If you are an adventure-seeker who is up for the challenge of trekking a volcano and sleeping almost 4000m high, then the overnight Acatenango Volcano hike is perfect for you!
Acatenango is the third highest volcano in Central America, with unmatched views of the Antigua region and the famous lava eruptions of Fuego Volcano. It is a challenging hike through four different microclimates, but the views are absolutely worth it for the opportunity to see Fuego Volcano up close and watch it spew lava all night long.
In this guide, you will find everything you need to know about the overnight trek to Acatenango Volcano, including where to book your tour, what to pack, and what to expect on your hike.
Overview of Hiking Acatenango Volcano
Distance: Approximately 18 km round trip to base camp, with opportunities to hike further.
Elevation: Acatenango Volcano is towering at 3976m high, although basecamp sits around 3650m. The first day you will hike at least 1500m high.
Difficulty: Challenging. Even the most experienced hikers on my tour agreed that it is intense!
Time: It takes most people 4-6 hours to hike up to base camp (including hourly rest stops and lunch) and 2-3 hours to descend the next day. In total, from the time you leave Antigua until you return the following day, the trip will last around 28 hours.
Where to Book Your Acatenango Volcano Tour
There are several hostels, hotels, and tour companies scattered throughout the city that offer similar packages for overnight treks to Acatenango.
Many tours charge between USD$50-75. For this price, you will likely be part of a larger group (20-25 people) with several tour guides and will sleep in a shared tent.
For a smaller group, private accommodations, or to sleep in a cabin with walls, you will have to pay more.
Since I always travel on a budget, I opted for the cheapest option and went with a larger group. I shared a tent with 5 others and I was glad to have all of us in there at night to warm up our tent!
Depending on your tour company, you may have some additional expenses not covered.
Some tours provide backpacks, warm clothes (jackets, hats, and gloves), and flashlights for free. Others will rent them to you for a small fee.
Lastly, not all tours include the entrance fee (USD$25 / Q$200) to the park or the price of hiking to Fuego (USD$25 / Q$200) at night.
Here are two tours I would highly recommend:
- Soy Tours is a fantastic budget option (approximately USD$55).
- If you are willing to spend a bit more for some extra comforts but still don’t want to break the bank, I would recommend Wicho and Charlie’s (USD$97).
How to Prepare for the Acatenango Volcano Overnight Hike
What to Pack
- Backpack
- Water (3-4 litres)
- Electrolytes (you can buy these in powder or tablet form which makes them easy to bring with you and add to a water bottle as needed)
- Painkillers and anti-nausea medication
- Snacks (I recommend trail mix, granola bars, fruit, sweets, etc)
- Headlamp
- Hat and sunscreen
- Cash (Between clothing/equipment rentals, the entrance fee, the additional hike to Fuego, hiring a porter, and food stalls along the way, the costs can add up. It’s better to have too much cash than not enough!)
- Warm clothes/layers (I tend to get cold easily, so I packed lots of layers and I ended up needing them all. I had a pair of leggings, sweatpants, long sleeve shirt, fleece sweater, jacket, and windbreaker that I brought for the night. On top of that, I also had a warm hat, gloves, and 2 pairs of socks.)
What to Wear
- Hiking boots (I would definitely recommend wearing hiking boots if you have them. If you don’t, you can wear a sturdy pair of running shoes.)
- Shorts or leggings and a t-shirt (Make sure you have a long sleeve shirt/sweater and a pair of pants that are easily accessible so you can throw them on if you get cold during the hike.)
Acclimatizing to the Altitude
Most people suggest spending a day or two in Antigua (or another high-altitude location) before doing this hike. This will help you acclimatize so the altitude is less of a shock to your body. It’s a good idea to bring painkillers and anti-nausea medication just in case you feel the effects of the altitude like I did.
What to Expect on the Acatenango Volcano Overnight Hike
Getting from Antigua to Acatenango Volcano
Your tour company will arrange transport with you. Typically, they will pick you up from your hostel between 9-10am. Some tours will take you to their office for supplies and others will have the supplies all ready to go on your bus. From Antigua, it is around a one hour drive to the start of the hike.
When you arrive, there will be an opportunity to rent hiking sticks, as well as purchase any drinks or snacks from a food stand. Once your group is all ready to go, you will begin the trek!
TIP: Rent a walking stick – At the beginning of the hike, you can rent a wooden walking stick for USD$2. I would highly recommend getting one or two. They are handy on the way up, but they are most useful when you are walking back down the following day because it is a steep decline that can get slippery.
Hiking Acatenango (Day 1)
The first half of the hike is the most gruelling. It is a STEEP ascent, but trust me, it gets better.
There are a few rest stops along the way. Within the first hour, you will pass a restaurant and some food stalls, but once you get past the official entrance to the park, don’t expect any more bathrooms or opportunities to purchase food or drinks.
