24/04/2026
Chasing lava by night, sunrise by reward 🌋✨
Acatenango was not just a hike — it was a full-on adventure. I went with and honestly, couldn’t have asked for a better local crew to guide the chaos (and the magic).
Day 1: the climb up Acatenango — 6.9 km (4.3 miles) to basecamp, reaching about 3,756 m (12,323 ft). Straight uphill, thin air, legs burning… but every step worth it.
Then came the highlight — the Fuego option hike 🌋
An extra ~5 km (3.1 miles) round trip (2.5 km each way) in the dark, on loose volcanic gravel. And then… BOOM. Lava eruptions lighting up the night sky like nature’s fireworks. Loud, raw, unforgettable.
Day 2: 4am wake-up call for the sunrise summit push — about 1.5 km (0.9 miles) more, climbing up to 3,976 m (13,044 ft). Freezing, windy, steep… but watching the sky turn gold above the clouds with Volcán de Fuego erupting beside you? Pure magic.
Total distance: ~13–14 km (8–8.7 miles)
Max elevation: 3,976 m
Vibe: exhausted but completely alive 🔥
Would I do it again? Absolutely… after a long nap 😅