The streets of Antigua with volcán de Agua stratovolcano in the background

I do not know what has gotten into me, but lately I have been completely obsessed with climbing any nearby active volcano until I reach its hottest crater. It is not that I woke up one day with this dream of being a volcano hiker, but since there are so many active ones in my current surroundings I could not just let them be and take a picture of it from the average safer distance.
I want to touch the warm petrified lava.

Stick for you madam?

In the afternoon all the young local boys stand in front of the car door as soon as we arrive to the start point of the Pacaya volcano trail. “Stick! Stick! Madam, you want stick?” the young boys shout at us.

Of course I want to buy one and luckily my travel-friend does too. We tell the boys the good news and try to buy the two sticks for 5 Quetzales each to kind of try and help out the local community. We had no idea if the sticks were really going to be that much of a help for the hike, but we can use them with pride as soon as we start the walking.

Young Guatemalan boys trying to sell us hand-made wooden walking sticks

Horses breathing in your neck

We start the volcano hike up and I feel a little bit of pressure once I notice the sound of the horse’s hooves appearing out of nothing and following us. “Taxi amiga?” the cowboys sitting on top of the horses ask me, to which I sarcastically answer with the question if they thought I was not going to make it to the top of the volcano by using my own two feet. After that immediately one of the American girls jumps on a horse and the cowboy leds them through the path on our way up. Followed by one of the guys as well. I just could not believe it since the hike was really not that bad and it had just started! My friend Jolanda and I decided we would finish the hike to the top without needing the cowboy services and that we would walk the entire way back down with our own two feet as well. Being Dutch and not used to mountains or climbing at all; this was a big thing for us…

I then realized that even with all these tourists climbing the volcano every single day that this activity involves some serious potential threat. I ask the guide about the danger of doing this while we are hiking our ways up and he explains that Pacaya had erupted 2 months ago (March 2014). I should not think about it too much, but I still hope the volcano is having a tight sleep during today’s hike.

“Taxi amiga?”

Someone has to be the first…

The lava store

After a bit more then an hour of hiking up the side of the Pacaya volcano we find the, according to the signs, world famous lava store. Created by inspiration from one of the biggest eruptions in history of the volcano Pacaya. The local artisans decided to create unique handmade lava jewelry which allows lava to be transformed into beautiful treasures that you can buy. However, you can only buy them at this one lava store, located on the Pacaya volcano. Sounds pretty cool right?

They say that when you purchase at the lava store that you are being part of a positive movement. That you will help social causes in Guatemala.

It was one of the strangest shops I had ever seen, but I did get intrigued by it and wanted to hear the story and see what they were actually selling.

I ended up buying jewelry with lava in or on it. I am warning you. If you bring some extra money with you to Pacaya, you will want to buy some of this unique stuff too!

The lava shop had just sold me their cool lava rings!

I LAVA YOU!

A sweet memory

Once we were done at the store it was time to continue our hike to the petrified, almost still glowing lava. We carry some marshmallows with us and small wooden sticks were we could spear the marshmallows on. It is time for a touristy barbecue!

Can you imagine yourself BBQ-ing some marshmallows on top of a volcano?

I mean, seriously, I thought it was ridiculous that this was even really possible, but the petrified lava is still very, very hot due to the volcano being so active all the time.

The last eruption caused this open-air grill to function and I even heard people complaining about their shoes loosing grip since it was basically burning off. My shoes were fine though, and the marshmallows were fantastically sweet, warm and delicious. A good memory to bring home from a dangerous volcano; eating marshmallows on Pacaya.

Details & information

Company Pacaya volcano hike
Cost: GQ $80 entrance fee for the guided hike and a (not included in the tour price) park entrance of GQ $50.
Note: The tour should cost no more than 80 Quetzales (I booked it at the Holistico hostel) and once you arrive to the park of the Pacaya volcano you will still need to pay another 50 Quetzales for the park entrance. Probably they will not remind you about the park entrance, so be sure to bring some money. You want to bring cash for the lava store anyway 😉

Also bring plenty of clothes. The weather changes quite a bit from hot to cold and once you are standing still for some photo moments you can cool down pretty fast.

You can either do the volcano hike early in the morning at 6am or at 2pm.

Ah, and yes, do not forget to bring a giant bag of marshmallows!

Jolanda and I