Every hour, the whole group will take a few minutes to rest and refuel before continuing on. Even between these group breaks, there are opportunities to rest on your own if you need to. I probably stopped every 10-20 minutes to drink water, grab a bite to eat, and sometimes even sit down and give my legs a break for a minute.
The guides are so patient and understanding and are happy to let people hike at their own pace. Even though I went on this trek solo, the guides and other hikers in my group were so encouraging and always motivated me to keep going.
Once you are around 75% of the way up, the trail will level out a lot and instead of steep ascents, it is mostly flat with a few small ups and downs. Compared to the rest of the hike, the last hour feels so easy!
Base Camp and Optional Hike to Fuego Volcano
When you arrive at base camp, the guides will assign you to a tent/cabin. There is some downtime for you to rest, snack, or take in the incredible views from base camp.
At some point before dinner, there will be an opportunity for you to begin an optional hike to Fuego. You will have to descend part of Acatenango and ascend Fuego to get a close-up view of the lava eruptions. Around half of my group decided to go, and the other half of us stayed at base camp and watched Fuego from a distance.
While at base camp, our guides made hot drinks and a nice pasta dinner for us while we sat around the fire and watched Fuego erupt again and again. I personally didn’t feel like I missed out on anything by skipping the optional hike to Fuego. The views from base camp were still spectacular and after such a long day of hiking, I was so happy to be able to sit and rest and see the lava from a distance.
After everyone was back from Fuego and we’d all eaten our dinner, we headed to our tents in an attempt to sleep. Although we were all exhausted from the day, the constant eruptions mean that every 15-30 minutes there is a loud noise and the ground often shakes. As you can imagine, it’s not easy to sleep!
Summiting Acatenango Volcano (Day 2)
Around 3:30am on day two, the guides will go around to the tents to wake everyone up to summit Acatenango for the sunrise.
We had all planned on getting up to do this part of the hike, but when we saw the thick fog outside and our guides said it likely wouldn’t be much of a view, most of us opted to stay in bed. The few people that chose to hike it said that when they reached the top after an hour of a steep ascent, they still couldn’t see anything.
We were really unlucky with bad weather that day. Everyone else I met who had done the overnight trek had incredible sunrise views (both from the summit but also from base camp).
Packing up and Descending Acatenango Volcano
When we finally got up around 7am, we ate breakfast, packed up our bags, and sat by the fire while our guides cleaned the tents.
Once everyone in your group is ready to go, you will begin the descent. You can make your way down the volcano fairly quickly, but everyone is still able to go at their own pace. The guide at the front would stop the group every 30 minutes or so to wait for the others to catch up and have a water break.
My group made it down in just over two hours, so we had time to stop at a cafe near the bottom to grab a bite to eat. They had coffee, smoothies, crepes, sandwiches and more. After about 10 more minutes downhill, you will be back at the main road where your bus will (hopefully!) be waiting for you.
After returning your gear and tipping your guides (not required, but welcomed and appreciated), you will board the bus and head back to Antigua.
If you are like me, you will be desperate for a hot shower, a good meal, and a long nap!
TIP: If you’re not in a rush to get to your next destination, I would highly recommend taking the day to relax and recover. Your body will be sore and you will be tired from a lack of sleep, so taking that extra time to rest can help you recuperate quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best time of year to hike Acatenango Volcano?
- The best time of year to hike Acatenango Volcano is between November to April, which is Guatemala’s dry season.
Can I hike without a guide?
- Yes, you can hike Acatenango Volcano without a guide but it is not recommended. The altitude and cold temperatures can be dangerous, so going with a trained guide will ensure hikers remain safe and healthy.
Do I need to be in good shape to do this hike?
- I would say that as long as you have a decent level of fitness and are a somewhat active person, you will be okay. Even if you are not in the best shape, I firmly believe that if you set your mind to it, you can make it to the top.
Can I pay a porter to carry my bag for me?
- Yes, you can! If you are worried about your fitness level and aren’t used to backpacking, I would highly suggest hiring a porter. It makes such a big difference not having a large backpack to carry. It cost me approximately USD$25 for a porter to carry my bag up for me and around USD$20 for the way down. If you do hire a porter, make sure you have a smaller day pack with a water bottle, a few snacks, and a warmer layer of clothes to carry yourself so that you have easy access to them throughout the hike.
Do I need to bring any bedding?
- This may change depending on your tour, but every tour I looked at had bedding included. On my tour, they provided a warm sleeping bag, a pillow, and a sleeping mat.
What was the food like?
- Every tour company will offer different food. On my tour, lunch the first day was chicken, rice, and vegetables. For dinner, we had pasta cooked over the fire and garlic toast. Breakfast the following day was an egg sandwich. They also provided us with fruit and a packet of tea and hot chocolate.
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I hope you found this post helpful and if you decide to hike Acatenango Volcano, I wish you all the best! Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions that I didn’t cover👇
If you don’t have two days to spare for this hike or if you want an easier option, check out my post about the Pacaya Volcano sunset hike, which is the perfect half-day tour from Antigua!
