Pacaya Volcano Morning Tour from Antigua
Overview
Available languages
8 hours
Mobile ticket
Pacaya, one Guatemala’s youngest volcanoes, offers hikers a unique glance into the geologic center of the earth on this 8-hour small-group tour. A relatively easy climb of 1.5 hours brings you to the fertile shelf just below the cinder cone called “la Meseta.” From here you get an awesome view of recent lava flows. You will explore these lava fields, and as the smoking crater looms above, the environment quickly changes to resemble that of an extraterrestrial setting. Enjoy a freshly prepared lunch while gazing at the views before you make your way back down. Tour includes private transport, all entry fees, all guide fees, a fresh lunch, and a 1st aid trained bilingual guide.
Additional Info
Service animals allowed
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Minimum age for travelers is 6 years old
A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Antigua
Hike Guatemala's most accessible active vocano, Volcán de Pacaya. Set in its own National Park, Pacaya is a storybook volcano with a continuous plume of smoke drifting from its summit and a massive dried lava field forming the valley at the base of its caldera.
Pacaya Volcano
Our group meets at Old Town Outfitters Shop in Antigua at 08:00hrs where drinking water, bathroom facilities and retail outdoor equipment are available for our clients. Our drive to the trailhead is just over 1-hour in private transport from Antigua to the Park Office. As our group moves up the myriad of trails on the mountain, Guatemala’s impressive vistas open up before us. As we reach the base of the caldera, our guide will direct the group through the rugged dried lava fields. Our group will stop for a freshly prepared picnic to enjoy along with views of nearby volcanoes Agua, Fuego and Acatenango. Our hike down brings across the remaining dried lava fields before we begin our descent through Pacaya’s lush and lesser known forests and farmland. After arriving back at the trailhead, our group returns to Antigua by private transport to arrive in town at ~16:00hrs.
What‘s Included
Professional guide
National Park fees
All taxes, fees and handling charges
Pickup and drop-off from designated meeting points
Lunch
Transport by private vehicle
Local driver/guide
Gratuities
Options
Pacaya Volcano Morning Tour from Antigua
Reviews
78 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Super great hike—best horse ride!
Paul G,Mar 9, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00The uphill climb was a bit hard but I’m 68. So I got a ride up the volcano on Chocolate, the horse. A very gentle horse. Once on top the view was amazing. Walking down the other side was easy. And the lunch waiting for us was great. The guides were so friendly and informative. I highly recommend going with a tour so you get the story.
This hike was fantastic,...
Alex L,Mar 3, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This hike was fantastic, our guide David was great, he gave us information on the volcanoes as we hiked and was very knowledgeable. The hike is challenging but most of the way up is shaded and we didn't feel rushed and could stop whenever needed, the way down was pretty much direct sun however the decline made that much easier- bring a hat! I chose this tour as opposed to others as lunch was offered so we didn't have to worry about packing something ourselves. Was very nice to have a picnic with a view of the volcanoes!
Excellent experience, without so much effort
945rafaelh,Feb 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great views and after about 2.5 km you arrive at the lava area which is spectacular from there you see the super close colossus emanating some gases and steam and then you go down doing a total of just under 6 km in total walking. It's worth a lot.
Couldn't ask for a better day!
daney2508,Jan 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I highly recommend this tour. Our driver Lester got us there and was fantastic. Melvin was Our guide up and was amazing. Picture perfect day with roasted marshmallows and a picnic lunch. The whole day was stress free for us. They thought of everything.
Just do it!
lynnk262,Jan 1, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A most beautiful and a bit challenging hike (for me) but totally worth the effort. Francisco was an excellent guide and chef. He helped us understand the volcanoes of Guatemala and prepared a colorful spread of food for lunch. This activity is highly recommended.
Beautiful Pacaya Hike
Krishna P,Dec 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great hike. The route we took was mostly shaded until we reached the final point of the hikes. Beautiful views, well maintained trails. Very nice to see the terrain transition from lush green with all kinds of trees to the barren land with volcanic rocks and no vegetation near the end of hike. Our guides Christa and Heidi were excellent. They prepared fresh lunch at top for our group- tostadas; that was a real treat. I would highly recommend this tour.
A great experience but be prepared for an incline hike!
Alicia W,Nov 17, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Not for the faint of heart but definitely a must do experience. Getting to theophylline of the trail can be difficult especially if you like me are not an experienced hiker. But worth it at the end. There is also the option to rent a horse to take you up. So I would budget an extra 80-100 USD in case you cannot manage the 2-3 hour hike each way. Going down as you may imagine is definitely easier than going up. Make sure to pack a raincoat, sweater and hiking boots. Our guides Rudy and David did their best to take a slow pace but it was still quite challenging. Would not recommend for small children, pregnant women or people who have limited mobility.
589keishan,Jul 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00lA very nice, rewarding hike. Nothing too challenging but still nice to do. The views were really beautiful and the volcano was so fascinating. Our guide Vini was super knowledgeable and passionate about his job!! Had great conversations and he was all around a great guide - great chef as well! Thanks again, will definitely be back for another hike with Vini!
Excellent Experience But Not Confident Old Town Outfitters is the Best Organizational Option
tracyanncurtis,May 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00The one day trek up to Acantenango (not Pacaya) Volcano was outstanding thanks to our guide DAVID from Old Town Outfitters. David's youthful energy, love of the volcano and knowledge made the day very enjoyable. Not sure about Old Town Outfitters despite the staff at the office being helpful and knowledgable, and our guide excellent. Both were very good communicators and kept in touch on WhatsApp so there were no misunderstandings - even when we had to shift dates due to thunder storms. Their one day trek is extremely expensive even by USA standards ( almost $400 USD for 2 people for one day hike.) We live on Kauai and this much more than local hiking here with a guide). We are not confident that the company is sharing their wealth. We say this because their camp (where we had lunch) was substandard and we were overwhelming relieved we did not do their overnight hike to Acantenango (which was advised by them). We are okay with outhouse toilets when camping but theirs was sickening. Not using their outhouse during lunch was a much better option. Their tent kitchen was filthy and garbage littered the camp. Their equipment - hiking poles which we were told could be provided - was broke and only one pole worked. It felt like this company does not invest in the foundation of the experience. I can only hope their guides are getting paid well - but I wonder. They didn't do anything extra for this expense. For example, having a thermos of hot tea or coffee at their 5 am pick up would have been a nice touch, as would have been cold water or drinks in the pick up car at the end of a 11 hour hike. Nothing! The hike is intense and it's advised to use poles coming down as you are on sand-like ash up and down the hike. Old Town Outfitters was recommended to me and I wish I would have done more research before I committed to using them.
A wonderful experience
Prister9,Apr 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Angel was great. He was very knowledgeable and was full of facts and information. We really enjoyed it a lot. The lunch at the top was an added bonus .
From US$138.47
Want a private experience? Upgrade to a private tour
Related Experiences
Operated by OLD TOWN OUTFITTERS