The Acatenango volcano hike is a bucket list trek in Antigua, Guatemala where you can camp at the summit and see frequent live eruptions from a nearby volcano called the ‘Volcan De Fuego’ (which means Volcano of Fire)!
You can do the Acatenango hike with a guided group in 1, 2, or 3 days, although the most common way to do it is an overnight trek (2 days 1 night), which usually gives you enough time to see eruptions from Volcan De Fuego during the daytime and also the glowing red fireworks at night.
Guided tour prices are very reasonable, and one of the great things about trekking Acatenango is that it’s very safe. However, this is still a high elevation hike with lots of difficulty, distance, and elevation gain, plus you’ll have to cope with a bit of cold weather and at least some degree of altitude sickness.
Is it worth it? Absolutely! Where else in the world can you camp this close to an actively erupting volcano and take pictures at a safe distance? Not many places. The Volcan De Fuego puts on a spectacular show, with small eruptions every 15-30 minutes!
This travel blog will explain how to do the Acatenango volcano hike, what to bring, best time to hike, which trekking guides and tour companies to use, and everything else you need to know before you go!
Quick Facts*
- Distance: 14 kilometers (8.5 miles) return
- Elevation Gain: 1,615 meters (5,300 feet)
- Top Elevation: 3,976 meters (13,045 feet)
- Difficulty: Hard
- Duration: 7 – 10 hours return
*These stats are for hiking to Acatenango summit and don’t include the optional hike to Volcan De Fuego
Where Is Acatenango & Volcan De Fuego?
The Acatenango volcano is located west of Guatemala City, overlooking the town of Antigua.
Most people base themselves in Antigua for this hike, since it has plenty of hotels and restaurants, and it’s only about 30 kilometers from the volcano (a 1.5 hour drive).
• Acatenango Hike Difficulty: How Hard Is It?
The Acatenango hike is hard. Very hard. The combination of high altitude, cold weather, loose rocks that sink under your feet like sand, and a very steep grade all come together to make this a really tough one.
• Acatenango Distance & Hiking Time
The one way hiking distance to Acatenango base camp is about 4 miles, and it normally takes 4 or 5 hours depending on your pace. If you decide to go from base camp to the summit for sunrise, that takes another 1 to 1.5 hours. Going back down from the volcano is quicker, and takes 2 or 3 hours.
If you decide to do the extra hike from Acatenango base camp to the Volcan De Fuego saddle to see the eruptions up close, that adds another 3 miles (roundtrip), which takes about 4 hours total. It’s tough.
All in all, if you do the entire hike to the Acatenango base camp, summit, and Volcan De Fuego saddle, you’re looking at 10 to 13 hours of total hiking. That is no joke. However, if you only go to Acatenango base camp and skip the other sections, it’s quite a bit easier.
• Acatenango Elevation/Height
The Acatenango summit has an elevation of 3,976 meters (13,045 feet) above sea level, and the Volcan De Fuego has a slightly lower elevation of 3,768 meters (12,362 feet).
That means there’s less oxygen, and when you’re hiking, you’ll be huffing and puffing to catch your breath with each step. It definitely adds an extra layer of challenge to the hike.
The elevation at Acatenango is high enough to cause altitude sickness (AMS), so you can look forward to some degree of headaches, trouble sleeping, etc. If your symptoms get too severe, you may have to descend and go back to a lower altitude. You can read about the warning signs here.
I haven’t heard of people getting dangerously sick with AMS on Acatenango, although it wouldn’t surprise me. Keep in mind, your likelihood of getting AMS is not affected by age or physical fitness. You can be young and perfectly fit, and still get altitude sickness.
If you’re coming from sea level, it’s recommended that you spend at least 48 hours in Antigua before the hike to help you acclimatize to altitude. The town of Antigua is 1,545 meters (5,069 feet) above sea level, and Guatemala City is about the same, so it gives your body a chance to adjust.
With that said, I’ve heard of many people doing Acatenango without any acclimatizing at all, and they were still fine. Plus, if you only do a day hike at Acatenango instead of overnight camping, then it’s probably not much of a concern anyway. You’ll be on the way back down before you even start to feel the effects too much.
Staying hydrated is supposed to help with altitude sickness. Drink lots of water before and during the hike. You’ll also want to avoid alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes, and sleeping pills because they can make the symptoms worse.
If you have time before Acatenango, a great warmup hike to do for acclimatizing is the Pacaya volcano trek, which is another one near Antigua. It’s not as spectacular as Fuego and you can’t usually see active eruptions, but it’s still a fun way to train.
