Guide to Hiking Acatenango Volcano

First time seeing lava!

1.) Summary: Acatenango is a stratovolcano in Guatemala, located close to the city of Antigua. It is part of a complex of volcanoes that includes Volcán de Fuego, which is known for its frequent eruptions. Acatenango itself has not erupted in recent history, but it is known for its impressive height and stunning views of the surrounding landscape, including the active Volcán de Fuego. Acatenango shares a ridge with it’s active neighbor, Volcán de Fuego. Acatenango volcano is a popular destination for hikers and adventurers due to its challenging but rewarding trails and the opportunity to witness lava eruptions from a safe distance. Its ascent is known for its steep terrain and high altitude, requiring a moderate level of physical fitness and proper gear. Acatenango’s summit is just shy of 4000M. Acatenango offers panoramic views of the neighboring volcanoes, cities, valleys, and even the Pacific coastline on clear days. It is renowned for its diverse ecosystems, including lush forests and high-altitude vegetation. Hiking Acatenango has recently become the most popular tour in Guatemala, and it is important to be well prepared before embarking on the challenging yet rewarding journey.

Volcan de Fuego to the left and Acatenango to the right

Sunrise hike

2.) Overview

• Booking Process

  • The Acatenango hike has become the most popular thing to do in Guatemala. The recent explosion in popularity has drawn in lots of new tour companies in the last five years. Some are way better than others… Antigua is a popular destination for tourists and it is possible to book your tour in person. You can even book your tour from other places in Guatemala, but it’s best to do in Antigua as it’s only an hour away from the trail head. I recommend researching & choosing your company of choice in advance but waiting for a day or two before to actually book the hike. The reason I recommend waiting is because the weather can be unpredictable and if you’re locked in on a certain date in advance you’ll be going whether it’s rain or shine. If you have a few days flexibility in Antigua, it’s best to choose the day with good weather forecast. It is recommended you spend 2 days in Antigua acclimatizing before starting the hike. You can research in advance a legitimate tour company with an online presence, reputable reviews, small group sizes, and a good base camp set up. You can also easily just book at a hostel, but I don’t recommend this as you will be hoarded into a very large group, with low quality gear, and sleep in low quality tents. You get what you pay for when it comes to tour companies leading Acatenango hikes. Far Out Travel Tours partners with a local operator who has been running tours for over two decades, feel free to message our instagram for guide recommendations: @farouttraveltours. This guide focuses on the most popular itinerary; the 2 day 1 night trek where you camp at basecamp and summit for sunrise on day 2.

• Fitness Level

  • This hike is not easy and unprepared hikers have died. I was told a horror story of unprepared hikers trying to camp in the crater at summit with no guide and it was storming and so cold that they left their tents and tried to come down to lower elevation in the middle of the night. They all got lost and died of hypothermia or from falling off the side of the volcano. However, if you are prepared, have a moderate level of fitness, and go with a reputable guide you will be fine. You do not need to be in great shape, just no mobility issues, have good cardio endurance, and a strong mindset to keep pushing. It is a steep ascent up the slide of a volcano. I recommend training beforehand and getting the body prepared. I usually incorporate the stair machine and cardiovascular exercises to train for trekking. The altitude is around 3600M at basecamp and almost 4000M at summit. It can’t hurt to come prepared with altitude sickness medicine but as long as you acclimatize in Antigua beforehand you should be fine. In our last group of 7 only one person elected to take altitude sickness preventively. Ensure you are well rested and hydrated in preparation for the trek. Far Out Travel’s tour ensures their is a guide in the front and a guide in the back, so everyone can go at their own pace. Slow and steady is the key to a successful summit of Acatenango.

• Sustainability:

  • As mentioned earlier, with the recent explosion in popularity sustainability has become a key issue for Acatenango. From speaking with local guides who have been in Antigua forever, the rise in new tour companies chasing profit has led to some unsustainable and sketchy practices. Acatenango is not yet a protected UNESCO site, nor even a national park and therefore there are very lax regulations and loose property laws. It’s important to be aware of these issues when choosing a knowledgable, responsible, & licensed local tour operator that operates in sustainable manner. Far Out Travel Tours ensures we leave no trace and partner with the best local guides and porters with an established permanent base camp settlement.

• Porter:

  • I personally hired a porter and it was the best 200 Quetzales I spent. When you start the hike it will be hot, but by the time you reach base camp it will be cold, and summit will be freezing- so you’ll want clothing layers. You also have lots of water, and a couple pre-prepped meals. The porters carry your bag up, but then they leave back down the volcano right when you reach basecamp. You will have to carry your pack down the volcano the following day. So only bring the essentials- your pack will be lighter on the way down as you will have eaten all your meals and drank 3/4 of your water supply. If you are worried about your ability to handle this hike, you should absolutely hire a porter for the hike up.

• When to Visit:

  • The best time to visit is the dry season from November to April. You will get the best visibility during the dry season and the least chance of rain. I’ve been in September and had good visibility, lesser crowds, but dealt with occasional rain.

