackesy...
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