When the white mist hit my face at 7:00 am and my body’s chills shook me, tears eked out. This wasn’t what was promised, socked in with zero visibility and a cold rain. Yet the tears weren’t of pain. I was overrun with immense pride. For in the face of dissuading blog posts and social media shares, a few weeks ago my husband and I hiked up the side of a dormant volcano peak in Central America: Acatenango.
We knew before leaving Virginia for Guatemala that it would be a challenging hike. The trail is approximately four miles in one direction, with an elevation gain close to 5,000 feet in that short distance. We would be on loose volcanic rock, with the added challenge of starting at an altitude of about 8,000 feet. Our bodies would be taxed.
At over 12,000 feet up, we’d sleep in a small platform tent in freezing temperatures, eating reconstituted vegan breakfast burritos.
The reward we were working for? We’d be at the top of the world, directly across from an active, exploding volcano, Volcan de Fuego. We could wake up at night, seeing molten lava oozing out of the earth. A piece of the earth’s most fundamental core, the part that holds me up every day, would be unveiled in a rare moment of communion between the outside and inside worlds.
We had worked in long hikes through Shenandoah National Park in preparation. We carefully selected materials and a guide company. We spoke words of confidence to each other and knew that if we didn’t sleep next to a volcano, we’d never have a chance like this of seeing a volcano.
Unfortunately, the rainy season of Guatemala made its arrival known. As soon as we hit base camp, shivering and spent, a cloud rolled across the view. It parked for the entirety of our time on top of Acatenango.
With a group of 20 other adventure seekers, bonded over the grueling uphill we’d experienced together, a collective disappointment was felt. We waited patiently, sharing words of hope and optimism. Yet the cloud obstinately stayed.
Peeling myself out of my sleeping bag the next morning, I turned my face to where I knew the volcano was continuing her bellows and belches. I felt her presence in my fingertips and toes. And nothing in me regretted the decision to strap on my hiking boots and bravely walk into one of the hardest hikes available.
For the power I felt, the strength I found, has made me love myself, my body, and my determination more than I would have thought possible. I had done it. I had looked at an adventure that seemed overwhelming and impossible for a middle-aged mom from suburbia and I did it. I defied expectations and stereotypes. I surprised everyone. But, most importantly, I surprised myself.
They say Acatenango means “wall of reeds.” Reeds stand tall and strong. They bow to the weather’s whims but they never break. And, like a reed, I wasn’t broken.
Thinking of hiking Volcano Acatenango Guatemala? Keep reading for our tips.
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What you Need to Know about Hiking Volcano Acatenango Guatemala
Stats are as follows-
Distance: about 9 miles round trip. Total elevation gain: 5,253 feet. The trailhead starts at 8,038 feet above sea level, camps are usually around 12,000 feet, and the final summit is 13,045 feet. Temperatures are regularly below freezing during the summit hike and in the low 40’s F at base camp.
It took us a little close to five hours to hike from the trailhead to base camp. It was half the time coming down the next day.
Our tour group was fairly small and we were kept together nearly the whole time even though people were hiking at different speeds. There are set breaks throughout the hike (that were non negotiable) and we’d wait for everyone to come together before moving on.
The park entrance itself is over an hour of hiking in (included in the 5 hours total hike time). And the hiking to get to the park was the most brutal. It was an incredibly steep incline on very loose, eroding volcanic soil through privately owned farmlands.
Once you arrive at the park entrance, you must pay 50Q per person in cash. A tour guide company will remind you of this multiple times before you begin your hike.
This seems obvious, but just to put it out there: no bathrooms on this two day adventure. The great outdoors is everyone’s bathroom. And you are asked to pack out your TP so as not to litter.
The guides claim that the hike to the park entrance is the hardest and steepest part. That is true, but given their sales pitch, I kept waiting for the trail to flatten out. It never did. This trail doesn’t do switchbacks. You want to go up the side of a mountain? Then you just head up – straight up.
I wish we had done this during the dry season. The guides don’t share stats on how successful summit hikes and views are, but we heard from a few Guatemalans who have done this hike a lot that visibility is fairly unlikely during the wet season. If you can, do this during the dry season. But know that you aren’t guaranteed a view whenever you go. It’s really just pure luck.
When we arrived at base camp, everyone was beat. We experienced some full-body chills. We were tired, wet from sweat, in the breeze, and likely under-nourished. Additionally, the altitude affected how quickly recovery happened. Once you get to base camp, plan to spend an hour or so resting your body and know that everyone at camp recovers and ends up coming out to chat, have hot chocolate, play Connect Four, and enjoy being on top of the world.
I truly believe that anyone who wants to can make this hike. In our group there were people of all ages, abilities, fitness levels, and varieties of preparedness. While I was extremely nervous headed into the hike, likely due to too much information alongside some serious self-doubt, everyone who started this completed it.
Is it Safe?
We’ve learned the hard way that no outdoor adventure is ever completely “safe.” Anything you do in this arena involves risk. It is about how the risk to reward ratio works out and what it means to you to try.
Fuego, the volcano we strained to see across from our base camp on Acatenango, is an active volcano. It erupts frequently, hence the draw towards it. My mother was not enamored with the idea of us sleeping near a volcano, but I personally never felt in danger. Perhaps that is naivete. The raw power of the neighboring explosions were beautiful and invigorating, yet I felt safer there than I did in a car on the roads in Guatemala.
But, of course, there is risk.
How to Hike Acatenango (Best Guide Companies, Locations, Base Camps)
This cannot be done without a guide service. And it is also not recommended as a one-day trip due to the scale of the elevation, the time it takes, and the need to rest and tend to the body.
There are so many guide companies offering this tour, it felt hard to pick via Internet.
