As the mini-van bounced through the windy Guatemalan landscape,
I felt slightly nauseous as I listened to the driver (Jeff) and our guide (Rolando)
chat about family and friends in Spanish.
My husband (Adam) and I gazed sleepy eyed into the dark morning sky.
After 45 minutes, the van pulled over and we climbed out and
felt the crisp cold morning air slap our faces awake. It was the clearest day in weeks and we
enjoyed snapping shots of sunrays glowing on Agua and Fuego Volcanoes in the
distance. Then, like a ton of volcanic rock, I realized we were about
to hike to the top of very active Pacaya
Volcano...
Pacaya Volcano
Pacaya is just one of Guatemala's 31 volcanoes and towers at
8,373 feet (2,552 meters). Over 23,000 years ago, Pacaya first erupted and has been
active ever since. In 1965, Pacaya
erupted flowing lava dangerously close to a nearby village and in 2010,
residents of Antigua and Guatemala City were showered with ash from Pacaya.
Hiking the Volcano
Walking sticks in hand, the hike began with a steep accent
that winded through a lush forest. Rolando
warned of rattle snakes, but I was comforted by the three stray dogs that
joined us.
I began to notice small changes the higher we hiked. The dirt trail turned into volcanic pebbles
and the trees thinned and we finally reached the exposed lunar landscape of
volcanic rock. The views of Agua, Fuego, and Acatenango Volcanoes in the
distance were incredible. You could see Fuego erupt periodically by displaying
a small puff of smoke from its chimney. We continued on, passing a graveyard of names carved into
the volcanic rock/sand of previous trekkers.
Even though it was only 11am, the sun and heat from the black volcanic
rock was intense.
The hike became difficult and we progressed slower and
slower. Every step was twice as hard
because the loose rock would simply crumble under your feet and drop you back
down to where you started. Eventually, we summitted and peered into the depths of Pacaya's
crater. I was shocked how the sulfur
burned my lungs, but the stunning 360 degree views paralyzed me with their
beauty.
The shocking effect of the last eruption were displayed
below with a river of black lava frozen just before reaching the seemingly
miniature village below. It was time to descend and Rolando gave us gloves to protect
our hands from the sharp volcanic rock.
What took us hours to climb up only seemed to take minutes to ski down,
with rock and dust flying everywhere. Rolando lead us to a nice a picnic lunch with sandwiches,
fruit, nuts, and banana bread (a specialty in Guatemala). Shortly thereafter, we were on the move
again.
We headed out over the lava fields with Rolando taking
advantage of the volcano at every chance.
He encouraged us to climb into a sauna formed by the lava and brought
marshmallows for roasting in a natural oven.
We finished the hike in silence. Perhaps it was our shock that we hiked an
active volcano or perhaps it was exhaustion.
In either case, it was a breath-taking and remarkable experience that I
highly recommend.
Logistics
Pacaya Volcano is located an hour from Guatemala City and
Antigua, though most tourists book tours from Antigua. Tours include transportation, a guide and walking sticks and
range from inexpensive large group tours ($20) to expensive small group tours
with guides willing to show you ever rock on the mountain ($50). Keep in mind, most tours don't include the
park entrance fee ($7). Plan for 5 to 8 hours depending on the tour, including
transportation from Antigua.
Comfortable hiking boots and loose layered clothing is
recommended. The volcanic rock is very
sharp and boots will not only protect your feet, but save you from ruining a
perfectly good pair of tennis shoes. If
you plan on hiking to the very top of the crater and went the budget route,
bring a pair of gloves. The way down is
almost like skiing on razor sharp volcanic rock.
There's only one nice restroom at the start of the hike and
a shack before the exposed part of the volcano begins (just before the thinning
of trees) so plan accordingly or be prepared to become one with nature and
everyone else.
The top of the volcano is exposed to intense wind and
sun. Bring a small bag packed with hand
sanitizer or wipes, tissues, sunscreen, sunglasses, lip balm, a light jacket, a
hat, camera, water, and snacks. Children
will be awaiting you at the end of the hike if you want, to bring them a gift
such as pens, toothpaste, paper, or fruit.
Darcie Connell is
the CEO of Trekity.com, a customized travel site
that finds travel ideas based on your life and is the co-founder of TravelBloggerAcademy.com. Follow her and her husband on Twitter.
