Here's everything you need to know about Pacaya Volcano!
There is a 200 Quetzal ($27 USD) expense to enter the national park and hire a mandatory guide.We decided to tour with Guatemala Destination.
When you hire a guided tour, they normal bring the marshmallows to roast at the top. To me this is the highlight of the hike & motivation for the little ones. Bring some graham crackers and chocolate if you want to make your marshmallow a s’more!
Even if you aren’t in the best shape, the hike isn’t difficult but some parts do get steep. I don't frequently work out but I am in good shape & I found myself taking multiple breaks to the top! Our guide was a big help along the way to the top. He encouraged us & even helped my 5 year hike up to the top when we had to get off the horse. The best feeling was at the top! You'll feel like you can courage anything after the hike!
You can choose to rent a horse (approximately 300 Quetzal, $40 USD) or purchase a walking stick (5 Quetzal, $0.7 USD). I rented a horse for the kids. Miya is 5 years old & Cam is 2 years old. I don’t think we would have made It to the top without the horse.
Volcan de Pacaya is located just an hour and a half drive from Guatemala City (an hour and fifteen from Antigua).
You can hike the volcano all year around but the best time to hike it is in November. November is the month after the rainy season, so you can expect to see all the plants and greeny flourishing.
Pacaya’s first erupted over 23,000 years ago and is currently one of the most lively volcanos in Central America. Just don’t expect to see lava running down the volcano. The rocks just only get hot enough to roast marshmallows!
The weather can be unpredictable so dress in layers. Also, wear good hiking shoes! I wore my flat van shoes & found myself sliding on some of the soft debris from broken rocks.
The hike takes about 2 hours in total. 1 hour up & 1 down. Faster if you hire a horse!
If you want to explore more of Guatemala, Guatemala Destination has more tours to offer then just hiking Pacaya Volcanco. You can tour Champey, Tikal, Lake Atittlan, Chichicastenango, Angua, Copan Ruins, Rio Duice, Cuban, and more with Guatemala Destination.
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