Pacaya Volcano Morning Tour from Antigua

Overview

Available languages

English

Spanish

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‘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

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.

1 hour • Admission Not Applicable

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.

7 hours • Admission Included

Options

Pacaya Volcano Morning Tour from Antigua

Reviews

4.90

73 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

A great experience but be prepared for an incline hike!
Alicia W,
Nov 17, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Not 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
5.00
lA 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
3.00
The 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
5.00
Angel 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 .
A trip up the volcano Pacaya
retac2014,
Apr 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
The availability of a horse for the climb was wonderful as I enjoyed the whole trip. Francisco was friendly, knowledgeable and caring of each member of our party. He assisted us in having the best experience. A worthwhile journey. Morning is definitely a better choice as while in Antigua it was cloudy in the afternoons so no visibility for the volcano.
Fun hike to Volcan Pacaya
Flyer30560809447,
Apr 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This was a fun trip. The walk is steep but our guide Orlando did a great job and the pace fit our group. Unfortunately, no view at the top but we had a delicious lunch. Recommend Old Towne Outfitters for an enjoyable experience.
First trip to Antigua
Gabriella N,
Feb 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Our tour guide Maria was wonderful and so much fun. Our local guide, Veronica, was also a wonderful addition to the hike. It was just 4 of us which made it more personable. The hike is quite steep but they were gracious to stop whenever I needed a break. There are horses if you need a ride up. We had a great lunch, great conversation, and beautiful atmosphere. A wonderful experience.
Amazing views,...
cathy w,
Feb 3, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Amazing views, interesting geology. The marshmallows are warmed rather than roasted, but lunch was delicious.
Great hike and amazing guide!
timmP3458QF,
Jan 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
What an amazing hike! The views were amazing and you need to be an experienced hiker. This was a challenging hike. Maria was so great from her personable nature to her knowledge and amazing lunch. Definitely try to go with her as well as with Cubano.
Great excursion with amazing hosts!!
Mitchell K,
Dec 29, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00
David was a great host! When we arrived at Pacaya, he met up with Cubanu. Between the two of them, we had an amazing experience. At the highest point of the hike, David prepared a delicious lunch with fresh guacamole and vegetables. As a reward for completing the hardest part of the climb, it was delicious. Simple food done without much fanfare in an amazing location. My kids are still talking about this one days later as one of their favorite activities of our trip to Antigua.