One of the main reasons why anyone should do hikes in Guatemala is for is natural beauty.
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But you may find yourself with so many options that it isn’t easy to decide which day hikes to do in Guatemala. I’m Guatemalan and have been hiking for over a year and a half and still haven’t managed to see all of the natural attractions.
I also find that there isn’t always time to go out and spend two or three days of hiking and camping. This is especially true if you are a tourist in Guatemala and find yourself with limited time.
From Pacaya Volcano to Acatenango Volcano and everything in between, here are 5 of the best day hikes that you can do, that take you to some amazing places in Guatemala!
See our recommendations for a day hiking packing list
Pacaya Volcano
What Makes Pacaya Volcano such a special hike:
With this hiking experience you get to walk on top of lava rivers that have solidified. This incredible volcano hike is a must when visiting Pacaya Volcano. Just be careful when doing a day trek on lava fields.
You may also find holes where you can see lava flows or gases coming out. You are also allowed a few meters away from the active crater.
I recommend doing an overnight trip to see the sun setting or an overnight hike to see the stars. You can bring marshmallows and roast them over the lava flows! Or you can opt to hike for sunrise. This epic volcano hike is sure to be a memorable experience whatever you choose.
After a solid hiking experience viewing lava flows at Pacaya Volcano, you can visit Kawilal Hot Springs to relax your aching muscles. Antigua offers a hot spring experience with a collection of 12 soaking pools from hot springs, 25 steam baths for natural saunas, and 3 hydrotherapy baths, price varies.
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate Hike. Pacaya Volcano has 2,500 meters of elevation gain at its highest point. The town of San Vicente Pacaya from where hikes start is at 1,680 meters. In total the hike takes from three to three and a half hours, two going up and one going down this awesome volcano hike.
How to do this hike: The road is pretty well marked because you’re hiking an active volcano. It’s better to have a guide when walking on lava fields.
You can book your tour here. The Pacaya Volcano tour makes it super easy for you as it includes ground transportation and the admission fee.
It’s one of those hiking tours you don’t want to miss. Both mobile and paper vouchers are accepted.
Food: There are a few stores selling snacks at Pacaya Volcano. Not really proper food, so bring yours to the town located right where the trail starts. Water can be bought at those stores too.
Best time of year: November to March – during the dry season
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Acatenango Volcano
What makes Acatenango Volcano such a special hike:
This is the best lookout point to its active neighbor, Volcan Fuego (which happens to be the volcano that Laurel named her cat after). Enjoy luscious cloud forests as you hike up.
On a good day, from its highest point, you also get fantastic views of Pacaya Volcano, Volcan De Agua, and all of the volcanoes around Lake Atitlan, and parts of the lake too. The vegetation is also gorgeous.
Acatenango Volcano is my favorite Guatemalan volcano to hike so far and is only about one hour away from Antigua Guatemala. It is one of the best hikes in Guatemala. Its stunning views are just perfect for day trips.
Difficulty: Moderate/Difficult Hike. Volcan Acatenango is the third highest volcano in Guatemala. When you hike it, try to start as early as possible, before 8 am to experience panoramic views and vistas of mountains.
Getting up to the crater can take ~5 hours and the walk down 3 hours or more. By starting early, you get to take your time and actually enjoy the place before the sun goes down.
How to do this hike: You need a guide for this one as it is a challenging hike. There is a main touristic route, but it is connected to several older and much harder hiking options.
It’s easy to get lost. Plus the highest parts can be extremely dangerous when the weather is bad and visibility is reduced.
You can hire a guide from a Guatemalan mountain guiding service that I use for all my guided hikes.
If you’re feeling really ambitious you can do the Trilogy – a 3-volcano hike. If you don’t mind a journey time of 5-7 hours that is. Another option is to just do Acatenango Volcano.
Food: There are small stores in the town of La Soledad, where the hike starts. But again, they don’t sell much more than water and chips. So be prepared by bringing your food.
Best time of year: November to March. The dry season is when you get some of the most brilliant views.
NOTE: Bring waterproof and warm clothes. The weather is unpredictable, and if it happens to be bad, temperatures can drop as low as -2C°.
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Ipala Volcano and Lagoon
What makes Ipala Volcano Such a special hike:
When you finally get up to the crater you find this beautiful crater lake. This stunning lake is a great place to have a picnic and be sure to cool down with a swim in the pool. The entire lake is simply breathtaking.
Difficulty: Easy Hike. Ipala is a tiny, tiny volcano at just 1650 meters. The hike up to the mesmerising crater lake only takes about two hours.
How to do this hike: The trail of this fantastic volcano hike is well marked and the walk is short so you don’t need a guide. If you’re unsure, you can always hire one to be safe.
Food: Just as for the other hikes, bring your food unless you want to spend the day eating chips. Water is available where the walk starts.
Best time of year: November to March, when it’s dry.
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Tajumulco Volcano
What makes Tajumulco Volcano such a special hike: You can’t be a hiking enthusiast, exploring Guatemala and not come here! The trail takes you along forests, prairies, and rocky terrains.
Once you get to the crater of Volcan Tajumulco, when the weather allows it, you can see Mexico on one side and El Salvador on the other. If you look closely on a clear day, you may even see the Pacific coast.
Difficulty: Moderate Hike. Despite it being the highest among volcanoes in Central America, it’s close to a small town called Sibinal. It only takes ~4 hours to get to the summit.
How to do this hike: Because the weather can be so unpredictable and trails aren’t well marked you need a guide.
Food: I feel like a broken record at this point, but I need to say this again. Come prepared with enough food. Stores only provide snacks and uncooked stuff. You can buy water and soda at those stores.
Best time of year: November to March, when it’s dry.
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Los Amates Waterfall
What makes Los Amates such a special hike: This waterfall is formed by a river that falls from a 35-meter tall rock wall. Aside from enjoying the gorgeous views, you get to swim in the pools so bring your bathing suit.
Difficulty: Moderate. To reach the waterfalls takes ~ a 3-hour trip across small rivers. Start the hike early in the morning so you have some time to spend at the waterfall.
How to do this hike: You need a guide for this. It can be easy to get lost along the trails. Lots of local tourist agencies that offer this trip also include the equipment for you to do some rappelling in the waterfall!
Food: Once more, come ready with your food. You can always buy some extra water before you start. Best time of year: November to March when it’s dry.
NOTE: Wear fresh clothes and bring more water than normal. The weather here is scorching.
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There you have it, the five best day hikes in Guatemala.
If you only had time for one, then I’d recommend hiking Acatenango Volcano, but hopefully, you enjoy Guatemala and Guatemala City so much that you’ll be able to fit in at least a couple of these incredible hikes!
Lourdes is a soon to be lawyer from Guatemala with the mission to explore each corner of the country. Her favorite activity is hiking along with exploring mountains, forests, caves, volcanoes and all that the region has to offer. Her goal is to reach as many summits around the world as she can. You can also find her on facebook, twitter, and Instagram.