After a lot of research, reading this post and this post and this post, we opted to go with Wicho & Charlie’s. They may be more expensive than other outfitters, but nothing in Guatemala seemed expensive or exorbitant.
What sold us were the following things: they had platform and permanent tents, we didn’t have to carry bedding or tents, and they had a lot of good gear provided or available for rent.
Other companies had some hidden terms in the fine print that made us uncomfortable, and we decided having a lighter pack on our backs (since our bedding was at the top) and better “amenities” (such as they are in this kind of situation) were worth the additional money.
We opted for a private tent so we wouldn’t have to split into guys/girls tents. The tent was small – Mr. Family Trip couldn’t lay straight due to his height – but it was incredibly cozy and warm.
I am so happy with our choice of guide companies and would go with them again in a heartbeat. We saw many other guided groups coming through clearly under-prepared and overwhelmed. I knew we had made a good choice.
How to Prepare
Hike, or at least walk, as regularly as you can before arriving for your trip.
Don’t read too many posts about this adventure on the Internet! They will likely only mess with your confidence. Just make the decision, book it, and don’t look back.
Wear-in your hiking boots before arriving for your hike. Although someone in our group did this entire hike in brand new Vans, so I guess it is ultimately up to you…
Pick your preferred guide company, and book in advance. They do sell out.
Stay in Antigua the night before, don’t go out partying, and do get some good rest.
What to Bring
Hiking boots (that you have worn before). You need good shoes for this, closed-toed. And like any hiker will tell you, be sure you’ve worn them in. Otherwise, you’ll be experimenting with the areas that cause blisters while trying to summit the side of a dormant volcano.
Snacks and food. While Wicho & Charlie’s provided hearty food, it wasn’t enough for our bodies as we burned through calories . Another point that may be obvious, this is backpacking food, not James Beard-award-winning fare. So manage your expectations when eating en route.
We brought some all-natural altitude medicine that we took in advance of the hike. Did it work? Who knows. It could be a placebo effect. But we didn’t suffer from any form of altitude sickness, so no complaints.
Really good socks. Bring an extra pair. You need moisture-wicking socks on your feet. And when your feet get cold and/or wet, dry socks are the best feeling in the world.
A nice rain jacket/wind breaker. Wicho & Charlie’s did have jackets to both rent and for loan. But having a high performance jacket that could keep out the wind and the mist was much appreciated.
Clothes to hike in (see below).
Powdered electrolytes. We added some of these to our water occasionally. They are said to help against altitude sickness but it was mostly nice to have a little taste variety from plain water.
A good hiking backpack. Again, Wicho & Charlie’s offered these for rent. We had brought our own (as did most people in our group). If you don’t elect to pay for a porter, you are going to spend a lot of time with that backpack so be sure it has support in the right places.
Cold weather clothes (see below).
A baseball hat. I like hiking in something that keeps my hair back, catches sweat, and can help against sun or mist. But you do you.
Loads and loads of water. Your guide company should make sure you are adequately hydrated and prepared. We didn’t take more than what Wicho & Charlie’s recommended, though, because we carried our own packs and water is heavy y’all.
What to Rent
GET THE HIKING POLES. I am going to say that again for the people in the back: GET THE HIKING POLES. They helped on the way up and they really helped on the way down. We don’t usually hike with these (even when we hiked Old Rag we brought them and didn’t use them). But this trip they made all the difference. Just do it.
A better backpack. As noted above, you are going to be spending a lot of time with the pack so be sure it fits and works well.
Upgrade your gloves. It is cold at base camp, and apparently even colder at the summit in the morning. The gloves our guide company provided were not high-performance gloves. I paid a little extra for better, ski-like gloves that were waterproof.
Consider a porter service. Wicho & Charlie’s provided the option to pay for a porter if wanted. It was not that expensive, surprisingly. There were quite a few in our group who opted for porter service. If you don’t have experience backpacking and/or haven’t been able to hike much and/or feel like you don’t have great conditioning, get the porter service to make the trip bearable. Note that porters will only carry up, not down. So you are on your own for the descent. But at that point, the packs are lighter … and, after all, it is down, not up.
What to Wear
Layers. Including good base layers. It is so important to layer up, making it easy to shed but add as your body temperature changes based on effort and conditions. You will be hot climbing up, but when you sit down to eat lunch, you’ll cool down quickly. I have some nice hiking pants (I usually like to hike in leggings but on this hike, I found true hiking pants far more comfortable and better suited to the conditions), my favorite skiing base layer ever, and a tank layer similar to this one that I swear by.
Quick dry clothes (down to the undies friends). Yes, moisture-wicking underwear and even long underwear for sleeping in. Don’t forget, women, that a moisture-wicking and supportive sports bra will help your comfort level a lot.
Things Wicho & Charlie’s provided that were necessary:
- Cold weather hat.
- Winter jacket.
- Winter gloves.
- Neck gaiter.
- Headlamp. *Some guide companies do not provide these, but in order to do the summit hike the next morning, you will definitely need one.
How to Decide if Hiking Volcano Acatenango Guatemala is Worth It
Absolutely no one can answer this for you. And I will not sugarcoat it: working as hard as we did and anticipating this hike for months only to see absolutely nothing was incredibly disappointing.
But I will unequivocally say that, for myself, it was worth every step and minute. It ultimately depends on why you are stepping outside of your comfort zone and what you expect to gain.
If you are looking for IG photos and social media fodder, stand down and don’t book this.
But if you want to see what you have deep inside; if you want to expand your horizons; if you want to experience something completely different that you’ve never done before; if you want to spend two days in intense community with fantastic strangers from numerous countries – then go.
You’ve got this.
You’ll bend. But you won’t break.