An Essential Guide to the Pacaya Volcano Hike

Want to know whether you should hike Pacaya Volcano whilst you’re in Antigua?

Our guide has all the answers, plus essential tips for a travel better experience.

When Emily first visited Volcan Pacaya way back in 2006, the heat from the lava trails was intense enough to melt the soles of many a traveller.

The ‘floor is lava’ chant never felt so appropriate.

Indeed, frequent eruptions from 2006-2010, firmly established Volcan Pacaya as one of the most popular day trips from Antigua: when anyone tells you there’s a volcano in Guatemala where you can roast marshmallows or cook a pizza, it’s Pacaya to which they’re referring.

But that was then.

In 2024, Pacaya’s reputation and popularity endures, buttressed by accessibility from the beautiful colonial city and the fact that it is probably the easiest volcano to summit in Guatemala. In recent years though, the lava has dried up, the fumaroles hardly smoulder, and the novelty of slightly warmed marshmallows doesn’t really hit.

Most tour companies and blogs won’t tell you that, preferring to stick to the legend for obvious reasons.

However, as every traveller arriving in this small Central American country should have aspirations to go up at least one volcano, Pacaya is definitely still the best pick for those who aren’t able or willing to the much more challenging and intense hikes of Acatenango, Santa Maria, and Tejucilupe.

And it will still be a memorable experience!

For some travellers though, it may be worth saving your hike time and budget for another trail or volcano, or manage your expectations and view this more as a way to ease yourself in and adjust to the altitude of Antigua.

In this short guide, we want to help you decide what’s best for your Guatemala itinerary and plan ahead to hike Pacaya.

From how to get there from Antigua with or without a tour, our thoughts on the hike and difficulty, advice on choosing the right route and what to wear, plus a few travel better tips, this is our essential guide to visiting Volcan Pacaya.

How To Visit Pacaya Volcano from Antigua

Here at Along Dusty Roads, we’re huge proponents of independent travel and travelling by public transport. On our two-year Latin American adventure, that’s the only way we got around, whilst on several more recent visits to Guatemala and Central America, public buses have been our go-to instead of shuttles, transfers, or tours.

If there’s a way by bus, more of than not, we’ll take it.

However, whilst it’s feasibly possible to reach the Pacaya independently, after lots of research we decided that joining this tour from Antigua was the most sensible and convenient option for visiting Pacaya – especially as you’ll still need to hire a guide to actually access the hike.

Public Tranport from Antigua to Pacaya

As we say above, for the budget backpackers amongst you, the good news is that there is a way to reach the entrance to Parque Nacional Volcan De Pacaya independently: our hostel in Antigua (the lovely Yellow House) said to go to Escuintla first, then change for a bus heading to Amatitlan that passes the entrance. You may also be able to take a bus from Antigua to Palin, and catch the bus to the entrance there.

The important thing to be aware of however is that whilst the entrance is only 38km from Antigua, the realities of travelling with chicken buses means that it could mean a round trip of up to five hours in order to do a relatively short hike.

That ratio isn’t ideal for a day trip.

This, plus the mandatory requirement for any traveller to have a local guide to go up Pacaya, is why pretty much everyone joins a tour from Antigua with all transport included.

If you really don’t want to visit Pacaya as part of a tour, and don’t need to watch the pennies, we’d actually recommend hiring a car to reach the entrance – check prices and availability here.

Alternatively, consider booking this highly-rated private transport to/from Pacaya

If you do take the buses to Pacaya, let us know your experience and details in the comments!

Pacaya Tours

You will find tours offered all over Antigua at various agencies, hostels and hotels, but as we were hiking Pacaya on our second full day in Guatemala (arriving from the UK) and all the tours offer a pretty standard package and experience, it made more sense to book a highly-rated option in advance online.

We went with this popular Volcan Pacaya tour, which was absolutely fine in terms of organisation and the experience, but did have too large a group for our liking. The English-speaking hike guide did not join until the Pacaya hike start point, so it was a Spanish-speaking bus driver until then – no problem for us as we speak Spanish, but we had to translate for the group when he was explaining a few things on the itinerary; the hike guide then reiterated everything in English any way!

A few other highly-rated, English-speaking Pacaya tour alternatives to consider are:

· Day Tour Alternative | With an offering very similar to the above company we chose, this half-day tour is another good option to consider, with lots of excellent reviews.

