Conquer Pacaya: Antigua's Ultimate Morning Volcano Adventure

lA very nice, rewarding hike. Nothing too challenging but still nice to do. The views were really beautiful and the volcano was so fascinating. Our guide Vini was super knowledgeable and passionate about his job!! Had great conversations and he was all around a great guide - great chef as well! Thanks again, will definitely be back for another hike with Vini!

The one day trek up to Acantenango (not Pacaya) Volcano was outstanding thanks to our guide DAVID from Old Town Outfitters. David's youthful energy, love of the volcano and knowledge made the day very enjoyable. Not sure about Old Town Outfitters despite the staff at the office being helpful and knowledgable, and our guide excellent. Both were very good communicators and kept in touch on WhatsApp so there were no misunderstandings - even when we had to shift dates due to thunder storms. Their one day trek is extremely expensive even by USA standards ( almost $400 USD for 2 people for one day hike.) We live on Kauai and this much more than local hiking here with a guide). We are not confident that the company is sharing their wealth. We say this because their camp (where we had lunch) was substandard and we were overwhelming relieved we did not do their overnight hike to Acantenango (which was advised by them). We are okay with outhouse toilets when camping but theirs was sickening. Not using their outhouse during lunch was a much better option. Their tent kitchen was filthy and garbage littered the camp. Their equipment - hiking poles which we were told could be provided - was broke and only one pole worked. It felt like this company does not invest in the foundation of the experience. I can only hope their guides are getting paid well - but I wonder. They didn't do anything extra for this expense. For example, having a thermos of hot tea or coffee at their 5 am pick up would have been a nice touch, as would have been cold water or drinks in the pick up car at the end of a 11 hour hike. Nothing! The hike is intense and it's advised to use poles coming down as you are on sand-like ash up and down the hike. Old Town Outfitters was recommended to me and I wish I would have done more research before I committed to using them.

Angel was great. He was very knowledgeable and was full of facts and information. We really enjoyed it a lot. The lunch at the top was an added bonus .

The availability of a horse for the climb was wonderful as I enjoyed the whole trip. Francisco was friendly, knowledgeable and caring of each member of our party. He assisted us in having the best experience. A worthwhile journey. Morning is definitely a better choice as while in Antigua it was cloudy in the afternoons so no visibility for the volcano.

This was a fun trip. The walk is steep but our guide Orlando did a great job and the pace fit our group. Unfortunately, no view at the top but we had a delicious lunch. Recommend Old Towne Outfitters for an enjoyable experience.

Our tour guide Maria was wonderful and so much fun. Our local guide, Veronica, was also a wonderful addition to the hike. It was just 4 of us which made it more personable. The hike is quite steep but they were gracious to stop whenever I needed a break. There are horses if you need a ride up. We had a great lunch, great conversation, and beautiful atmosphere. A wonderful experience.

Amazing views, interesting geology. The marshmallows are warmed rather than roasted, but lunch was delicious.

What an amazing hike! The views were amazing and you need to be an experienced hiker. This was a challenging hike. Maria was so great from her personable nature to her knowledge and amazing lunch. Definitely try to go with her as well as with Cubano.

David was a great host! When we arrived at Pacaya, he met up with Cubanu. Between the two of them, we had an amazing experience. At the highest point of the hike, David prepared a delicious lunch with fresh guacamole and vegetables. As a reward for completing the hardest part of the climb, it was delicious. Simple food done without much fanfare in an amazing location. My kids are still talking about this one days later as one of their favorite activities of our trip to Antigua.

We had a fantastic time on this excursion. We met our guide, Rudy, in Antigua and then we drove an hour to the volcano. The ride was scenic. At Pacaya, we also had a local guide join our group. He was very knowledgeable about the flora and insects. We hiked up to the lava fields and roasted marshmallows over the heat vents from the volcano. Rudy prepared a delicious lunch which we enjoyed at the top. We had a lot of fun! Highly recommend bringing a rain poncho on this trip! It is a moderate difficulty hike with some very steep areas.