1.5 days
Duration
Hard
Difficulty
3976 m
Elevation

The Acatenango Overnight Hike is such a special adventure and currently Antigua, Guatemala’s most popular among travelers. Volcan Acatenango is the beautiful beast that started it all for OX back in 2004.  With an elevation of 3976 meters it is the third highest volcano in Central America. This epic hike takes you to the summit of the most beautiful volcano in Guatemala with incredible views of the active Fuego volcano.

DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATIONOX Expeditions office
DEPARTURE TIME6:30 AM
INCLUDED
Rental gearLunch, dinner and breakfast
Fresh coffee
Breakfast before the tour.
Transport
Bi-lingual professional guide
Pre-Trip meeting at 5 PM the day before
Free locker storage for luggage
NOT INCLUDED
Entrance and camping fee Acatenango (Q100)
Guide gratuity

Snacks

WEARHiking clothes (a synthetic base layer, fleece, rain jacket and quick drying leggings or shorts), a good pair of trainers or hiking boots, hat and sunscreen.

Acatenango hike: Overnight

The Acatenango Overnight Trip is for many travelers the highlight of their tour through Central America. Although big and a challenging hike the reward of staying in comfortable wood cabins with stunning views of the active Fuego Volcano is simply amazing. 

Our professional guide team and organized procedures work hard to manage the unpredictable chaos of mother nature to provide a high quality experience. It’s all about the details. We want each and every client to have an enjoyable time no matter where the adventure takes us. Another thing that sets us apart is we really care about the environment. We try to minimise our impact on the fragile volcanic ecosystem that we love so much. The wood used for our campsite came from a sustainable source, we transported it all up the volcano and didn’t use any of the  trees growing on the volcano.  We are also committed to reducing the amount of litter on the volcano in general and offer our clients the opportunity to earn a free T-Shirt if they help use collect litter from the trail on the way back down the volcano.

ACATENANGO OVERNIGHT HIKE : TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

Without doubt the most epic part of this adventure camping experience is watching the Fuego Volcano erupt with lava and a boom from the comfort of your wood cabin!

CRATER RUN CHALLENGE:  Win a Free T-Shirt!   More Info

Acatenango Overnight Hike: Best time to climb

At OX Expeditions we run the Acatenango Guatemala Overnight trip all year round. In Antigua, Guatemala there is a 6 month dry season from November – April, and a 6 month wet season from May – October. However this does not guarantee that you will have great weather in the dry season and bad weather in the wet season! We think it is great to do the Acatenango climb all year round but from Nov – Apr you are more likely to have clear views and less likely to get wet. Having said that in the rainy season it usually is clear and sunny in the morning, clouding over at midday and rains for a couple of hours in the afternoon and then clears up again in the evening. This is why we leave Antigua earlier than other Acatenango tour companies; so we can get to the campsite before the time it usually starts to rain.

 

Acatenango and Fuego hike: The Double Whammy

Want to combine the Acatenango Overnight Hike and Fuego Hike? Then the Double Whammy is for you! We hike to our Acatenango base camp, have a quick rest, leave our camping gear and then head over to Volcan Fuego. First we descend the slopes of Acatenango to the saddle in between the two volcanoes, then we head up onto the shoulder of Fuego volcano. We get as close as is safely possible and weather permitting have a coffee or some wine on the knife-ridge watching the eruptions up close! We then retrace our steps to base camp for some well earned dinner! The next morning we hike to the summit Acatenango for amazing 360 degree views and then head back down to base camp and from there back to base of the volcano.

Book Now, Deposit $29

 

Acatenango Overnight hike: Temperature

The temperature on the Acatenango Tour can vary greatly as can Acatenango’s weather. It can be 20+ degrees Celsius (68+ Farenheit) in the day as you hike up and get down to below 0 degrees Celsius (32F) at night. The coldest (and clearest) months are generally December to February but due to Acatenango’s elevation of 3976m it is cold all year round in the upper parts of the volcano. For this reason we recommend using a 3 layer system and always bringing warm clothes. We can lend you warm clothes if you need them at no extra cost! On our Acatenango Volcano Day Hike the temperature variation is less and you don’t need as many warm clothes, although we still recommend taking a warmer layer for the time we spend at the summit.

Acatenango Volcano Hike: Difficulty

The Acatenango Overnight Hike is difficult. One of the biggest challenges is the elevation; altitude sickness whilst normally not severe can make hiking that much harder. We always recommend being in Antigua Guatemala or a similar elevation (1500m) for at least 48 hours before doing the tour. This will give you body enough time to acclimatize and will make the climb significantly easier. If you are in fairly good shape, have acclimatized and have a good attitude you should be able to do this tour!

You hike for around 4-5 hours on the first day and reach an elevation of 3400m at our Acatenango base camp. Here we rest for the remainder of the day (unless you opt to do the Double Whammy). The next day we get up before down to hike to the summit (1-2 hours) where we take in the amazing views, then it’s back down to base camp for breakfast and finally back to base (3 hours hiking). You are usually back in Antigua, Guatemala at about midday.

The Acatenango Day Trip has a higher difficulty level than the overnight trip as we hike up and down all in the same day; we do however take a different route to the overnight hike. We also leave much earlier (5AM) to give you plenty of time to summit and return before night falls. The whole trip including the shuttle to and from Antigua, Guatemala normally takes 10-12 hours.

