Chasing Lava: A Guide to Hiking Volcán de Fuego and Acatenango

Standing at the peak of Guatemala’s Fuego Volcano will leave you breathless – in part because of the eight-hour trek it takes to get there, but mostly because you’ll be above the clouds, atop Central America’s most active volcano. If you’re like us, this was our first time seeing a volcano erupt and we were left in complete awe.
While the incredible views are worth it, this feat of nature is not for the ill-prepared. Fuego is unpredictable and its last major eruption in 2018 left hundreds dead, injured, and missing. Further, the hike itself – typically climbing both Acatenango and Fuego volcanoes in 24 hours – is incredibly demanding. We’ve done quite a bit of backpacking, but covering this amount of altitude in such a short time made the trek the hardest hike we’ve ever done.
In this blog post, we’ll take you through our journey climbing Acatenango and Fuego, as well as cover the basics for getting your journey started.
Choosing Your Guide

There are dozens of companies based in Antigua that offer guided hikes of Acatenango and Fuego, which makes choosing the right one tricky. The prices of these tours range anywhere from $50 to $200 and all offer varying degrees of what’s included in the trip.
As for us, we highly recommend Ox Expeditions. While their prices are relatively expensive by Guatemalan standards ($89 for Acatenango, plus an extra $29 for the Fuego addition), it was well worth the price for us given everything that was included.
Things to consider before booking your tour:
1. Fuego or No Fuego
Does the company offer the addition of hiking Fuego? Many companies solely offer the hike to basecamp and summiting Acatenango in the morning.
2. Gear Provided
Does the company offer rental gear or will you need to come prepared with several layers of pants, shirts, puffy jackets, and rain gear (not to mention a headlamp and backpacking bag)? We travel light, so we knew that we needed a tour that included all of these things.
3. Sleeping Arrangements
Will you be sleeping in tents or cabins? Acatenango is COLD at night and Fuego’s eruptions in the distance are loud, so if you intend on getting any sleep at all before your 3:30am wake-up call, we recommend a company with permanent cabins on the volcano (an added plus of this is it means you won’t need to lug a sleeping bag and sleeping pads with you on the way up).
For us, Ox Expeditions met all of our criteria. The company offers almost all the necessary rental gear, including backpacks. They also offer the Fuego addition and have six-person cabins available at base camp.

What to Bring
As we discussed above, check in with your company to see what gear they provide so you know what you’ll have to bring. We were able to get everything except base layers, an extra pair of pants, socks, and hiking shoes. If you’re not traveling with your hiking shoes handy, we highly recommend checking out Antigua’s second-hand clothing market and asking for “paca” – slang for “used.” We were able to find shoes with good soles and tread for around $20.
Additionally, groceries are a must. Check in with your company before you shop though! Ours provided all meals and 4L of water. You can get anything else you need at La Bodegona and we ended up heading there primarily for snacks and extra water. In total, we brought 5L of water and 1L of gatorade each and ran out by the end. For snacks, we recommend a good mix of salty and sweet (chips, crackers, granola bars, nuts – anything light, filling, and easily portable).
Finally, can’t forget the sunscreen, toilet paper, bandaids for blisters, and an extra pair of socks to change into before bed (your feet will thank you!).
Prepping for the Altitude

Acatenango stands at 13,000 ft and gaining that much altitude in a 24-hour period has a HIGH probability of causing altitude sickness. For us, that meant Elliot had a headache the whole way, while Abbey had extreme nausea on day two.
Our top tips for avoiding altitude sickness (some of which we followed, and some of which we wish we had):
1. Stay in Antigua: Plan to be here for a few days before your hike to adjust. The city itself stands at 5,000 ft, so getting some of the smaller altitude sickness symptoms like headache and exhaustion out of the way before you hike is super helpful.
2. Altitude Medication: Before your trip, ask your doctor to prescribe altitude medication. You’ll take it prior to and during the hike and it can help combat headache and nausea.
3. Ibuprofen: We also took ibuprofen on a regular schedule during the hike and found it incredibly helpful. For many people it can decrease swelling and inflammation caused by altitude.

The Hike
Morning Preparation: We met at the Ox Expedition office at 6:45am where we stored our luggage, chose our gear, and packed our bags (including some shared group items). We were then taken to a local restaurant for breakfast and were off by 8:30am.

