Last Chance Volcanoes

Apart from some beautiful and interesting ruins a few blocks away (and a touch expensive at Q30 entrance each), and being such a cute place, Antigua offered a popular day trip to Volcán Pacaya, which promised getting up close and personal with the active volcano's lava flow. Ooh, how could anyone resist at only 8USD inclusive? My roomie had done the tour the day before and suggested bringing marshmallows and investing in a stick that would become handy later. So I signed on.

The group was dropped at the base of the volcano by a shuttle where young kids offered us walking sticks for Q5. Our guide led us up, pausing occasionally to allow us to take in the incredible views (we got to see another volcano in the distance give off some fresh black smoke) and our breath. It was a hard hike for me; probably the hardest hike I've been on. Steep, involving climbing over rocks and pushing against loose sand and gravel. Near the top, it started to get warm, then hot as we passed over cracks in the cooled rock, exposing glowing red lava flowing slowly underneath.

It was mayhem at the top. Too many tourists were clamboring about, stalling in places where the jagged rocks were difficult to scale and therefore, stranding those following in uncomfortably hot spots too near exposed lava. A few people freaked out at seeing the lava river, but it was a unique tour with a great sunset view from the top, and we did get to toast marshmallows over lava.

The walk back down was just as tricky as the hike up, with darkness over us and the gravel sliding under our feet. The sticks were pretty helpful during the descent. A recommended tour, but I do think it was one of the more dangerous I've been on, not so much for the "hiking an active volcano spouting lava" but more for the fact that there were just too many people at the top.