# Pacaya.org - Pacaya volcano hiking tours from Antigua and Guatemala City, compared

> Independent guide to hiking Pacaya volcano in Guatemala: shared and private tours from Antigua, Guatemala City and
> Puerto Quetzal, the national park entrance fee, trail times, lava and crater facts, safety, season, prices and booking.
> Not affiliated with the national park, CONAP, INGUAT, any tour operator or Viator.

Site: https://pacaya.org
Language: en. Currency: USD for online tours; the park fee is in quetzales (GTQ). Country: Guatemala.

## Verified facts

- Pacaya: active volcano, 2,552 m, department of Escuintla, about 30 km south of Guatemala City. Active cone (MacKenney) and the old cone Cerro Chino.
- Park: Pacaya Volcano and Laguna de Calderas National Park, created 1963, co-run by the municipality of San Vicente Pacaya, INAB and CONAP.
- Main trailhead and park entrance: San Francisco de Sales. About 1.5 hours by road from Antigua and from Guatemala City.
- Entrance fee: Q100 per foreign visitor (about USD 13-14), cash in quetzales only, paid at the gate; excluded on the cheapest tours.
- Hike: about 5 km return; 1.5-2 hours up, about 30 minutes on the lava field, 50-60 minutes down. Tours take 6-7 hours door to door.
- Hikers do not reach the crater; the trail ends on the lava fields below the active cone.
- Flowing lava is not normally visible; the 2021 lava flows ended in mid-May 2021. Steam vents and hot rock are; guides roast marshmallows.
- Horses from the trailhead: about Q150-Q300 a ride. Walking stick: Q10. Pizza Pacaya bakes pizza in lava heat; usually paid separately.
- Shared tours from Antigua leave at 06:00 and 14:00. Dry season November-April; afternoon rain May-October.
- INSIVUMEH monitors the volcano; the park closes when authorities restrict access (as in 2021).

## Tours listed on this site

Booking links are Viator affiliate links (pid P00318890). The site earns a commission at no extra cost to the reader and
says so at https://pacaya.org/affiliate-disclosure/.
Prices are 'from' prices in USD per person at the last build and move.

- Pacaya Volcano Hike from Antigua (Antigua, about 1.5 h to the trailhead) - from $35 per person, 6 hours, park fee: Q100 cash at the gate, not included; rated 4.5 from 569 Viator reviews. Page: https://pacaya.org/tours/pacaya-volcano-hike-from-antigua/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Antigua/Transportation-to-Pacaya-Volcano-from-Antigua/d4599-17499P4
- Half-Day Pacaya Hike from Antigua (Antigua, drop-off at Central Park) - from $20 per person, 7 hours, park fee: Q100 cash at the gate, not included; rated 4.5 from 20 Viator reviews. Page: https://pacaya.org/tours/pacaya-half-day-hike-budget/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Antigua/Pacaya-Volcano-Hike-half-day/d4599-140323P8
- Shared Pacaya Hike from Guatemala City (Guatemala City, about 1.5 h away) - from $73 per person, 6 to 7 hours, park fee: Included on the premium option; Q100 cash on the basic one; rated 4.8 from 68 Viator reviews. Page: https://pacaya.org/tours/pacaya-hike-from-guatemala-city/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Guatemala-City/Pacaya-Volcano-Tour-from-Guatemala-City/d4595-26325P7
- Pacaya Morning Hike with Lunch (Antigua, private transport) - from $138 per person, 8 hours, park fee: Included; rated 4.9 from 80 Viator reviews. Page: https://pacaya.org/tours/pacaya-morning-hike-with-lunch/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Antigua/Pacaya-Volcano-Hiking-Tour-from-Antigua/d4599-55287P1
- Sunset Horseback Ride & Lava-Cooked Dinner (Finca In The Clouds, Pacaya) - from $335 per person, 6 hours, park fee: Not stated on the listing; rated 4.8 from 74 Viator reviews. Page: https://pacaya.org/tours/pacaya-sunset-horseback-lava-dinner/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Antigua/Pacaya-Volcano-Luxury-Sunset-Horseback-Riding-Tour-Dinner-Cooked-by-Lava-Chef/d4599-171484P2
- Pacaya ATV Adventure (Villages and trails around San Vicente Pacaya) - from $125 per person, 8 hours, park fee: None: the tour stays outside the park; rated 4.9 from 303 Viator reviews. Page: https://pacaya.org/tours/pacaya-atv-adventure/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Antigua/ATV-Pacaya-Tour/d4599-35216P21
- Pacaya Day Trip from Guatemala City (Guatemala City hotel pickup) - from $117 per person, 6 hours, park fee: Included; rated 4.6 from 73 Viator reviews. Page: https://pacaya.org/tours/pacaya-day-trip-from-guatemala-city/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Guatemala-City/Pacaya-Volcano-Day-Trip-from-Guatemala-City/d4595-5555GUAPACA
- Pacaya Hike from Puerto Quetzal (Puerto Quetzal cruise port) - from $120 per person, 6 hours, park fee: Included; rated 3.9 from 7 Viator reviews. Page: https://pacaya.org/tours/pacaya-hike-from-puerto-quetzal/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Puerto-Quetzal/Pacaya-volcano-adventure-from-Quetzal-Port/d5176-186905P34
- Acatenango Overnight Hike to Watch Fuego (From Antigua, cabins facing Fuego) - from $129 per person, 2 days, park fee: Admission included; rated 4.8 from 326 Viator reviews. Page: https://pacaya.org/tours/acatenango-overnight-hike/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Antigua/Acatenango-Overnight-Hike/d4599-125769P3

