Volcán Acatenango is the impressive beast that looms over Antigua, alongside Volcán de Fuego y Volcán de Agua. With an elevation of 3976 meters, Acatenago is the third tallest volcano in Central America. Not only does this one-of-a-kind hike take you to the summit of this impressive volcano, but you’ll also pass through various microclimates and ecosystems along the way. Of course, the most epic part of this adventure is watching the nearby Fuego volcano erupt with lava and a boom right across from your campsite at night. The last eruption of Acatenango occured in 1972 and Fuego’s last major eruption occurred in June of 2018, though it remains very active on a regular basis. Acatenango has two peaks, Pico Mayor and Yepocapa which are altogether known as the Tres Hermanas. The terrain on Acatenango is very loose gravel, almost sand-like, making the hike strenuous in some areas. The most difficult part of the hike is the initial warm-up from La Soledad to about 45 mins in and the summit the next morning due to high winds, extremely cold temperatures, and unstable terrain. The hike from La Soledad to the summit will take you through four distinct microclimates and temperatures on the volcano vary from highs of 74F/ 23C to freezing so it’s important to pack layers.  

We will start by meeting you at your hotel/lodging entrance in our private shuttle as we begin our journey to the famed Acatenango volcano. You’ll then hike for around 4.5 - 6 hours on the first day as we reach an elevation of 3400m at the base camp. Here we rest for the remainder of the day to enjoy nature and an escape from the hustle and bustle of “life on the grid”. At night you’ll enjoy a campfire and hopefully stunning views of Fuego’s lava activity. The next day you’ll get up before dawn to hike to the summit (approx 1 to 1.5 hours) where we will take in the amazing views! From there it’s back down to base camp for breakfast before beginning our descent (approx 3 hours hiking) back to the entrance to hop in our car and head home. You are usually back in Antigua, Guatemala by noon at the latest!  

 Duration of tour:  2 days/1 night  

• Small backpack for personal items
• Hiking boots (ideal) or sturdy trainers/running shoes 
• Sandals or comfortable shoe for lounging during the day at base camp
• Layered clothing: t-shirts, long sleeve shirt, fleece sweater, down jacket
• Extra socks and underwear
• Headlamp or flashlight   
• Water Bottle (water will be available to refill your bottle) 
• Hat for sun protection and/or sunglasses 
• Beanie and/or scarf for the night 
• Gloves
• Additional snacks
• Toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste, chapstick, sunscreen, bug spray, feminine hygiene products, baby wipes, hand sanitizer, kleenex or toilet paper
• Personal medications (please let your tour leader know if you have any medical conditions or allergies we should be aware of) 
• Powerbank to charge phone or other devices 
• Camera/phone for photos 
• Book to read :)