Crack! As soon as we heard the loud boom, we looked up to see red hot lava shoot from the top of Fuego Volcano. Sitting in the dark, on a barren ridge below, we had the best seats for its fiery show. Hiking to Acatenango and Fuego Volcanoes in Guatemala is an adventure you won’t want to miss.
We had heard about the exciting, but grueling, hike to the top of the dormant Acatenango Volcano (3,976 m/13,045 ft) and were intrigued. The possibility of taking a side trip to the shoulder of the active Fuego Volcano made it sound even more enticing. Since you are required to have a guide for the trek, we decided to join a guided tour for this overnight adventure.
Once we arrived at the trailhead, it felt a lot further than the 45 minute drive it took to reach from Antigua. We went from the warmth of the colourful city to a chilly parking lot at 2,420 m (7,940 ft) on the verdant lower slopes of Acatenango. The surrounding land was filled with fields growing corn, squash and root vegetables.
Our hike began by climbing stone steps that run between these gardens. These steps would be a lifesaver on the return journey. The trail beside the steps is covered in ball-bearing sized stones that are treacherous on the descent.
As we hiked, we looked up and saw that most of the volcanoes were covered in clouds. We were a little worried that we wouldn’t be able to see anything from the top. We had met people in Antigua who hiked in clouds all the way to the summit and their views from the top were obscured by the thick clouds. Fingers crossed, we carried on.
Soon the farmers fields were gone and we were hiking in the middle of a thick forest with tall trees. The air was misty and as we scaled higher, we noticed that many of the trees were covered in moss.
By the time we reached 3,000 m (9,849 ft), we were walking inside the clouds and the winds became quite strong. The trees were thinning out and the landscape changed from jungle to coniferous forest. Between the damp air and the strong winds, it was getting very cold. The guides set a slow pace, resting every 30 minutes. During the rests we had to put on more layers to protect ourselves from the biting wind.
As we continued to climb up through the clouds, we were starting to wonder if we should have waited to do this hike on another day. We were there near the end of dry season and the weather was unpredictable. Finally, at around 3,600 m (11,810 ft) we neared the top of the tree line and blue sky was poking through the clouds above us. From a lookout we could even see Atitlan Volcano on the other side of the valley.
Soon we were out of the forest. The clouds were dispersing, and our spirits were also beginning to lift. The ground ahead was covered in ash and volcanic debris. The only vegetation were dwarf pines and alpine grasses. It looked like we’d hiked so high that we’d reached the moon.
From there the gradient lessened as the trail wrapped around the side of the barren volcano to reach our camp. As we rounded a corner, we were surprised to see Fuego Volcano (3,763 m/12,346 ft) standing right in front of us. In Spanish it is Volcán de Fuego which translates to Fire Volcano, but it is usually called Fuego Volcano in English.
Our camp for the night was located on the edge of Acatenango, at 3,750 m (12,303 ft). We knew that the two are considered twin volcanoes, but we still didn’t imagine that we would have such a good view of Fuego Volcano from camp. From the long balcony in front of the cabins, we stood in awe to watch as the volcano spewed ash and lava into the air.
The clouds were boiling just below us and would often rise to obscure our view. Fuego Volcano has small eruptions up to 9 times an hour. As we sat watching, it seemed as if the clouds would pick that exact time to cross in front of us. Eventually though, our patience paid off. We heard a loud crack, and looked across to see a huge puff of smoke coming from its conical top. It is said to be one of the most active volcanoes in the world and here we were only a couple of kilometers away from its fiery summit. With the turbulent clouds though, we still wondered if we would be able to see the volcano tonight
After a short rest at camp, it was time to get closer to Fuego for its nightly show. Our camp was right across from the volcano’s summit, but unfortunately between us and it was a deep pass. We descended down to the pass on a rough trail with many large rocks and boulders to navigate. Where there weren’t boulders, the ground had loose ash and gravel making it very slick to walk down. Slowly, slowly we worked our way down the side of Acatenango.
After about 350 m (1,148 ft) we reached the base of the pass. Then, we had to reclimb 300 m (984 ft) up the side of Fuego Volcano. This trail was more frequently used by people from other trekking companies, but would still prove difficult hiking down in the dark later that day.