Then came the ride to the trailhead which was roughly an hour over bumpy, windy Guatemalan roads. At the trailhead you’ll be given the option to rent walking sticks for 5Q (roughly 64 cents) each. GET TWO! You’ll thank yourself on the hike down. At this point, our company also offered the option to purchase the help of a porter to carry bags to base camp for 200Q (roughly $25). So, if you’re not an avid hiker, or want to save your energy for the Fuego addition, just know this is an option. Also be sure to save enough cash for the two entrance fees you’ll need to pay along the way (100Q total or about $13 USD).
Hike to Basecamp: We began our ascent around 10am and reached camp at about 2:30pm, taking numerous breaks along the way. This section of the hike covers a wide range of ecosystems, and you’ll need to be prepared clothing-wise for each. You’ll begin in the beating sun on a dusty path across farmland, progress to the shady cloud forest, then the high alpine forest where you’ll likely add on some layers.
Logistically, the trail isn’t a tricky one. It’s been pounded down by thousands of hikers every year and outhouses can conveniently be found along the way. However, the hike itself is STEEP with little relief from the incline and you’ll likely reach camp exhausted and covered in dust from the slippery rocks you’ll kick up along the way. We budgeted two liters of water for this section of the hike.

Hike to Fuego Summit: After about an hour of rest at the camp, we headed out to hike Fuego. The hike down to the valley between the two volcanos, and then up to the summit takes roughly two hours. From there we spent an hour at the summit watching the sunset above the clouds and taking in Fuego’s frequent eruptions.

This is where weather really comes into play. We met many people who had bad experiences on their hike given cloudy conditions that meant they couldn’t see the eruptions. The worst part is, the weather can change in an instant, so there’s no predicting what kind of view you’ll get. If you’re hell bent on seeing Fuego up close and personal, it might be a good idea to save enough time in your trip to make the trek twice (if conditions aren’t good enough the first time around).
From here, the hike back down the volcano and up to basecamp took another two hours. You’ll be doing this part in the dark with headlamps and beware: it is SLIPPERY. We each had a couple good falls on this segment. You’ll return to base camp around 8:30pm tired and sore and grateful for dinner and a sleeping bag. We budgeted 1L of water for this segment.

Sunrise Hike to Acatenango Summit: This is debatably the hardest section of the experience. Your wake-up call will be roughly 3:30am and the hike begins at 4. Hiking up Acatenango is an experience like no other, but there's something truly magical about doing it in the early morning. As you make your way up the trail in the dark, guided only by your headlamp and the extremely loose trail, you can feel the anticipation building.
And then, just as the first rays of light begin to filter over the horizon, you reach the summit and are rewarded with a view that will take your breath away. The brilliant hues of orange and red pour over the clouds that rest in the valley below while, in the distance, Volcán de Fuego begins to erupt, sending plumes of ash and lava into the air. It's a moment you'll never forget, and one that will stay with you long after you've hiked back down the mountain.

When making the descent, slipping and falling is almost inevitable, so be very careful. As you struggle down, your guides may demonstrate an alternate method to getting down. Known as scree running, it is an exhilarating way of running down the steep volcano through the loose dirt and gravel. For this section of the trip we budgeted about 1L of water. You’ll return for breakfast at around 7am with shoes full of dirt and a huge grin from ear to ear
All Downhill from Here: After packing up camp, you’ll embark on the trek down at approximately 8am. If you thought to rent walking sticks before you left, this is when you’ll be grateful you did! The hike down takes about 4 hours and loose volcanic rock makes for unreliable footing. We budgeted our last 1L of water for this segment, but you’ll have a chance to purchase more about halfway down. You’ll also likely stop at the restaurant near the trailhead, so have extra cash on hand if you think you might buy something.
And then you’re done! After returning your walking sticks and tipping the guides, you’ll be on route back to Antigua where you can get some much-needed sleep! We highly recommend booking a night in Antigua following your hike so you can rest (...and not heading straight to the airport like Abbey did).

If you’re up for the challenge, both physically and mentally, hiking Acatatenango and Fuego volcanoes is a major bucket-list item. Standing atop these iconic volcanoes is a rare opportunity – who knows when Fuego will stop erupting for good? By the end of your journey, you’ll be left awe-inspired and the intensity of the climb will leave you so proud you completed it.
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