Trail can get pretty busy, especially in the first half as you pass people coming down

2.) Itinerary

Volcan Agua and Antigua in the distance

• Day 1

  • 7:30am-9:30am: Hotel pickup, 1 hour bus ride to local village at trail head, orientation, breakfast,& gear rental

  • 9:30am- ~12:30pm(depending on your pace): Initial ascent to lunch break spot. The initial ascent is pretty tough and steep, but the excitement & adrenaline of starting the hike makes it pretty enjoyable. Plenty of short catch your breath breaks taken as needed.

    • all times are general estimates depending on the slowest person in your group. If you are the first to lunch in your group and you have a slow hiker you may be waiting for them and have longer resting periods. Everyone goes at their own pace with no pressure.

  • 12:30pm- 1:30pm: Lunch break. Your tour company should pre-pack a lunch for you.

  • 1:30pm-~4:00pm: Push to base camp. 3600M

  • 4:00pm-7:00pm: Relax at basecamp around the campfire & enjoy views of Fuego erupting and sunset.

  • 5:00pm-~8:00pm Optional night hike to fuego ridge. I would only recommend this for more experienced hikers, It is an extra 200Q and a very challenging endeavor- especially after hiking to basecamp. No one in our group of 7 wanted to do it, we were content chilling around the campfire watching Fuego’s eruptions from basecamp.

  • 7:00pm-9:00pm: Dinner, marshmallows around campfire, red wine. Your guides will bring a basic dinner- we do spaghetti and meat sauce and will accommodate dietary restrictions.

  • 9:00pm-4:00am: Attempt to sleep

• Day 2:

  • 4:00am-6:00am: Optional summit of Acatenango and watch sunrise with Fuego eruptions. ~4000M. This is included in the tour price, but if you really struggled on the way up to base camp, it may be best to sit the summit out and admire sunrise and Fuego’s eruptions from basecamp. This is the most challenging part of the hike. You will be hiking in the dark with a headlamp. It is very steep and the lava rock gets quite loose and slippery. However, it is also the best part of the hike. You can see all of Guatemala on a clear morning. You will see Guatemala’s volcanoes, cities, and lake Atitlan. The views of Fuego are out of this world. Summiting Acatenango was my favorite hike of my life. Leave your bag at basecamp and only bring water.

  • 6:00am-7:00am: Challenging descent down loose rock to base camp. It almost feels like you’re skiing down the loose lava rock, you descend so much faster than the ascent.

  • 7:00am-8:00am: Breakfast and pack up. Basic breakfast - oatmeal, granola bar, and instant coffee.

  • 8:00am-11:00amish: Descent down to trail head. I actually found this part the most challenging because of the stress on my knees and hips.

  • 11:00am-12:00pm: Return gear, celebratory lunch

  • 12:00pm-1:00pm: shuttle back to Antigua or head to Lake Atitlan. Far Out Travel’s Guatemala Tour goes straight to Lake Atitlan after the trek to avoid retracing any steps, but most standard tours will bring you back to Antigua. Acatenango is an hour west of Antigua, and Lake Atitlan is an hour and a half west of Acatenango so it logistically makes sense to keep going west to Lake Atitlan on a Guatemala itinerary.

First half of day 1

Second half of day 1

Final push day 2 summiting

Day 2 descent skiing down loose lava rock on the descent

3.) What to pack- Our tour is Dec 27th - Jan 5th. So this list is ideal for dry season. If going in Summer decrease layers and bring waterproof gear.

• Bring on your own:

  • Quality ergonomic backpack, can also rent one for a $.

  • Long John thermal pants or sweat pants

  • Long sleeve athletic compression shirt

  • Lightweight hoody

  • Lightweight rain jacket

  • Hiking pants that can unzip to shorts

  • Comfortable T-shirt

  • Gloves

  • Extra pair of socks and underwear

  • A few small snacks

  • Camelback

  • Broken in hiking shoes with good grip

• Provided by/Rent from your trekking company

  • Comfortable jacket

  • Scarf/Buff

  • Toboggan

  • Headlamp

  • Trekking poles

  • 3 or 4 litres of water

  • Lunch, Dinner, and Breakfast in small tupperware containers.

• For the start of the hike, I wore shorts and a T-shirt. About halfway up, I transitioned my shorts into hiking pants. At basecamp I added on my lightweight hoody, toboggan, and gloves. I slept in my long john thermal pants and long sleeve athletic compression shirt and socks. For the summit sunrise hike, I wore two pairs of socks, long john thermal pants, hiking pants, long sleeve compression shirt, lightweight hoody, jacket, toboggan, buff, and gloves. I recommend sleeping in the base layer you will wear for summit sunrise hike so you are quickly able to get dressed in the dark. On the descent I wore the same I wore on the way up, slowly shedding layers as it got hotter and hotter.

4.) Camping Facilities

• Every tour operator has a different quality set up. Generally speaking, the base camp set ups are very basic. There is no running water which means no toilets. Make sure to research your tour companies base camp set up. Ideally, it should have unobstructed views of Fuego volcano, a permanent camp set up with quality gear, and doesn’t share the grounds with other tour operators. Far Out Travel Tours has it’s own permanent camp settlement, with an outhouse, quality gear that is frequently changed out, and in a quiet private area with great views of Fuego Volcano.

What i wore at summit

Night time at basecamp