· Sunset Tour | There really is nothing like witnessing sunset over a volcano, and this tour allows you to do just that – it’s also limited to 15 people making it a more enjoyable option. For something a little more special, you could also join this luxury sunset tour on horseback – it sounds magical.

· Volcano + Hot Spring | It’s becoming increasingly popular to combine a visit to Pacaya with the Kawilal Hot Springs. This full-day tour is a highly-rated option that visits both and includes lunch. You can also book this option as a day trip from Guatemala.

· Pacaya Tour from Guatemala City | This is a good option if you’re basing yourself in the capital rather than Antigua. It’s also available on GetYourGuide.

· ATV Tour | Don’t fancy hiking but still want to experience Pacaya? Consider this adrenaline-fuelled and highly-rated ATV experience.

Note that Pacaya tours often run twice a day, starting at 6am or leaving in the early afternoon so you can enjoy sunset within the volcanic complex. There are also a handful of companies that offer an overnight option, which would give you both a sunset and sunrise.

They usually bring the marshmallows for everyone. For your budget, set aside 200-300Q for the tour plus100Q entry fee ($35-50 USD total).

Whether you leave in the morning or afternoon, visiting Pacaya from Antigua will take up about 6-8 hours in total, so is a long half-day experience. However, if you do the morning slot, you will still be able to do another activity or simply make a beeline to one of the best rooftop bars or restaurants.

Our tour and many others include pick-up outside everyone’s accommodation, which is super convenient but also means you will either spend time waiting around for the bus to turn up or, if you’re one of the first pick-ups, spend far longer than you expect driving around the streets of Antigua collecting everyone else!

The alternative system of everyone meeting at a central point has obvious appeal, but has probably been eschewed due to the travellers getting lost, turning up late, or going to the wrong place.

Travel time from Antigua is about an hour, but you need to factor in an extra 30 minutes due to the pick-ups and possible stop for coffee before leaving the city (the coffee is most welcome as it’s a 6am pick-up).

On the winding drive out, you’ll pass through the town of Santa María de Jesús (maps), and you absolutely want to stay awake to gaze out the window at local life unfolding in this very traditional Guatemalan town that’s got some surprisingly excellent street art murals.

You will also have several glancing views out to volcanoes along the way, some of which may have a plume of smoke.

Travel Tip // You don’t have to wait outside in the street for the pick-up to arrive, as the drivers will usually knock on your accommodation’s door on arrival. However, if you’re staying at an Airbnb rather than a hotel or hostel, it’s best to be out waiting for them.

Pacaya Volcano Hike Difficulty

For a lot of travellers, this is the most important thing to know in advance – but the answer to ‘how difficult is the Pacaya hike?‘ is always going to be subjective.

We are both experienced hikers who have completed a dozen or so volcano hikes in Central America, and we did not find this challenging at all. However, if you read reviews on various tours, one of the most common comments is that people found it ‘more challenging than expected‘ and that it ‘wasn’t an easy hike by any means‘.

Undoubtedly, those who are not used to hiking, haven’t experienced altitude before, or have a poor general level of fitness, will find the steep continual ascent tough and the conditions more difficult. Several members of our group – some in their late teens, some 60+ – found it challenging, but others in both those age ranges had zero issues. A couple of young kids in a family ended up sharing a horse to go up and down, whilst one woman in her 20s ended up having to take a horse as she found the walk up too difficult.

Hiking and the outdoors is a big, enjoyable part of our travel style, and we encourage you to try and make it part of yours too! As mentioned, the Payaca Volcano hike is generally recognised as most accessible, easiest, and most family-friendly volcano hike in Guatemala, and so the perfect opportunity to give it a shot.

Embrace the challenge – and enjoy the achievement at the end of it all!

An extra benefit of Pacaya is that you don’t need to be too concerned about altitude adjustment as the highest point you’ll reach is under the 2,500m threshold when it really begins to hit. The shift in altitude if you’ve just arrived in the country will have a bit of an impact though, and this is why Pacaya is an excellent adjustment hike for those planning on higher altitude treks in Guatemala or Central America (such as the incredible Acatenango Volcano).

