Booking choice: The shared hike from Antigua, from $35 per person. Check dates Tour details
Pacaya and Acatenango are the two volcano hikes almost every visitor to Antigua hears about. They are very different trips. Pacaya tops out at 2,552 m and you are back in town for lunch. Acatenango rises to 3,976 m and you sleep near the top.
If you have one free morning, the choice makes itself. If you have three days and strong legs, the honest answer is often both, in the right order.
The quick answer
Pick Pacaya for an easy half-day: about 500 m of climbing, 1.5 to 2 hours up, from $20 to $35 plus the Q100 fee, children from 4, free cancellation. Pick Acatenango for the big one: about 1,500 m up over 4 to 6 hours, a night near -5 degrees C and a view of Fuego erupting when it is active, from $129 and non-refundable. Fit travellers with three days often do Pacaya first.
Should you hike Pacaya or Acatenango?
Pacaya if you want an easy half-day or travel with kids; Acatenango if you are fit, have two days and want to watch Fuego erupt.
Pacaya is the walk anyone reasonably fit can do. It shows you an active volcano up close: warm lava rock, steam vents and the smoking cone above you. Acatenango is a real mountain day, and the reward is a night facing Fuego, its active neighbour.
Our take: if you hesitate about your fitness, do Pacaya. It is the right trip for most people, and you can still add Acatenango later in your stay.
The easy one: 1.5 hours up through pine forest to the lava field, back in Antigua by early afternoon.
Check dates for the shared hike from AntiguaHow do Pacaya and Acatenango compare?
Pacaya is lower, shorter, cheaper and refundable. Acatenango is three times the climb, an overnight stay and a non-refundable booking.
The two hikes side by side:
| Pacaya | Acatenango | |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 2,552 m | 3,976 m |
| Climb | About 450 to 600 m | About 1,500 m |
| Time up | 1.5 to 2 hours | 4 to 6 hours to camp |
| Trip length | 6 to 7 hours | 2 days, 1 night |
| Night temperature | No night | About -5 degrees C at camp |
| Lava | Steam vents and hot rock, no flowing lava | Fuego's eruptions, when it is active |
| From | $20 to $35 plus Q100 | $129, admission included |
| Cancellation | Free up to 24 hours before | Non-refundable |
| Minimum age | 4 (main Antigua tour) | High fitness required |
Acatenango figures from Living in Guatemala and the tour listing; Pacaya figures from the operators and the difficulty guide.
How much harder is Acatenango than Pacaya?
Much harder. Expect two or three times the effort of Pacaya on the first day alone, with a heavier pack, more altitude and a cold night.
Acatenango climbs from about 2,300 to 2,400 m at the La Soledad trailhead to camps at roughly 3,400 to 3,600 m, then an optional dawn push to the summit. The trail is steep volcanic scree. Living in Guatemala rates it hard and suggests spending 2 to 3 days in Antigua, at 1,530 m, to adjust to the altitude before you go.
Pacaya is a single climb of under two hours on sand and lava, and a horse can carry you if needed. The tour listing for Acatenango asks for a high level of physical fitness; most Pacaya listings ask for moderate.
Will you see lava on Pacaya or Acatenango?
Not flowing lava on Pacaya. From Acatenango you often see Fuego throw glowing lava into the night sky, if it is active and the clouds clear.
Pacaya's lava flows stopped in mid-May 2021; tour operators say no flowing lava is visible now. You see steam and feel heat in the rock, which is plenty for most people. Can you see lava at Pacaya explains why.
Acatenango's camps face Fuego, its active twin. When Fuego is in an eruptive mood, the explosions after dark are the whole point of the trip. Nothing is guaranteed: Fuego's activity rises and falls, and a cloudy night can hide it.
What does the Acatenango overnight tour include?
Admission, three meals, a bed in a 4-person cabin facing Fuego, a sleeping bag, a winter jacket, gloves, a 3-litre Camelbak and a raincoat. The extra Fuego hike costs Q200.
