Antigua, Guatemala, is ringed by active volcanoes. Hiking Acatenango allows a view of the lava erupting from neighboring Fuego, when weather conditions are right. But that hike is strenuous and requires an overnight stay. So we opted for the more kid-friendly option, Volcán de Pacaya.
Along with our dear friends from @wehartstravel, we drove about an hour from Antigua. Then we connected with a guide (guides are required for the hike) and began the 1.5 mile/2.5 kilometer hike to the top. Though Pacaya is the least challenging of the various volcano hikes in this area, it is still pretty strenuous. Especially when you’re five-years-old with little legs, and you’re essentially hiking straight uphill through volcanic sand. But little Caspian was a trooper.
In this week’s video, you’ll see how our hike progressed and what we experienced along the way. At the top, we all got a special treat, cooked with heat coming out of the earth. Wow! That was an experience we won’t forget. There was a large eruption just last year that destroyed several farms, and we share footage of the petrified volcanic rock created from that lava flow.
Watch now:
What’s next?
We are having a wonderful time in Antigua, and Guatemala in general, and are in no hurry to leave. But we do have to keep our visa length in mind. The CA-4 agreement states that we can spend no more than 90 days in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. That means we have to be out of Nicaragua by early July, or find a way to renew our CA-4 visas.
So we’re keeping one eye on the calendar, while really enjoying right where we are. Thank you for coming along with us on this journey around the world. As always, leave your questions in a comment and we’ll happily respond.
-B
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