Day 1: 21.11.09
Main Activity: Arrival to Guatemala,
Description: Upon arrival in Guatemala City we pick you up and transfer back to Antigua and check into our hotel.
Accommodations: Las Camelias
Meals:
N/A
Day 2: 22.11.09
Main Activity: Pacaya Volcano day hike transfer to Xela
Description: The active Pacaya (2552m. / 8373ft.). Set in its own national park which also contains the Amatitlan lake, Pacaya is a storybook volcano with a continuous plume of smoke drifting from its summit. It is a 1½ hour drive to the trailhead beneath the peak, beyond which our walk starts out very easily, through delightful woodland. The ascent culminates in a final, steeper section of trail on cinder scree. The ascent is neither difficult nor long, taking around 2 hours. The prevailing state of Pacaya’s volcanic activity will dictate how close we can get to the edge of its summit crater. After descending the volcano we will load up and head out to Guatemala’s second largest town of Quetzaltenango
Accommodations: Hotel Modelo
Meals: Breakfast,
Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: 23.11.09
Main Activity: Santa Maria overnight
Description: The ascent of Guatemala’s third highest volcano, begins with a bumpy ride for one hour to Soledad at 7,680 feet. The climb is quite steep, but continually interesting, as we pass through four different zones of vegetation beginning in the cornfields of La Soledad and traversing bamboo-clad slopes, then cloud forest and finally pine forest, before reaching the summit cone. We plan to have lunch at the summit. The view from the 12,723 foot-high summit is very impressive, with all of our ‘Magnificent four’ volcanoes visible; from distant Tajumulco to the nearby and spectacularly active Fuego and pacaya. This promises to be one of the more remarkable places you will ever have lunch, with the sight of Fuego blowing rocks and dense black clouds into the stratosphere being particularly unforgettable. .
Accommodations: Campsite on summit of Santa Maria
Meals:
L,D
Day 4:
24.11.09
Main Activity: Down Santa Maria and transfer to Tajumulco base camp
Description: A couple hours back down off the mountain and back to Xela in time for a big lunch. We’ll get cleaned up and head out to the base camp on Tajumulco where we will set up camp again and enjoy the views and a nice sunset.
Accommodations: Tajumulco base camp
Meals: B,L,D
Day 5: 25.11.09
Main Activity: Tajumulco Volcano
Description: We make our ascent on the highest of Guatemala’s volcanoes. The trekking today is not difficult but we do have a longish day. We begin traversing beautiful forest trails, and then a pine studded ridge to a shoulder below the final summit cone, reached in 4 hours from our start point. From here it is a steep climb of 20 – 30 minutes to the lowest point of the crater rim followed by a short scramble to the highest point in Central America at 4219m. / 13,842ft. The summit views over the surrounding countryside and eastwards along the volcanic chain are quite breathtaking. We descend to a very pleasant and sheltered campsite with great views.
Accommodations: Campsite on Tajumulco summit
Meals: B, L, D
Day 6: 26.11.09
Main Activity: Down off Tajumulco and Transfer to Lake Atitlan
Description: After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll head out from the campsite and nmake our way back down this beautiful mountain and head to Lake Atitlan. It’s a long day back from tajumulco but time permitting we’ll stop for a few breaks to stretch the legs. Arriving at the lake we will shuttle out theo our hotel and get ready for our next and last objective volcano.
Accommodations: La casa del Mundo
Meals: B,L,D
Day 7: 27.11.09
Main Activity: San Pedro Volcano y transfer to Anitgua
Description: In the early morning, as dawn creeps across the lake, we take a fast boat to the small town of San Pedro. After breakfast here, we drive for 15 minutes to the start of the trail at 1800m. / 5906ft. The path is steep in places as it winds its way, firstly through a large plantation of coffee and then between cornfields, before entering thick cloud forest. The summit of San Pedro affords us a superb view of this truly beautiful place. We take our lunch on the summit before making the descent back to San Pedro where we return to panajachel and catch our transport to Antigua.
Accommodations: Hotel Modelo
Meals: B,LD
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