Acatenango Overnight hike: Pre trip meeting

For all our Acatenango Overnight tours we have a pre-trip meeting at 5 PM the day before the tour. This is the perfect opportunity for you to meet your guide and fellow hikers and ask any questions you may have. At the meeting we will explain everything about the hike; what you need to bring, what to expect in terms of weather, volcanic activity etc. It is a vital part of our preparation process and ensures you a ready for the adventure of a lifetime.

Acatenango Overnight and Double Whammy tours: What´s the difference?

The Double Whammy Tour is  our Acatenango Volcano Overnight Hike and the Fuego ridge hike. On any of these trips the first and last parts are the same. To start with we all hike to the camp site together; this takes about 5-6hrs and we arrive at around 2 PM. Then the people doing the Double Whammy head over to the shoulder of Fuego and come back to the camp site for dinner (3-4hr round-trip). We all have dinner and wine together and sit around the campfire! Early the next day those doing the Acatenango Overnight or Double Whammy hike up to the summit of Acatenango for sunrise (this is truly magical). Then they come back down to camp and we all have breakfast together, break camp, and head back to the volcano to take the shuttle back to Antigua arriving at about 12:30 – 1 PM.

If you are booked for the Acatenango Overnight Hike you can decide to upgrade to the Double Whammy when you get to our camp site. This gives you the opportunity to see how you a feeling physically and mentally after you have complete the first part of the hike and if you feel up to the challenge! You can pay the difference when you get back to our office in Antigua, Guatemala.

Acatenango last eruption?

The Acatenango volcano has not erupted since circa. 1925 but it’s noisy neighbour Volcan Fuego is constantly erupting with the last major eruption being on June 4th 2018 tragically killing hundreds of people in some of the villages on the volcano’s lower slopes.

Acatenango weather forecast

The weather here is very unpredictable and the forecast in the rainy season (April – October) is nearly always thunderstorms and is often wrong. Each of the volcanoes has its own micro-climate and it is not uncommon for in to be raining in Antigua and not on Acatenango or vice-versa! For this reason we only cancel our Acatenango Volcano Tour if there is a tropical storm or severe weather forecast warning.

Acatenango deaths

On January 8th 2017 6 people tragically died of hypothermia on the Acatenango Volcano. It was reportedly due to mix of factors: the weather on Acatenango changed dramatically for the worst and the hikers were said to have been ill prepared (lacking the correct equipment and knowledge to deal with the inclement weather). It was a terrible accident made all the worse as it could have been prevented. This is why we always stress the importance of doing the trek with a reputable tour company.

 ** Please note that this itinerary can change depending on a variety of factors (weather conditions, group ability etc). Your professional guide will always prioritize the safety of the group. 

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5 PM: Pre-Trip meeting the day before

This is a very important meeting where we prepare you for your big adventure. Meet your guide and the other people on your trip and get answers to any questions you may have.

DAY 1

1

6:30 AM – 7 AM: Meet at OX and packing

We make sure everyone has what they need and it is all properly packed.
2

7 AM – 8.00 AM: Breakfast and coffee

Warm up with some breakfast and coffee.
3

8.00 AM – 9.00 AM: Transport from Antigua to Acatenango volcano

We take the private shuttle to La Soledad which is our starting point for the hike.
4

9:00 AM – 1.00 PM: Hiking

Not every group and not everyday is the same, our itinerary is based on an average timing of our hikes, but everything will depend on the size of the group, level of fitness, and weather. During the hike you will pass through four different zones; farmland, cloud forest, alpine tree forest, and volcanic.
5

1.00 PM – 1.30 PM: Lunch

Time to eat your delicious lunch!
6

1.30 PM – 2.30 PM: Hike to campsite

Traverse around this beautiful volcano to arrive at the campsite
7

2.30 PM – 4.00 PM: Relax

Get some well earned rest with some great views of Volcan Fuego (weather permitting)
8

6.00 PM: Dinner

Enjoy our great pasta with homemade tomate sauce and wash it down with a glass of wine.
9

9:00 PM Relax with a view

Relax around the campfire whilst looking over at the active Volcan Fuego.

                   

DAY 2

1

4 AM – 5.30 AM: Hike to the summit

An early start to ensure we get up to the summit for an unforgettable sunrise!
2

5.30 AM – 6.00 AM: Enjoy the views

The time spent at the summit will depend on the weather conditions, it can get pretty cold and windy up here at times
3

6.00 AM – 8.00 AM: Hike back down to base camp and breakfast

A quick hike back down to our base camp where we will have some hot coffee and breakfast.
4

8.00 AM – 10.30/11.00 AM: Hike back down

It’s time to leave this beautiful volcano and hike back down.
5

11.00 AM – 12.00 AM: Transport back to Antigua

This is an ideal time to share contact info with your new friends or to get a quick nap!
Acatenango Overnight Hike, Fuego Volcano
Acatanengo campsite cabins
Acatenango Overnight Hike Cabins with windows
Acatenango Overnight Hike Antigua, Guatemala
OX Expeditions campsite on Acatenango Volcano, Antigua Guatemala