The Pacaya hike is easier, shorter, and cheaper than Acatenango, but it still has a high enough elevation to help adjust your body to altitude. Pacaya’s summit is 2,552 meters (8,373 feet), although most tours don’t go all the way to the summit. You can book the Pacaya trek online here.
• Acatenango Elevation Gain
The vertical elevation gain for the hike to Acatenango base camp is about 1,110 meters (3,650 feet). If you include the summit push, it’s a whopping 1,615 meters (5,300 feet). More than a mile straight up!
If you do the extra hike to the Volcan De Fuego saddle, that adds another 480 meters (1,600 feet) roundtrip, because you’re going downhill and uphill both ways when you walk between the two volcanoes.
In total, if you do the entire hike to Acatenango summit plus the Fuego saddle detour, you’re looking at an elevation gain of almost 2,100 meters (7,000 feet)! Insane!
• Acatenango Weather
If you do an overnight hike at the Acatenango volcano, you’ll be camping at a high elevation, where the temperatures are quite a bit colder than in Antigua or the rest of Guatemala.
In the day time when you first start the hike from Antigua, it may be a nice warm 70 °F (21 °C), but by night time at base camp it can drop below 32 °F (0 °C), and in some cases can even get as low as 23 °F (-5 °C). It can also be very windy, especially at the summit for sunrise.
On January 8, 2017, six hikers died of hypothermia at Acatenango after a high pressure system caused a severe cold snap. I don’t want to scare you by mentioning that, and the hike is plenty safe as long as you’re prepared, but don’t underestimate the cold!
Most tour companies will provide you with plenty of warm weather gear to borrow, rent, or buy for the Acatenango hike, so you’ll definitely want to take advantage of that. You should also keep an eye on any unusual weather warnings for the day you hike, although your guides will probably stay on top of that for you.
You can check a weather forecast for the Acatenango mountain summit here, including factors like wind, rain, clouds, and temperatures.
What To Bring
- Jacket: Bring an extra layer for the Acatenango sunrise trek. You’ll shed your jacket right away as you heat up, but then you’ll probably want it again at the top while you sit and wait for the sunrise.
- Footwear: Regular shoes are fine, but sturdy hiking shoes are better for the Acatenango hike. You’ll be walking on slippery gravel and steep inclines or declines at times.
- Poncho: If you climb Acatenango or the Fuego volcano during the rainy season (especially ), you will definitely want to bring a rain jacket just in case.
- Water: Most tours will advise you to bring at least 4 liters of water for the Acatenango hike, and another 500 mL if you plan to do the extra Volcan De Fuego hike to the saddle. This is partly because the guides will ask each hiker to donate 1 liter of their water for cooking meals at the camp.
- Snacks: Again, even though most tours include free meals, the quality varies and you may still be hungry after such a whopper hike. I brought snack bars and beef jerky so I would have something extra.
- Headlight: Acatenango trekking tours will provide cheapo flashlights, but a quality headlight will be even better.
- Camera: Of course you’ll want to take pictures. A camera with a bit of zoom is ideal, so you can take great pictures of the Volcan De Fuego eruptions from Acatenango base camp. If you do the extra hike over to the Fuego saddle to see the eruptions up close, then you’ll probably want to switch to a wide angle lens for that.
Best Time To Hike Acatenango
The best time to hike Acatenango is during the dry season in Guatemala, which runs from November to April. It’s clearer and less likely to rain during these months, so overall it’s a great time for mountain trekking.
The rainy season in Guatemala runs from May to October, and there is quite a bit more rainfall, but it tends to come in the afternoon. Mornings and evenings are usually clear, even in the rainy months. This season may not be ideal for trekking Acatenango, but you can definitely do it. You’re just more likely to get wet.
As always, since you’re dealing with a mountain, the weather isn’t completely predictable at any time of year, and you could have bad weather in the dry season or good weather in the rainy season.
If you’re worried about clouds blocking your view of the Fuego eruptions, I would book a longer Acatenango trip so you have more time at the summit and more chances to see the fireworks.
In conclusion, dry season is best for Acatenango if you have a choice, but it can be hiked at any time of year, and the small eruptions are happening at Volcan De Fuego all year round except for occasional brief pauses.
More Guatemala Travel Tips
Thanks for looking! I hope you enjoyed this volcano trekking guide for the Acatenango hike and Volcan De Fuego in Guatemala.
I’ll be writing more Guatemala guides soon, so don’t forget to bookmark my travel blog and check back later!
Happy travels!
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