Volcán de Fuego - Guatemala
One of them is Volcán de Fuego, an extremely active volcano that lies less than 10 miles east from Antigua. Example? On June 2018 killed 198 people and hundreds missing. On August 2018 made 4000 people loose their homes. But don't worry so much!! Fuego is famous for being almost constantly active at a low level. Small gas and ash eruptions occur every 15 to 20 minutes, but larger eruptions are rare. Andesite and basalt lava types dominate, and recent eruptions have tended to be more mafic than older ones.
It’s possible to hike sections of the 12,345-foot (3,763-m) Fuego Volcano, although doing so will depend on the volcano’s current level of activity. The hike is a difficult and technical climb that ascends along the saddle of the volcano. Hikes typically start in farmland, lead through cloud forests, and wind into high alpine meadows before reaching tree line. Stop along the steep slopes of Fuego just short of the crater—getting any closer than this is dangerous.
How to visit:
Most guided tours leave from Antigua. If you are not using a guiding comapany, you can get to Fuego from two different directions:
From Antigua, Guatemala drive to Ciudad Vieja (5 Km) and then continue on to Alotenango (2 Km). The trail is steep and rocky, starting at about 1400 m near Alotenango and ascending to Fuego's summit (3763) in about 9 km traversing along the Quebrada San Jose, along a trail. It takes 8-10 hours of hard work.
Another option is to drive to Ciudad Vieja from Antigua and then, along a dirt road to Soledad (2400m) on the northern flank of Acatenango (Route 10 from Ciudad Vieja to Yepocapa). This route ascends Acatenango (3976 m) first, then descends to the col between (3280 m) the two volcanoes before ascending again to Fuego. Most people spend the night on Acatenango, using the first day (4-6 hours) to climb it. Then they get up early for the climb to Fuego.
Many climbers go up by the first route and then descend by the second. The 2 routes are the Alotenago Route and the La Soledad Route. No permits are required, but there are times when access to Fuego may be restricted because of volcanic activity. Late November to early April is the dry season, and the best time to climb.
If you're looking for a tour (probably that's the best thing you can do if you don't know what you are doing):
Happy journeys in Guatemala!
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