This overnight hike to Volcán Acatenango is our top tour, and for good reason. Climb the slopes of beautiful Acatenango to our private campsite – bench-cut into the side of this towering mountain. Enjoy freshly prepared camp meals, incredible panoramic views, and the sights and sounds of nearby Volcán Fuego’s violent volcano eruptions.
Check out this tour's cheat sheet here for some quick tips and information.
NOTE: We have a basecamp on the mountain so you don't have to hump up the camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, pad). That means you only need to carry your personal water, clothes, and any other extras you want. If you prefer to hike with an even lighter load, local porters are available to hire. If you prefer this option, please let us know and we will happily arrange accordingly. Each porter will carry 40 lbs which typically is enough to share between 2 hikers.
Details
Price
$140 - $245 per person, depending on group size
Optional: $65 Roundtrip Porter Service Fee
OTO does NOT earn a profit on this service. Porter Service charges go directly to local porter staff in the community of Soledad.
Duration
2 days, 1 night
Distance
15.5 kms.
Elevation Gain/Loss
+2094mts. / -2094mts.
Difficulty
Intermediate
High Point
3976mts.
We Provide
An experienced local guide from the community of La Soledad
Round trip transportation from Old Town Outfitters office in Antigua
A minimum of 4 liters of water (a little over 1 gallon)
Flashlight
Hiking boots or trekking shoes (no sandals)
One warm layer and/or windbreaker
Rain jacket (May thru October)
Cold-weather clothing for near-freezing night-time temperatures at camp
TIP for great service from your Old Town guide!
What to Expect
Day 1: Hike To Camp
Our group leaves from the Old Town Outfitters Shop at 8:00 am, where you can fill up your water bottles and purchase any additional gear you might need. Hikers should eat breakfast beforehand and pack a small snack for the road. A one-hour drive takes us from Antigua to the sleepy mountain village of La Soledad, perched on the ridge of the Pacific slope of Volcan Acatenango. The trail up Volcan Acatenango has four distinct microclimates, each of which will take you about an hour to traverse. We’ll begin by walking up a steep trail through local farm fields - the same trail used by local villagers each morning to access their corn, snow pea and lily fields. Our first hour of hiking will help you acclimatize and warm up the leg muscles for the day’s hike.
The second phase of our ascent passes through an old-growth tropical cloud forest. In this environmental zone, we find some of Acatenango’s oldest trees, incredible biodiversity of flora and fauna, fresh mountain air and the sounds of local birds and wildlife. This type of high-alpine cloud forest is found on the upper slopes of many of Guatemala’s tallest volcanoes and mountains and is home to the famous Quetzal.
After exiting the cloud forest, we will be rewarded with fantastic views of the other highland volcanoes (Atitlan, Toliman, San Pedro, Santa Maria, Santo Tomas, Tajamulco), along with glimpses of the Cuchumatanes mountain chain. A fresh picnic is prepared mid-day for our group to enjoy.
Temperate coniferous forest and tropical dry forest characterize the 3rd phase of our ascent, which will lead us to the storm-beaten tree-line of the volcano. Our campsite is perched just below the tree line with sweeping views of the Antigua valley and Volcan Fuego. After setting up camp, hikers are free to rest, relax and enjoy their surroundings while our guide prepares a fresh camp dinner at ~3750m with hot tea and coffee.
Day 2: Summiting Acatenango
In the morning, after an early camp breakfast, our group embarks on a 45-minute ascent to the summit on a sand and gravel scree-trail dotted with dwarf pine trees and high alpine mosses. The trail up to the summit is the steepest we will have seen and leads to the rocky summit exposed to the gusty and cold winds which constantly pass over Acatenango’s peak.
At the summit, our group will rest and enjoy unparalleled 360-degree views of the entirety of the Guatemalan highlands – all the way to the border of Mexico. After 45min at the top (depending on conditions and time considerations), the group will begin the 3-hour descent back towards La Soledad. Our group has the opportunity to descend through an alternate route down Volcan Acatenango, experiencing a variety of microclimates and a beautiful trail. From La Soledad, we will transport back to Antigua, arriving in the afternoon with plenty of time for you to enjoy the delights of the old Spanish colonial capital around 1:00 pm.
Trail Map
Photos
What Our Travelers Are Saying…
There are many guide outfits in antigua and from experience Old Town Outfitters would be on the top of the list for the best. The guide we went with was fantastic. Bilingual and very experienced with years of guide work in Guatemala as well as Acatenango. He would keep the pace set very well for the group so no one would be over worked or show any symptoms of fatigue. He was very informative on the volcanoes history and climate able to answer most all the questions the group had.
Our camp experience was set along the side of Acatenango about 1.5 hours from the very top. The guide and group very swiftly set camp so everyone could begin to relax with an amazing view looking down at the towns and looking at the towering volcanoes. The adjacent active volcano Fuego was very active. About every 8 to 16 minutes it would erupt. Spewing magma and debris in the air. The night show was spectacular. It's an amazing feeling to see such a view. It was like watching fireworks all night. Everyone would gasp at the activity. Never a dull moment at base camp. It was relaxing and the food that was prepared was very delicious. Pasta, chicken, vegetables, great breakfast. You won't feel hungry.
The following day after our hike to camp was the climb to the top of Acatenango. We left early to reach the top for sunrise.
Reaching the top is one of the most amazing views one could see. It's very surreal. Looking out as far as the eye can see over Guatemala. You can see volcanos in every direction and the sunrise casting the large volcanic shadows stretching for miles over Guatemala. Cannot pass this experience up if your in Guatemala or Antigua.
Thanks Old Town for an amazing, safe, and comfortable trip
Acatenango overnight trip.
— Rich H. - TripAdvisor
Book Your Adventure
Choose your dates below, or join and existing trip and save with tiered pricing!
What's Tiered Pricing?
We work with a tiered pricing system, which means that the individual price per person depends on the total number of paying customers (or PAX) in the respective group. This allows us to operate without fixed departure days and required minimums. Joining existing trips is usually the best option for solo travelers, as this way we can offer a lower trip price from the start. You can see all our trips on the calendar of confirmed departures. You can keep track of the calendar to see if and which tours we still get going for your preferred trip dates. If you prioritize not making a commitment ahead of time and prefer to book on short notice, this would be the way to go.
That being said, you can of course start a new group yourself for your preferred trip date in order to get the ball rolling and hopefully have other people join over the coming weeks. If you prioritize securing the date and ensuring guide availability, choose this option. We usually charge a deposit of the respective 2-person trip price to get started. If more people join the group, the trip price will come down accordingly. Any resulting price difference we will of course refund you. In case nobody else joins, you would however have to be prepared to pay the full corresponding 1-person price in order for your trip to still go forward.
