Located about a one hour drive from Antigua, Volcan Acatenango is a picture perfect stratovolcano standing at almost 4000 meters above sea level. It is joined with Volcan Fuego, which at the time was actively erupting allowing for great night time pictures (provided you have a good camera). It is possible to hike up both of these volcanos and tour agencies have different packages available. Our group opted for a 2-day Acatenango hike to be able to see the volcano in the early morning when skies are normally clear. The package cost 89 USD1 and was all inclusive with meals (2 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner), gear (backpack, fleece, coat, gloves, hat), 5 liters of water, transportation, tents, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, and 2 professional guides. There was an option to hike to Volcan Fuego on the second day in the early morning for an extra 20 USD and the decision could be made at the end of the first hike. No one in our group ended up having the energy to do this since the Acatenango hike is extremely exhausting. There is also a 1-day hike leaving early morning and coming back down the same day.
Day 1
The agency does mention this is a difficult hike but they do downplay just how intense it is. On the first day, you will be carrying around 12-15 kg uphill from approximately 2200 meters to 3600 meters above sea level. The terrain is dirt and gravel, so on the steep slopes, you will take a step up and slide half a step down. It took us approximately 6 hours to reach the campsite. The guide sets the pace and breaks the hike up into 30-45 minutes each with a 20-30 minute rest. The second guide comes last to make sure no one gets left behind. The bus waits at the drop-off point for an hour in case someone decides to back out. In this case, the guide calls the driver to let him know someone is coming down, however, once the driver leaves, the only way is up. The weather also varies; it is cold in the early morning but then it starts to get hot very quickly. Halfway through our hike, it started to rain so our guide decided to take a break and let the rain pass. Water is also very important since you will be losing a lot of it through sweat. In the first two rest stops, there are small shops to buy snacks like chocolate and nuts.
When we got to the campsite, we could hear the rumbling of Volcan Fuego but we couldn’t see it because of the clouds. But these soon cleared for a brief moment and we could see Volcan Fuego erupting. It was a true spectacle and the eruptions occurred much more frequently than I expected – one ever 30 minutes or so. After helping the guides set up the tents, we took refuge in them to warm up since it was freezing outside. Meanwhile, the guides cooked dinner and then brought it over to our tents. We were told to be up at 4 AM to begin the hike up to the summit to get there by sunrise. However, getting a good nights sleep was difficult with the constant roaring of Volcan Fuego and the hard floor surface. At one point, the guides woke us up to see a massive eruption with lava flowing down Volcan Fuego’s side. which was a breathtaking sight.
Day 2
The early morning at base camp is pitch black and freezing cold so getting ready for the hike can be a bit of a challenge. Layers are very important to fight the cold; and once fully kitted out with our flashlights on, we begin the last leg of our journey to the top of Acatenango. This final hike is easier than day 1 since there are no backpacks. However, as it is all gravel it’s still tiring as it takes more effort to walk up since your feet sink in and slide back. It takes about 1-hour 30-minutes to 2-hours to complete this final stretch. Approaching the summit, the day gradually gets lighter as the sun begins to rise. Once at the top, the feeling is exhilarating. This was probably the most physically demanding feat I have ever accomplished and the reward is astounding. Not only witnessing the volcano erupting in front of me, but also the unobstructed view of the landscape of Antigua and other volcanos in the distance. We stayed there for about an hour before coming back down to base camp. Once there, the guides prepared breakfast and then we packed up before beginning the journey back down to meet the bus. Many people say the hike down is tougher because you use your knees to slow down. So I found it better to run down the mountain which is easier on the knees but is a lot more tiring.
