Acatenango Volcano
Acatenango Volcano
5
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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  • Ralf Wilhelm
    Stuttgart, Germany116 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lifetime experience - worth every single step
    Travelling at the age of 53 years togehter withe my wife and our daughter (20 years), we had mixed expectations at first. Leaving Antigua at 7:45am, we arrived at the starting point at 2400m a.s.l. at 8:45am. The first section passed over lava granulate that made steps a bit difficult. Second part was via steps and across corn fields till the edge of the cloud forrest. At 10:10am we arrived at the park entrance. Passing the cloud and later pine forrests, we arrived at the lunch spot at 3200m at 12:00 pm. 45min lunch break with delicious lunch packs provide by our tour operator OX Adventures. Another 45min later, we arrived at the base camp at 3600m asl. The view is amazing when clear. As it openened up during the afternoon, we witnessed several eruptions of Volcano Fuego and decided to hop on the night trek on the volcanoes edge. 4:30 pm we started our 30min descent to the saddle and another 45 min ascent towards the volcanoe. Up there, we saw the volcanoe and a beautiful sunset. Unfortunately the strong wind chilled a lot despite every single layer we wore. At 7:30pm, we returned and at 8:30pm we arrived back at our base camp. Diner and a large bonfire was set by our colleagues. The night was cold, but the cottages helped a lot. In the middle of the night, we saw Fuego spitting fire balls in the air. At 3:20am, our guide Romeo called for the start to the summit. Headlamps and tired legs made the climb a bit difficult, but the closer we came to the summit, the more we wanted to reach it. At 5:30am, we reached the summit and had a fabulous view on large parts of Guatemala from its 3967m. Wind was very chilly and strong, but with our Fuego experience, we just carried every single layer and felt ok. Gloves and cap were essential. At 6:30am, just as Fuego started another eruption, we started our descent and at 7:00am we were at the base camp for breakfast. 7:30am we started the next descent to the colleting point which we reached at 9:30am. At 10:30am we were back in Antigua after this liftetime experience. Our mixed expectations were changed to satisfying and positive feelings. The climb up and down is a physical challenge, but even at our age easy to perform and quite a few of the younger ones struggled much more.
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written November 11, 2023
  • Robert F
    31 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    perfect day tour . a great experience
    perfect experience. bumpy road but exciting and comfortable. great driver and guide . perfect weather in dry season. we were 5pp. easy 40 minute hike to base camp. did not need to go higher . son went to top which was a bit touch
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written December 23, 2023
  • Abhishek G
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great experience at an active volcano
    Our one-day excursion to Acatenango Volcano was an unforgettable experience! The day began with a smooth drive up to the base of the volcano, where our friendly guide provided us with fascinating insights about the area’s history and geology. The car ride was comfortable, and the anticipation for the hike made the journey fly by. Once we arrived at the starting point of our hike, we were met with stunning views that set the tone for the rest of the day. The hike itself was manageable, with just the right level of challenge for a day trip. Our guide paced the hike perfectly, ensuring we had plenty of breaks to catch our breath and take in the breathtaking scenery. The terrain was varied and offered plenty of photo opportunities, so don’t forget your camera! The summit offered panoramic views that were truly awe-inspiring. The best part was watching live volcanic explosions (the volcano erupts every 20 minutes or so). Standing at the top and gazing out at the surrounding volcanic landscape was a humbling experience. The return trip was equally pleasant, with our guide ensuring we were comfortable and well taken care of. Highly recommended for anyone visiting the region!
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written August 7, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Molly W
9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2021
We had a great time on our overnight hike to Acatenango with our guides Alonso and Rolando. They were amazing and the whole OX experience was top notch. They made sure we had everything we needed before packing up, and they had everything ready to lend in case we didn't have the proper hat, jacket, headlamp, etc. It wasn't noted in our trip description but we stopped at a restaurant in Antigua for a big breakfast of eggs, tortillas, beans, coffee, etc. In general they fed us really well the whole trip and I didn't even touch the snacks I had packed. The hardest part of the hike was the beginning, just adjusting to carrying the pack at a high altitude and the first part is steep and sandy. It got better after that first part. We got to the base camp at 2pm so we decided to also hike over to Fuego and try to see some eruptions up close. Unfortunately a big weather system was coming in and it was cloudy all afternoon. We hiked back to camp by 8pm and the other guide was waiting for us with hot pasta and warm spiced wine - perfection. The skies cleared up and we had views of Fuego erupting all night which was spectacular. Ox's basecamp is on the other side of the volcano from the other tour companies so it was nice and quiet with views overlooking Fuego, Volcan Agua, and other villages down below. We woke up at 4am to summit Acatenango for sunrise. This part was pretty straight up and sandy but since we left our packs at the camp it was not too hard. The views were AMAZING as the sun came up, clouds moving past beneath you, and looking down at volcanoes all around you. We came back down to camp where there was coffee, hot chocolate, bagels with avocado, homemade banana bread with Nutella, yum! The hike down took about 2.5 hours and we were in Antigua by 12pm. I went with my partner and there was one other girl on the tour and we had a great time. We are all in good shape but we do not currently trek or backpack (much less at this altitude), so the hike was a good challenge but very doable with good shoes and the right attitude! And obviously so worthwhile. I can't say enough good things about our guides and the entire experience in general.
Written March 20, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