All tours include a number of breaks along the way for everyone to catch their breath, but the pace of a group may pose the biggest challenge to your enjoyment and ability to reach the top. If that’s the case, tell the tour guide that you need to go slower and simply take your time. If you’re a quicker hiker in a slower group, remember that it’s not a race to the top, and the goal is for everyone to enjoy the experience rather than struggle.

Inevitably in a group, some will feel the pace was too slow, others that it was too rushed.

Lastly, we do have to mention that experienced hikers or those that have visited lots of active volcanoes before may prefer to apportion their time and budget for Acatenango Volcano instead of Pacaya.

The Pacaya Volcano Hike | Routes, Tickets & GuideS

As it’s now a well-established hiking destination, there are two small visitor centres for the Volcan Pacaya National Park.

The main entry & office is in San Francisco de Sales (maps), and the smaller ‘La Corona’ visitor centre is 1.5 km away (maps).

Each has a ticket office, car park, and bathrooms, a few information signs on Pacaya and volcanoes in Guatemala, and also marks the start + end point for all hikes and tours. The La Corona one even had free water refills (but we recommend bringing a travel filter water bottle so you can fill up anywhere on your trip).

ENTRY FEES

Whichever you start at, every foreign visitor has to pay a 100Q entrance fee (cash only).

Foreign chidren aged 7 and over are required to pay the full cost of entry.

This national park ticket is in addition to anything you’ve paid for a tour, and usually not included by operators, so you are responsible for bringing the money and paying it.

At the visitor centres, you usually will also find groups of young local guys offerings sticks for the hike (10Q or so), and they can crowd round a litle more than they should with the hope of making a sale. There are also several men on horses offering ‘taxis’ up to the top (more on those later).

The Guides

Any visitor going up Volcan Pacaya is required to have a certified guide accompany them.

All Pacaya tours from Antigua include this service in the cost, with the guide either accompanying you from the city or meeting your group at the visitor centre.

For independent hikers, guides can be hired for 200Q from 7am- 5pm for a 3.5 hour hike, but note that there is no guarantee of an English-speaking guide.

The guides are there to escort you on the hike and get you safely up and down, rather than to provide an all-encompassing service or running history of Guatemala.

All and any tips are in addition.

The Routes

There are several routes to follow in the Volcan Pacaya National Park, but the two main trails hiked by visitors in 2024 are:

San Francisco de Sales | 2.8km | 1h 20 mins one-way | start point here

La Corona Trail | 2.5km | 1 hour one-way | start point here

These two routes are connected by the ‘Top Trail’ – note that it is not possible to hike to the summit of Pacaya.

The vast majority of group tours begin at San Francisco de Sales, then continue on to La Corona Trail via a short section of the Top Trail. This makes an up-down loop of around 5.5km – 6km in total, starting at just over 1,800 metres above sea level and reaching an altitude of 2,297 metres.

That’s the route our group did, taking three hours at a steady pace from start to finish – you can see all the details + a map over on our AllTrails entry.

You may do it in reverse though.

Note that transport will drop you off at one entrance and then be waiting for you on the other side for when you finish up, so you don’t have to walk any further than necessary.

For those of you keen to visit Pacaya independently, either with public transport or a hire car, you really don’t have to worry too much about which you start at, just be sure to hike both to maximise the long journey from Antigua. The ascent from La Corona is gentler than San Francisco’s more constant, steeper gradient, but you will have to cover the 1.5km walk between the two different entrances if you are doing the loop.

Pacaya Hike | Viewpoints, Marshmallows & Lava

Starting on the San Miguel de Sales trail, the terrain is cobblestone at the beginning, then dust and rocks though the forest. It’s up all the way, but there are plenty stops for a breather.

A highlight is the Mirador Majahue viewpoint (maps), looking out to the trio of Volcan de Agua, Volcan Acatenango, and Volcán de Fuego, with the town of San Vicente Pacaya vulnerable in the foothills.

Just over 2.2km from the start, you’ll reach the highest point of the hike at Cerro Chino, were there are views to admire and so many great photo opportunities in front of Pacaya.

This took our group about 1 hour to reach.

After, it’s a descent to the dried up lava fields and the marshmallow ‘roasting’ spot. The terrain changes and, if it’s your first experience on a volcano, the otherworldly landscapes and sharp black lava rocks will leave you awestruck.

Unfortunately though, from a tourism perspective, on our 2024 hike there was no glowing orange or molten lava at all. Due to a lack of activity since 2021, Pacaya’s marshmallow roasting ability also left a lot to be desired.