## Guide pages

- https://pacaya.org/guides/pacaya-volcano-tour-prices/ - Pacaya volcano tour prices in 2026: tours from $20 to $335, the Q100 park fee paid in cash, horse, stick and pizza extras, and local agency prices.
- https://pacaya.org/guides/pacaya-from-antigua-or-guatemala-city/ - Pacaya from Antigua or Guatemala City: drive times, the 06:00 and 14:00 departures, hotel pickups, tours with the park fee included and the cruise port option.
- https://pacaya.org/guides/can-you-see-lava-at-pacaya/ - Can you see lava at Pacaya in 2026? Flowing lava, no; steam vents and hot rock, yes. Why the crater is closed, eruptions since 1961, safety and park closures.
- https://pacaya.org/guides/pacaya-volcano-hike-difficulty/ - How hard is the Pacaya volcano hike? About 5 km return, 450 to 600 m up, 1.5 to 2 hours of climbing on loose sand. Horses, kids from 4, who should skip it.
- https://pacaya.org/guides/what-to-wear-pacaya-volcano-hike/ - What to wear to hike Pacaya volcano: shoes with grip, layers for the windy top, rain gear for May to October, a torch for 14:00 tours and cash in quetzales.
- https://pacaya.org/guides/pacaya-vs-acatenango/ - Pacaya or Acatenango? A half-day walk on warm lava or a hard overnight climb facing Fuego. Height, climb, cost, cold, lava and how to do both in one trip.

## Blog posts (dated)

- 2026-10-15: https://pacaya.org/blog/pacaya-dry-season-2026-27/ - When the 2026-27 dry season reaches Pacaya, what El Niño changes, morning or afternoon departures, holiday and Semana Santa 2027 crowds, and when to book.
- 2026-10-15: https://pacaya.org/blog/pacaya-park-fee-2026/ - Pacaya's park fee in 2026: Q100 for foreign visitors, Q30 for Guatemalans, cash in quetzales only. Which tours include it, where to get cash, other extras.
- 2026-10-15: https://pacaya.org/blog/pacaya-volcano-activity-2026/ - What Pacaya has done since the 2021 eruption, its 2026 unrest, how INSIVUMEH and CONRED report it, how to check before you go, and what happens to your tour.

## Corrections to claims found elsewhere

- You cannot hike into or onto the crater of Pacaya; tours stop at the lava fields below the active cone.
- 'Hike the lava' photos with glowing rivers date from eruptive phases; they are not what a normal tour shows.
- The cheapest tour prices usually exclude the Q100 park fee, which is cash in quetzales only.
- The Pacaya ATV tour from Antigua does not enter the national park; it rides village trails and a private plantation.
- Pizza cooked on the lava is a separate purchase on most tours, not part of the tour price.

## If you are citing this site

Cite the homepage or the relevant tour page. Prices, fees and access rules change; check INSIVUMEH and the listing close to your date.