“It’s not good that you sit on the road because you will no longer grow…”
Mayan Proverb
The day started as a warm but cloudy morning. I had just woken up from my Airbnb in Antigua and packed my backpack after a light breakfast, then awaited the bus ride as the clock ticked. The bus came, greetings were exchanged, and off we went.
We started at the bottom close to a small town at the foot of volcano, and were hiking uphill for a total of 6-7 hours with several breaks in the middle. Weather was cloudy but we were thankful it wasn’t raining heavily as we went up! Oxygen was low as you went up, coupled with a steep climb. The thought of quitting screams through your body, but your mind (and your supportive group) talks you out of it. Only forwards and upwards!
Once we were finally up at the camp (13’000 feet/3’800 meters above sea level), it was pretty foggy and cold and it started to rain heavily, but a few hours later everything cleared up and we were welcomed by the most magnificent view you would ever see in your life. The volcano was erupting with full force every 20 minutes, spewing lava and rocks high up with the force of an angry divine wrath. It is the moment that you forget all the pain and fatigue, for one thought just crosses your mind: I MADE IT, AND IT’S SO WORTH IT…
We spent the night around a camp fire in front of the volcano, gulping our dinners and then tucking ourselves into our sleeping bags in a sizable cabin, the volcano still shaking the ground and piercing our ears with its roar. Although sleep was rare, I tended to be fixated by the awe of nature and the dance of violence and peace happening in front of my unbelieving eyes…
Welcome to Guatemala!
Itinerary
- I landed in Guatemala City International Airport, from their I directly took a private car to my final destination, Antigua, that took around 2-3 hours
- Antigua: a city with vibrant colonial architecture (including the most interesting McDonald’s and Starbucks!). A small town just a bus ride from the capital, Guatemala City. Stayed in this town for a few nights, mostly as a base to climb the nearby active volcanos. The city itself is great to walk around and go back in time.
- Volcán de Acatenango: The most well-known and the toughest one to climb, it is situated right in front of Volcán de Fuego, the violently active volcano. Hands down the highlight of my trip! The intro paragraph talks about the details of the climb itself.
- Lago de Atitlán (Atitlán Lake): a 3 hour bus ride from Antigua, this lake is the deepest lake in all of Guatemala and contains a myriad of small vibrant towns right around it that you can access through water taxis. I stayed in San Pedro La Laguna (mostly a party town) to relax after a grueling climb but then went to San Marcos La Laguna (yoga/hippie town) and San Juan La Laguna (Artistic town). Each town offers a unique style of things to see and do. One of the most beautiful bodies of water I have ever seen, rivaling Italy’s Lake Como in my opinion.
- Flores: Situated in the north of country, I flew here from Guatemala City but you can take a direct bus from anywhere. The highlight of this town is Tikal, an ancient Mayan city with pyramids buried deep in the jungle just an hour away by bus. The small island of Isla de Flores itself is lovely and vibrant at night.
A Few Tips
- There are many ways to go around cities in Guatemala. I personally used the website www.guatego.com to reserve all of my trips, and they have great prices and the ability to use a credit card to pay for it. Plus it was safe and guaranteed! You can also take public buses if you want to be even more adventurous for a considerably cheaper price (if you do not mind the crowdedness).
- Guatemala is unbelievably affordable! My volcano excursion, which includes the 3 meals, warm clothing, transportation, a guide, sleeping bags/tents, all in total cost me 300 quetzales (about 40 USD!). Everything else was also super cheap and so no need to break the bank for a wonderful experience!
- The volcano climb, while it was an amazing excursion with the most breath-taking views I have ever seen, is incredibly difficult if you are not fit or trained for it. It is a steep climb at almost 45-degree angle and at high altitude with rain, low temperatures, and low oxygen levels (the rain can make the volcanic ground slippery too). Plus, you are carrying a heavy bag on your back. This is not to discourage you, but to make you aware and be prepared. I am pretty fit but it knocked the breath out of me! It helps to pace yourself and go at your own, slow pace. Also, being in a smaller group helps (mine had 6 people total only) so you won’t be lost or left behind.
- When planning some type of excursion, I opted to go to local travel agents rather than online websites, which I found to be more expensive. I have seen this pattern throughout some of my travels, but it is not the rule, so make your own research and judgement.
- I have said this before and I will say it again (and will repeat in future posts), the best way to pay for things is through a credit card with 0% foreign exchange fee, if possible. Do keep some cash (USD or Guatemalan quetzales) in hand as some vendors don’t take credit cards.
- Guatemala is well known to host Spanish exchange programs (especially in Antigua), and that is super helpful since the Guatemalan accent is pretty neutral and therefore intelligible! (It did help that I spoke Spanish throughout).
- There are so many other places in Guatemala that I would have loved to explore, but were sort of out of the way and I could not make it in the time frame I had. One of those places that I would love to visit in the future is Semuc Champey, a beautiful isolated place in the center of the country that is only accessible by road. Every body I have met there recommended highly that I pay it a visit if I can. If you can make it there, do go!
- Carry some basic medical supplies for food poisoning (happened to me). Make sure to eat from reputable sources only and not street food, unless verified by a local.
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