The climb up Fuego was steep and we were hiking at high elevation which made it more difficult. Soon we saw smoke from Fuego’s eruption above and it boosted our excitement and energy. Once we got halfway up, we looked back to see our camp, high up on Acatenango’s slope.
In the second picture below you can see little white dots half way up. Those dots are cabins and tents. Our camp was the one of the left.
Step after step, we slowly made our way up the side of Fuego. Once we reached the open slope, strong winds came from the side and made the hike even tougher. At times the crosswind was close to 50 knots making it difficult to remain standing. Our eyes were burning and tearing from volcanic debris blowing in them. The wind was making it very cold so we stopped to put on jackets, but we had to be very careful that they didn’t blow away.
If the wind blows in a different direction, guides may be forced to turn around because it would be too dangerous. So in the end we were lucky that it was a cross wind and not blowing directly from the volcano.
From here it was a slog. We put one foot in front of the other as we slowly scaled the ridge toward our lookout. Once on the ridge, we could see our goal. In front of us was the volcano’s peak with smoke billowing out its top. There were already a few people sitting below it, waiting for the show.
We arrived close to sunset and the boiling clouds that we had watched from camp were now at our side. They changed to orange as the sun set below them. We were about 1 km from summit and found a spot just off the ridge where we could stay out of the howling wind as we waited.
During the day, we watched as puffs of smoke came from the peak, but as soon as the sun went down we could see the red lava that it had been spouting out all along. Streams of it were running down the volcano’s sides. Thankfully, they don’t run down the side we were watching from.
Finally it was dark and we soon learned what all of the hype was about. A loud crack sounded and Fuego spouted red hot lava, high into the air like fireworks. Streams of it flowed down the volcano’s slopes. Our guides told us that it is more active at night, and it seemed as though the blasts were occurring more often than 9 an hour. Each time it erupted all of the hikers cheered. Fuego definitely earned its name Fire Volcano.
Some eruptions were huge, shooting lava high into the sky, others were smaller bursts, but still had us staring in disbelief. It was awesome to see in person.
Even though the hike is completed a few times every week, it is not without danger. In 2018 Fuego Volcano had a violent eruption; its largest in 4 decades. People living in the valleys below were evacuated and almost 200 people died. There were hikers on Acatenango at the time who weren’t in immediate danger from the volcanic lava, but the ensuing ash forced them to immediately hike down.
Here’s a short video we compiled of a few of the eruptions we saw during our trek.
We sat in the dark, watching and cheering for about an hour before it was time to head back to camp. With no sun for light, we donned our headlamps and headed down. The descent was more difficult than the ascent, partly because the trail is filled with obstacles like rocks and loose gravel, but also because it was dark.
Down at the pass our guides gave us a glass of wine and made a toast to our great night. But it was only one glass because we still had to slog back up 350 m (1,148 ft). By the time we reached camp we were exhausted. In one day we had climbed 1,980 m (6,499 ft) up and 650 m (2,133 ft) down. Making it tougher, 650 m of that gain was above 3,700 m (12,140 ft) of elevation.
Our next challenge was to hike up to the top of Acatenango Volcano for sunrise. We were awakened at 4 am, and on the trail by 4:20. It was another steep 226 m (742 ft) of elevation gain in the dark. The pace was slow, so it actually didn’t feel as bad as expected. As we hiked, we could see Fuego burst in flames across the valley. It was still a thrill, and everyone cheered each time. As the sun began to rise, it bathed Fuego in a nice warm alpen glow.
Finally, we reached the summit of Acatenango in time to be treated to a gorgeous sunrise. At 3,976 m (13,045 ft), Acatenango is the highest mountain in the region, so we could look down upon this gorgeous landscape. In the morning light, Agua Volcano appeared to be swimming in a sea of clouds. Beside it, smaller peaks started to make an appearance through the layers of clouds.
On the west side we could see Acatenango’s shadow spread across the land. Beside it, is the perfect cone shaped Atitlan Volcano.
