It’s a steep but steady hour’s climb up a good path through milpas and thickish forest until you suddenly emerge on the lip of an exposed ridge from where you can see the cone in all its brutal beauty. In front of you is a massive bowl of cooled lava, its fossilized currents flowing away to the right; opposite is the cone itself, a jet-black triangular peak that occasionally spews rock and ash. It’s possible to descend, and pick your way carefully across the lava fields until you reach a section that’s oozing molten lava. If you’ve brought a marshmallow along, toast yourself a snack.
Many standard tours don’t allow enough time, but it’s a further 45 minutes to the summit of the cone itself. The route passes between charred stumps of trees, and then up the slippery ashen sides of the cone itself, a terrifying but thrilling ascent, eventually bringing you face to face with bubbling patches of molten magma and minor eruptions (if conditions permit). A noxious brew of sulphurous fumes (that choke the throat) swirls around the lip of the crater and you’ll feel the heat of the ash and lava beneath your feet. The climb certainly shouldn’t be attempted when Pacaya is highly active – check with your tour agency about the state of the eruptions before setting out.
Start planning your trip to Guatemala by first finding out how many days are best to spend in Guatemala.
