Volcan Acatenango Overnight Hike
“Sweaty, dusty, thirsty, hungry and with very sore legs I sat down at the Volcan Acatenango Basecamp in Guatemala. In my heart nothing but joy, a sense of achievement and utter gratitude for nature. In front of us the most amazing view I have ever seen. Two peaks rise high above the clouds…”
One of Volcan Agua (water), the other of Volcan de Fuego (fire). Immediately you forget this ‘hellofajourney’ up. It is time to collect wood, to start a fire, to drink tea, prepare our tents and enjoy the night overlooking the world.
Volcan de Fuego is the world’s most consistently erupting volcano, and once every half an hour we were granted a magnificent firework show in the distance. When the sun slowly starts to set the sky turns orange and bright pink. And later, when it really becomes dark you can see the burning lava running down the flanks of the mountain.
Volcan Acatenango is the third highest volcano in the country and hiking to the summit is not an easy feat. But, to me it was one of the most rewarding things I have ever done while traveling. The hike took us through different microclimates and the terrain changed from fields of corn, dense forests, into a surrealistic vulcano landscape full of ash, burned trees and tiny yellow flowers. At the start we ‘rented’ a walking stick from local villagers, stuffed our backpacks with water, nuts and parts of the tent and then we are set to conquer the trail.
On the morning of the 2rd day, we summited Acatenango’s peak taking in panoramic views. From the crater you’ll have a view of the chain of giant volcanoes stretching from Mexico to El Salvador, the Pacific Coast, and the Antigua Valley.
Tip: even though you will probably be sore as hell, go dancing! To celebrate our accomplishment our group went to one of the local salsa-bars after a quick fresh up, and trust me.. dancing helps!