Quetzaltrekkers: Tajumulco Volcano Trek

Summary
Day 1
Day 2
Additional Info

Trek Length: 2 days
Price: Q400 donation
Trekking Distance: 12km
Highest Elevation Reached: 4222m!

The mother of Guatemala´s volcanoes, Tajumulco towers some 4222m above sea-level making it the highest point – volcanic or otherwise – in all of Central America. Our trek to her summit offers hikers a true high-alpine experience and the opportunity to enjoy an awe-inspiring sunrise from the best vantage point in the country.

Conquering Tajumulco is no walk in the park. At the uppermost reaches of the volcano, the air is thin, the temperature plummets and the effects of altitude are likely to cause hikers some degree of discomfort. But nothing worth doing was ever easy, right? The reward for those up to the challenge is a 360 degree panoramic view of the entire Western half of Guatemala all the way into Southern Mexico!

With Quetzaltrekkers, you don´t need to be a fitness fanatic or have a swag of mountaineering experience under your belt to attempt the peak. We´ll provide you with all the equipment you require and our friendly volunteer guides will be there to help you throughout the ascent.

We meet in the office before dawn where a pick-up takes us to the city´s main bus terminal. The bus ride to the base of the volcano takes about 2.5hrs in total, which we break up with a hot breakfast in a comedor in the town of San Marcos. When we get off the bus at Tajumulco´s base, we are already at 3000m above sea-level – and it´s only up from there! Not long into the ascent, we find ourselves above the highest reaches of human settlement in Central America and can look back down at the rich patch-work of farmland below. We take plenty of breaks to regulate the change in altitude as the trail gives way to pockets of woodland and grazing pastures before finally breaking into sections of rough, volcanic rock.

In a flat clearing about two thirds of the way up we settle into a sumptuous QT-prepared lunch. After enjoying the views and stretching our legs we push on to base-camp at 4000m above sea-level. After setting up our tents among the Hartweg Pines, there might be time to climb Cerro Concepción and catch a sunset from this, the smaller of Tajumulco´s twin peaks. As the cool night sets in and bright constellations begin to appear in the sky, the guides serve up hot drinks and a pasta dinner around the cook-pot.

The bright stars are still out when we emerge from our tents super early in the morning to ascend the final 220m to the summit. By the light of our headlamps, we traverse the side of the crater before turning up the rocky trail that leads us to the top in time to see the horizon start to lighten in the distance. Congratulations! You are now standing on the roof of Central America!

The sunrise from the bald, moonscape summit surely has to be one of the most impressive in all of Central America. The first rays of light fashion an impressive silhouette from the rugged, volcano studded Guatemalan highlands. We can now see all of Guatemala´s major peaks including Agua, Acatenango, Fuego, Atitlán, San Pedro, Santa María and, just behind us, Tacaná. As the colours spread along the horizon, the far-flung Cuchamatanes Range appears to the north and the conical shadow of Tajumulco itself is cast on the Pacific Slope to the south.

The temperature warms as the sun travels further into the sky and we make our way down to base camp, this time around the other side of the crater. By the time we reach our cluster of tents, a guide already has hot drinks and breakfast ready for us. Then all that is left is to pack up camp and descend an alternative route down the volcano. We have a delicious hearty lunch at a comedor at the base of the mountain before catching our bus back to Quetzaltenango. We arrive back at the office happy, if a little weary, at about 5pm.

Price includes: guides, accommodation, five meals, snacks, water, all equipment rental, transport and local trail-usage fees.

When: the trek is scheduled to take place every weekend, Saturday through Sunday. On-demand treks are often possible. See online schedule for details or contact us.

What to bring:*