lauratheexplorer
Melbourne, Australia40 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019 • Solo
I don’t consider myself to be fit or active, and I suffer from asthma so naturally, Acatenango was a challenge for me, but it was so worth it. I went with Tropicana Hostel and found their services really professional. I booked online and went to the hostel the day before to get some reassurance that I was going to be ok. The staff at the hostel were lovely, and the breakfast on the morning of the hike was nice. I had to hire some gloves and a beanie from them because it’s genuinely freezing up at base camp. The selection is pretty random so I’d recommend bringing your own warm clothing if you can. Beware everything will be covered in dust and smell like fire after. I brought enough cash for an emergency return to Antigua if necessary, but wasn’t aware until we got there that there’s also an option to pay for a horse up/down. I didn’t have enough cash for that but thankfully managed to make it to base camp on my own legs. My sister and I were at the back of the group basically the whole way, but the guides were so lovely in going at our pace, and later splitting the group into “fast” and “normal” groups. The view from the base camp is phenomenal. We were there for NYE and were very well-fed. Sparklers, mini fireworks and champagne were a nice touch! It’s super windy at camp so I was grateful for Tropicana’s cabin where we all slept. You’re sleeping close to the people next to you, but everyone bonds really quickly on the hike. In the morning, I experienced altitude sickness and couldn’t make it to the summit, but once again felt very well looked after by the guides who helped me back to base camp. They were amazing. This hike is one of the hardest things I’ve done in my life, but I have no regrets in doing it with Tropicana.
Written January 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rowan H
Cairns, Australia1,674 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2022 • Couples
Despite its listing in antigua the acatenango volcano is actually located about an hours drive outside of antigua. The most common way to experience it is to do a 2 day 1 night trip with camping at the summit. There are numerous operators that provide this and I’ll go into this in a second. The actual attraction of acatenango isn’t actually acatenango itself but the adjacent fuego volcano which erupts predictably every 15-20 minutes, spewing lava and embers into the air and down its sides. Acatenango simply affords a view of this spectacle at a safe distance.

Firstly I see some people have done this as a day hike. I wouldn’t suggest it. The biggest attraction is seeing the volcano erupt at night due to the effect of the lava (see pictures). You don’t see lava in the day just black smoke. Also during the rainy season the weather is unpredictable so the longer you are at the top the better your chances are going to be of getting an unobstructed view. We had to wait 6 hours before the clouds cleared for us.

In terms of the tours I think there is nearly a dozen companies offering it. We went with V hiking which is a smaller locally run company and have no complaints about them. But to be honest I don’t think it makes any major difference which company you go with as the offerings are identical. Main difference seems to be price.

In terms of the hike I must emphasise that it is very challenging. The specs of the hike speak for themselves - 1618m of elevation gain and this is fairly unrelenting. It is also important to note that the maximum height achieved is 3975m. At this altitude there is a approximately 40 per cent reduction in available oxygen in the air so that’s even harder on the cardiovascular system. Best thing to do is take your time and take frequent breaks.

Also worth remembering that the base camp near the summit is very cold. Usually single digits. Be ready for this with appropriate cold weather clothing including beanie, gloves, thick jacket, etc). You’ll want to be outside watching fuego at night so you want to be warm. The sunrise hike also usually starts at 0400 and it’s still pretty chilly then. Most of the hiking companies offer equipment hire.

Despite the difficulty of the hike the views are just incredible and make the whole experience worth while. The weather would be the only thing that may ruin your day but given you’ll be at the summit from likely 2pm to 8am (18 hours) you would have to be pretty unlucky not to see anything.
Written September 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RocioLeon
Hannover, Germany14 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2021
We (group of 2) enjoyed a wonderul experience of hiking up the Acatenango Volcano and saw and heard the Volcán de Fuego erupting all evening and well into the night. Our guide Ronal Real was very well experienced, super knowledgeable and made it all possible within safety to enjoy the hike and the summiting at its best. We were really lucky with the weather and enjoyed a dry hike up as well as a dry evening wehre we had at our view the magnificent and roaring Volcán de Fuego (I wish I had better photography equipment for the night shots/videos!). Next day we were not so lucky with the weather as the clouds did not clear upto see the sun coming out but still it was a great experience to hike up to the summit over the ridge and see the craters. 5 stars go to our guide Ronal Real!
Written September 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Marie D
24 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Friends
We chose Adrenalina tours after having it recommended to us by friends. They were amazing! A private tour with just two of us and our guide Rogelio. He was an awesome guide, incredibly patient as I struggled to get up the mountain. He was never pushing me to go faster and just encouraged me throughout. We were provided with lunch, dinner and breakfast. We were also provided with tents, sleeping bags and mats for sleeping. I would recommend bringing lots of warm clothes it is really cold at night! Would 100% recommend this tour group!
Written February 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jimhalpert43
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
There are many price levels for the Acatenango hike. I think Tropicana hostel offers the best value for amazing safety, food, and accommodation. I don't do many big hikes and Im glad I spent a little bit more than the cheap tours for a cabin to sleep in(super warm), great food (lunch was the best), and staff that made safety a top priority. I got mild altitude sickness and the guides assured me someone could take me down if it got severe (for a cost obviously). I rarely write reviews, but I had such a great experience that I had to write this. The base camp was really nice with a bathroom, and it looked better than all the other base camps I saw.

