Well, TECHNICALLY, you spend the night on an inactive volcano, but you hike up and watch the sunset on a fully active volcano! This is my guide to the Volcan Acatenango experience – a bucket list item for anyone staying in Antigua, Guatemala.
How to book Acatenango:
This is such an easy tour to book and there are a variety of tour companies, so you can bet on at least one being available. I do recommend contacting a company at least a week in advance to be sure, but it’s not exactly necessary.
I did my Acatenango hike with Wicho & Charlie’s and highly recommend them! Learn more or book with them HERE
What’s Included?
- 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner, 2 Breakfasts, and snacks
- Accommodation at Basecamp
- All gear including backpacks, hats, gloves, jackets, headlamps, water bottles, and hiking sticks
* The Itinerary *
This hike is not for the faint of heart. It is intense and long, but extremely rewarding! You basically complete 3 major hikes over the course of two days and get to stay the night on the side of a real-life (inactive) volcano! This is the ultimate backpacker’s experience in Guatemala that you will never forget.
General Schedule:
We met at Wicho and Charlie’s location in Antigua early in the morning where they provided breakfast along with time for us to select our supplies and pack it all up. Soon enough we were on the road towards the trailhead.
The hike to basecamp ranges from 5-7 hours depending on how fast the group moves. The guides provide plenty of breaks for snacks, water, and lunch along the way.
Once we arrived at basecamp we had an hour’s rest until having the option to do the Fuego hike. This is a hike up a fully active volcano that erupts every 15 minutes or so! This hike was about 1-2 hours each way and VERY intense. It doesn’t exactly help that you do the trek back to basecamp in the dark. Upon your return to basecamp, they will have food and hot cocoa prepared. By the time we finished eating, we were all pretty ready to hit the hay.
The next morning, weather permitting, you’ll have another option to summit the inactive Acatenango for sunrise. Unfortunately for us, it was raining and unsafe for us to summit at 3am, but at least that meant we got to sleep in! I have been told that the summit hike is a quite intense 30 minutes. Then, after breakfast and packing up, you’re on your way back down feeling accomplished and exhausted.
* Night on a Volcano *
There are a variety of cabin options, however, the cheapest is often a shared cabin with other people in your tour group.
The Rooms: The rooms are quite small with about 6 air mattresses lining the floor. Each one with a sleeping bag and pillow so it was a pretty comfy night – especially after such a long day.
The Bathrooms: I peed in the trees. There may have been other options I wasn’t aware of and they may have made some upgrades since I did the trek, but the volcano was my toilet for the night.
The Nightlife: Yeah, this is not the trip to party late into the night. The hiking is intense and lasts all day so by the time dinner is over, everyone heads straight for bed.
* Meals *
Wicho and Charlie’s is a vegan company and I would label the meals as average. The breakfast in Antigua was really good, but otherwise I wasn’t crazy about any of the food. We had some vegan meatballs and potatoes as well as a lentil soup while on the volcano. You’re also able to pack your own snacks beforehand – they have a build your own trail mix bar at the location in Antigua!
Although the food was not great, it definitely did not ruin the experience for me and it kept me well-fueled for the difficult journey!
* Advice! *
How to Pack:
Wicho and Charlie’s provides storage and any jackets or sweaters you will need for the night. I honestly just recommend taking what they provide, wearing some basic hiking clothes, and leaving everything else behind.
What to Pack:
- Waterbottles
- Portable Charger
- Snacks
- Sweatpants
- Layers (do not skip out on anything they provide you. Take the sweaters, jackets, hats, and gloves. Basecamp is not very cold, but the summits of Fuego and Acatenango are windy and cold.)
You will be Unplugged:
You are on a volcano! You will not have access to much electricity nor service for about 24 hours. Text your parents you love them, post on instagram, and get ready to only use your phone for some beautiful photos. This is a great time to have a small social media cleanse!
Weather Safety:
The temperature will vary a ton throughout this overnight excursion. I recommend wearing a tank top/shorts for the trek up, but you will definitely need warmer clothes once at basecamp and at the summits of Fuego and Acatenango. Also, listen to your guides! People have frozen to death on Fuego thinking they could spend the night there or from trying to do this trip unguided – just follow the guides and you’ll be much better off.
Sylvia's Gap Year 
One response to “Spend a Night on a Volcano in Guatemala!”
Beautiful and stunning photos!
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