The Acatenango overnight costs from $129 and is rated 4.8 stars. It meets at 2a Calle Poniente 25 in Antigua at 07:00 and works with a cooperative of local guides from San José Calderas. The cabins have mattresses, pillows and blankets on top of the sleeping bag. A private version with your own tent costs from $225, minimum 2 people.
Read this before you book: the booking is non-refundable. Unlike every Pacaya tour here, you can't cancel 24 hours before for your money back. Book it once your dates are certain.
Two days on Acatenango, a cabin facing Fuego, meals and warm gear included. Non-refundable, so book once your dates are fixed.
Explore the Acatenango overnight Tour detailsCan you do both Pacaya and Acatenango in one trip?
Yes, and many people do. Hike Pacaya first, rest a day, then go up Acatenango.
Pacaya works as a test: if the 1.5 to 2-hour climb on sand feels fine, you are a good candidate for Acatenango. It also gives your body a few hours at altitude before a night near 3,600 m. Both start from Antigua, so you keep the same hotel.
A sensible order: day 1 in Antigua, day 2 Pacaya at 06:00, day 3 rest, days 4 and 5 Acatenango. Book Pacaya with free cancellation and Acatenango once you know you are going.
Warm-up first: the classic Pacaya hike at 06:00, free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check dates for the shared hike from AntiguaWhich hike is better for kids, beginners or a short stay?
Pacaya, without question. It takes children from 4, needs moderate fitness and fits in half a day.
The main Antigua tour accepts children from age 4 with an adult, and the lunch tour from 6. Children under 6 enter the park free. Acatenango asks for a high level of fitness and means a night below freezing, which is a lot to ask of a child or a first-time hiker.
Short on time? Pacaya also fits around other plans: back in Antigua by early afternoon on the 06:00 tour. Acatenango takes two full days, and you will want the third to recover.
An easy family day: private transport from Antigua, all park fees and lunch on the lava field.
Explore the morning hike with lunch Tour detailsWhat does each hike really cost?
Pacaya: about $35 to $50 all-in on a shared tour. Acatenango: $129 with admission, meals and gear, plus Q200 if you add the Fuego hike.
On Pacaya the cheap tours leave the Q100 fee to you, plus Q10 for a stick and Q150 to Q300 if you want a horse. The price guide has the sums. The Acatenango price covers admission, meals, the cabin and the cold-weather kit, which is where cheaper Acatenango deals usually cut corners.
Bring cash in quetzales for both: Pacaya's gate takes nothing else, and the Fuego extension is paid on the mountain.
All-in Pacaya with no cash to count: park fees, guide, private transport and lunch from Antigua.
Check dates for the morning hike with lunchFrequently asked questions
Is Pacaya or Acatenango better?
For an easy half-day with kids or limited fitness, Pacaya. For a hard overnight hike with views of Fuego erupting, Acatenango. Fit travellers with three days often do both.
Can you see Fuego from Pacaya?
Yes, on clear days. Agua, Fuego and Acatenango line up across the valley from the Pacaya lava field, but you are much farther away than on Acatenango.
Can I cancel the Acatenango tour?
Not for a refund: the Acatenango overnight is non-refundable. The Pacaya tours on this site cancel free up to 24 hours before.
Should I do Pacaya before Acatenango?
Yes, if you can. It tests your legs on volcanic sand and gives you a day at altitude before the much harder overnight climb.
Ready to book
Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Pacaya Volcano Hike from Antigua
- Shared transport from Antigua and back
- Hotel pickup at selected hotels
- Trail guide in Spanish and basic English
Pacaya Morning Hike with Lunch
Park fees, guide and a fresh lunch on the lava field, all in the price
Half-Day Pacaya Hike from Antigua
- Shared air-conditioned van from Antigua
- Pickup at your hotel, drop-off at Central Park
- About two hours uphill to the lava field