After so much elevation gain, especially at altitude, it was tiring to think of the long hike we still had ahead. We had a quick stop for breakfast at camp and then retraced our steps all the way to the trailhead at 2,420 m (7,940 ft). At least on the way down there weren’t many clouds and we were able to see some of the landscape that we missed on the way up. One of the highlights was seeing Lake Atitlan, which we planned to visit next. You can read about Lake Atitlan here.
The ball bearing stones we were worried about on the way up were as challenging as we expected on the descent. Many people slipped and fell as we made our way down. Thankfully though, none in our group was injured.
Tips for the Acatenango Hike
- The hike is approximately 7 km (4.3 miles) and 1,330 m to reach camp. It usually takes 4 hours with a break every half hour.
- The hike to Fuego Volcano leaves an hour or so after you arrive at camp. There is an additional fee of 200Q ($25 USD) that is paid directly to the guides. Only about half of our group took this side trip. If you go, take your warm gear, water and camera. This hike is 45 min to an hour straight down (350 m) and 45 minutes to an hour straight up (300m). The distance is approximately 2 km (1.2 miles). We stayed at the lookout for an hour. When you arrive back at camp it will be 9 or 9:30 at night. You will have dinner and then most likely straight to bed. This side trip is weather and wind dependent.
- Fuego Volcano is an active volcano, so there is risk involved. Pay attention to recent warnings of the volcano’s potential to to have a large eruption.
- For the sunrise hike you wake at 4 am and leave by 4:20am. It is 1 hour 15 min straight up (approximately 1 km/0.6 miles and 230 m/755 ft) to reach the summit or nearby just before sunrise. There are many large rocks to navigate and some low level scrambling. As soon as the sun has risen you will likely head back down, taking about an hour. Breakfast was served as soon as we arrived and then we trekked down to the trail head. Only half of our group hiked to see the sunrise.
- The entire hike including both Fuego and sunrise is approximately 19 km (11.8 miles) with 2,206 metres (7,238 ft) of elevation gain.
- You must be accompanied by a guide. There are many guiding companies in Antigua.
- This is a high elevation hike so acclimatation is necessary. Most companies recommend staying in Antigua or Lake Atitlan for 3 days before the hike.
- It is a two day – one night hike, whether you do the Fuego and sunset hikes or not.
- Bring warm clothes. It is very cold but more than that it is very windy. Although temperatures may be above or hover zero degrees Celsius, the incredibly strong winds and gusts make it much colder. Dress in layers so you can adjust as you hike. We hiked in long pants, a long sleeve top, but put on jackets and toques when we rested. You will need a warm jacket and a gortex or other windbreaker, a toque (warm hat), mitts or gloves and good hiking shoes or boots. Hiking poles would be very useful. Most trekking companies include a few warm clothes in their fees. They’re not top brands and have been well used, but if you don’t have your own warm gear, they are better than nothing.
- Trekking poles can be rented at the trailhead for 500 Q, or a wooden stick for 10 Q. The poles are not good quality. Two people in our group broke their rented poles when they fell.
- Some trekking companies stay in huts, others in tents. Try to see pictures taken from camp to know how good the view is of Fuego. Some camps are better than others.
- We used Tropicana Hostel and were very pleased with their guides, services, organization and food, although the meat eaters weren’t happy about dinner.
If you don’t want to hike you can still get great views of Fuego Vocano. The best views are from the towns of Alotenango or Ciudad Viejo. Both towns have a few hotels that offer views, so you can watch the display without as much effort. This is a picture taken near by these towns.
To read more of our adventures in Guatemala, click here.
To read more of our hikes go to Treks. To read about our other volcano hikes click on the links to Cotopaxi, Chimborazo & Illiniza Norte, Ecuador; Aconcagua, Argentina; Elbrus, Russia; Kilimanjaro, Tanzania; Mt. Kenya, Kenya; Santa Ana, El Salvador.
Coming Next – Visiting The Towns Of Lake Atitlán
For pictures from other blogs go to Gallery at monkeystale.ca
To read about more of our adventures go to Destinations.
If you like what you read, please comment or share (with credit) using the links below.
We'd love to hear from you, please leave a comment.