So, if you’re only considering hiking Pacaya because of that, take our word that it’s currently overrated.

After the marshmallows, it’s an enjoyable descent down the La Corona trail. It’s much dustier, slipper, and grittier than the San Miguel de Sales, so take your time and don’t be like one of the topless English lads who decided to run and absolutely tanked it.

Travel Tip // The best time to hike Pacaya is in the dry season from November-April, ideally on days with good visibility and no cloud coverage. In the May to September rainy season, the hike will be less enjoyable due to inclement weather and appropriate clothing and footwear is even more important – as well as an optimistic weather forecast.

What To Bring & Travel Better Tips

· Pacaya tours usually do not offer or include any equipment rental or loans, so pack what you need.

· Footwear and layers are the most important bits of kit. As every Central America backpacker should, we had our hiking boots with us, and those will be the best option – particularly on the La Corona descent.

· In dry conditions, you would be able to get away with a decent pair of trainers on Pacaya – but do be aware that the sharp volcanic rocks can be unforgiving, so make sure it’s not a precious pair. Any footwear should be closed, and you should not wear flip-flops or sandals.

· It’s a short hike, so blisters shouldn’t be a major concern if you’re wearing the suitable footwear + socks.

· Due to the altitude, it’s advisable to have a warmer top layer with you. For early morning tours, you’ll start out with this (and possibly trousers) in Antigua, and then remove as you warm up on the trail.

· Otherwise, wear what you feel most comfortable moving + hiking in. A hat and sunglasses are good to bring, and everyone should slap on suncream.

· If hiking Pacaya in rainy season (May to September), you should factor in more layers and a rain jacket will be essential.

· You need to bring your own water, with 2 litres recommended (but you can get away with bringing just 1 litre on the actual trail if you’re already hydrated). It makes sense to buy this the day before in Antigua. There are no places to fill up on the hike, but you can buy bottled water in the visitor centres and the one at La Corona has free refills.

· However, one of the best pieces of travel kit you can invest in for Guatemala is a Water-to-Go Filter bottle. We’ve used these for the last six or seven years, and they allow us to fill up and get instant, safe drinking water from nearly any source (including the bathroom taps at both visitor centres).

Buy your bottle here (use ADR15 for a 15% discount) or here on Amazon – find out more about why we love them in this post: How Travel Filter Water Bottles Work

· It’s a good idea to bring some snacks.

· If you’re used to walking with hiking poles, and bringing them to Guatemala anyway, then by all means take them for Pacaya – we use + recommend the foldable Brasher travel set. Otherwise, you can pay 10Q to rent a palo (stick) from the very eager young guys at the start to give more support and stability on the asecent.

· For pick-up at your hotel/hostel in Antigua, you will usually be told to wait for collection at a certain time – but you don’t have to wait outside in the early morning cold! Instead, the drivers will knock or go into the reception, so stay inside unless advised otherwise by your tour operator.

· The road to Pacaya from Antigua has quite a lot of bends, with one child in our group getting verrrry car sick (it was a very surreal moment, with Shaggy playing in the background, the driver asking if people wanted a horse, and the girl spewing into a double plastic bag).

· Definitely best not to do the hike or drive with a hangover.

· Lastly, all tour hiking groups will be accompanied by local men riding horses. It’s actually a frustrating part of the experience, as they’ll not give much space and accompany your group all the way up and down.

The locals refer to the horses as ‘taxis’, and people can choose to rent them for the entirety, or pay for one if they’re finding the hike up too challenging. The horses we saw were in generally good condition, but there’s no doubt that some will be forced to carry people that are far too heavy for them which is both cruel and contributes to chronic injuries for the animal.

We do not think you should arrive in Pacaya expecting to take the horse up or down, and should only do this hike if you realistically believe you can climb the volcano at your own pace.

Taking the horse should only ever be a Plan C for adults, but for young children it may allow them to keep up and have a memorable experience too.

Prices for the horse vary and often subject to negotiation (and the occasional scam), but expect to pay anywhere in the 200Q – 350Q range. It’s your responsibility to bring the additional cash for this, and the money is paid directly to the horse’s rider.

And please, please, please only hire a horse that looks healthy.

Plan For Guatemala With Our Guides