Pacaya Volcano Tour – Pacaya, Guatemala is the ultimate experience for travelers. A once-in-a-lifetime experience involving all senses, from hearing an amazing sound to seeing something unbelievable. But you don’t have to be insane to try something like this. In fact, thousands of people visit Pacaya every day to admire this breathtaking show from the power of nature. So get close to this volcano and see the dynamic spring of spewing lava, allowing gutsy explorers an unforgettable adventure.
Things to Do
The climb up Pacaya
There are two courses up Pacaya, both leaving from San Francisco de Sales. As soon as you start climbing, all your senses awaken to experience the adventure as well. You can hear the volcano speaking to you from above, with the thunder-like sounds hinting an eruption. Always keep your eyes open and pay attention to your surroundings on your way up!
Climbing up Pacaya is both wonderful and frustrating. On one hand, the incessant thrill of climbing a volcano makes your hair stand on end. On the other hand, the two-hour climb will truly feel endless. As you walk on fields of loose black lava, it’s almost as if you take one step forward and two steps back.
The McKenney Cone
Steam rises from the ground, as remains from recent eruptions are still hot and line your path. Then, your skin feels a literal warm welcome to the McKenney Cone. You can see its bustling vent bubbling and boiling, sometimes even spitting red bursts of hot magma over its sides and 100 meters into the air. Your skin, your nose, your ears, and especially your eyes are now experiencing one of the craziest and most majestic adventures ever.
Sometimes the overpowering stink of sulfur is too much. In this case, look for a place upwind of the cone so that you can get some relatively fresh air.
The city of Antigua
Filled with celebrations, art, and culture, this place has held its beauty through the years. The people would protect its integrity while this gorgeous land protects its culture. Antigua is surrounded by three dormant volcanoes, called Agua, Fuego and Acatenango. These three volcanoes are perfect hiking sites, so if you have the time, take the chance to trek!
How to get there
Lying 30 km south of Guatemala City, the Pacaya volcano is easy to reach by a simple drive from Antigua. With holy places and religious communities, Antigua is a beautiful place full of gorgeous landscapes.
When to go
It doesn’t matter the time you visit Antigua, there’s definitely no way you will miss the breathtaking Pacaya experience. However, visiting Antigua on the Holy Week will grant you one of the most complex festivals. Streets are turned into works of art, with multicolored flower carpets covering them from end to end.
Inside Information
Climbing a volcano is not a hike to take lightly. Make sure you have good, thick-soled boots to protect your feet from the hot ground when you near the McKenney Cone. Of course, climbing Pacaya is not easy at all. Being almost 2600 meters high, a good option (and the safest one) is to take one of the visit flights that land at the cone.
On the Inguat tourist office, located in Antigua, near the cathedral, you can check volcanic activity on Pacaya. The staff on the tourist office will kindly recommend trustworthy volcano-tour companies. Finally, you can stay at the Hotel Posada de Don Rodrigo, located in central Antigua.
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