Tropicana offers a deal on their hostel if you stay the night after the hike. Personally I would skip it because it's kind of a party hostel. Pick somewhere more quite so you can relax after your hike.

Acatenango is tough. My first big hike with lots of altitude change. I just had half of my meniscus taken out 9 months ago, but my knees felt fine. Tips for bad knees: Rent two hiking sticks at the bottom of the hike, take smaller steps (hard not to take big steps, but then you bend your knees more, I felt like I looked like a 90 year old walking sometimes but I had zero knee pain), take the least amount of weight you can, on the way down jog/trot downhill. I was weary of the last tip because downhill is the usually the worst on my knees, but after trotting down for 2 hours I can attest that it works, I had zero knee pain.
This is coming from someone whos knees sometimes hurt after walking a lot in town.
Other tips: Rent the head lamp, rent jacket- gloves- hat (if needed), hydrate heavily the day before and morning of, take at 3.5 lts, light water bottles,some light snacks, rent a hiking stick because of the sand( everyone should rent a stick, you can get away with out it if you have badass hiking boots and are in great shape, but why make your life harder?). Enjoy the hike, I had an amazing experience.
Written February 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jason
12 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
The hike is not an easy journey! I run 10k per week and my legs are sore! But, it was definitely worth it. We went with OX expeditions who where very professional. I recommend ditching your pride and hiring a porter to carry your gear, especially if you aren't in tip-top shape. I was an little concerned about sharing a tent with strangers, but I was so tired it didn't matter. The morning came soon and the views were incredible!
Written January 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Clare H
29 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Friends
Just came back from this hike and was quite nervous about how hard it would be after reading reviews on this site. However, I was pleasantly surprised as it was not that difficult. If you have any baseline physical fitness (running, regular hiker etc), then you’ll be absolutely fine. The hardest part is not slipping over on the rock/gravel.

Some people are affected by altitude and are unable to make it to the top. It’s pretty difficult to predict who will be affected so I’d just do it anyway and give it your best shot. You only go up to approx 4000m above sea level for a brief period of time (to watch the sunrise) before coming back down.

The views of the volcano erupting are absolutely breathtaking and the sunrise the next morning is beautiful. Do it.

Written January 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

lindsaysimonson
New Paltz, NY30 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022 • Couples
First off, we are experienced hikers and found this to be a TOUGH hike. Definitely allow yourself a day or two in Lake Atitlan or Antigua to acclimate to the elevation. Even then, you’ll almost definitely feel the effects of the elevation. It took us 4 hours and was almost entirely at least a 45 degree climb through fine volcanic stones. Second, definitely go with a guide. The trail forks off multiple times and without a guide we certainly would have gotten lost. The guide companies also have a shelter and campfire at base camp, both necessary and worth it because it will almost certainly be cold and raining during the afternoon and evening. That said, this is a truly remarkable experience. We had the most amazing views when the clouds cleared around 11pm and 3pm and could hear the volcano erupting all night. This volcano is extremely active, erupting about every 20 minutes. We did the hike to the summit in the morning, which also provides amazing views if you’re lucky with the weather. If the weather isn’t great, staying at base camp will probably afford you some spectacular views as well because the volcano is more likely to be clear. Definitely pack good hiking boots, extra socks, warm pants, gloves, hat, and rain coat for base camp and the summit. Hiking poles or sticks will save you. Take your time and enjoy!
Written May 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rikke F
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021 • Couples
So glad I did this although if you’re like me, the tour doesn’t provide near enough food for the two days. I’d recommend bringing plenty of snacks for yourself. Personally, I don’t think the extra Fuego hike is worth doing, but you can always decide that when you reach camp - even if your tour company says you can’t, it’s just because they want you to pay them instead of the guides directly before going. It’s prohibited to go without a guide, don’t know if any would check up on it though. We paid 320 pr. person at our hostel including food, water, guide and sleeping equuipment, but minus the entrance fee of 50Q. Wouldn’t pay more since it’s the same tour you get from every company, regardless of the price. Again, really worth doing. The volcano provided the most beautiful and impressive sight I’ve ever seen in my life.
Written June 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Acatenango Volcano - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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