Volcan De Fuego
Easily my favourite activity in the whole of Guatemala and up there in my top 10 experiences to date. Volcan De Fuego sits 16 km West of Antigua and peaks at an altitude of 3768 metres. It is an active Stratovolcano and erupts every 15 minutes!
Many tour companies operate from Antigua and usually charge around £60pp. Most tours will provide breakfast on the morning of the hike, packed lunch, as well as dinner with some wine. They will also provide breakfast on the morning of your descent.
The hike takes 2 days in total.
Day 1
You will meet up in Antigua, eat breakfast and top up on fluids and snacks. Next, you will travel to base camp and meet up with your experienced guides. The guides will have rental kit available, such as walking poles and head torches (I highly recommend renting this gear). You will then receive a safety briefing and start the ascent.
The climb takes 6-8 hours with many breaks to ensure the group stays together. There are plenty of photo opportunities and lots of friendly dogs on the way. Once you reach your accommodation near the summit you can have time to chill, socialise and enjoy some wine. The guides will cook dinner, light a bonfire and maybe even play some music whilst you sit back and admire the, almost, constant lava spewing out of the crater.
Day 2
You will wake up at 4 am to reach the summit. This is potentially the hardest part of the whole hike, freezing temperatures and pitch black dark with sketchy tracks. But so worth it, you will reach the summit just before sunrise. The view of the sunrise whilst Volcan De Fuego erupts is really something special.
I did my tour through Tropicana Hostel. We also stayed there the night before and I can highly recommend it. I will link below along with a few tours which also have great reviews.
Hobbitenango
An absolutely must-do for any Lord of the Rings fans. If you are a Middle Earth fanatic like myself then Hobbitenango is the place for you. Nestled in the hills with amazing volcano views, this eco-friendly village is a great day out.
Hobbitenango was founded by two Guatemalans who were massive Lord Of The Rings fans whilst also being super eco-conscious. They had a vision of creating a hobbit-style, eco-friendly village… and it’s certainly turning out that way! There is an on-site restaurant, eco-hotel and so many fun activities such as crazy golf, axe throwing, live music and rope swing. We even met Gandalf!
They run shuttles from Guatemala for 45Q per person. Tickets can be bought on the Hobbitenango website or in the office.
Walking Tour
There are so many great walking tours offered throughout Antigua, focused on all different talking points. These tours run through the beautiful streets of Antigua, giving you a chance to admire the stunning colonial architecture located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site town.
Some of the paid tours include food as well as pick up and drop off and can last the full day. I tend to just do the free walking tours which last a few hours but still are just as insightful. It’s always a good idea to take a bit of cash to tip your tour guide!
Hill Of The Cross
This stunning viewpoint sits 300 ft above the city and is a 2-mile round walk from the city centre. Once you reach the top, if the skies are clear, you’ll have a stunning, panoramic view of the city. The walk is clearly marked out but will also show up on maps if you head to the city centre and look north.
The cross is pretty hard to miss if you look up to the hills!
Toast Marshmallows on Volcano Pacaya
Another once in a lifetime experience and one I’m sure not many have done!
Don’t worry if you’re not a fan of marshmallows – I’m sure you can join solely for the hike. There are many tour operators offering a Volcano Pacaya experience, the tour provider will arrange pick up and drop off to your accommodation.
After an early start, you will complete the hike to the lava flows, where you can admire the hot rock. Horse and mule rental is also available if you need an extra bit of help.
It is recommended that you bring comfortable clothes and snacks for the journey. This trip will take around 7 hours so ensure you get a good night’s sleep before and bring plenty of water! This is a great opportunity to see one of the many active volcanoes in the area, plus it is less exerting than Volcan De Fuego.
Click here to book the tour through Viator, we had to pick up and drop off and tour guides included, the price is well worth it!
Go on a Bar Crawl
If partying is your thing then there is plenty of this going on in Antigua! The calm cobbled streets certainly come alive at night. There are so many hidden doorways leading through to giant courtyards with funky music and impressive light shows – so keep your eyes peeled!
Some of these hidden clubs and bars can be borderline impossible to find. So, I would highly recommend signing up to a bar crawl, that way someone with the know-how can guide you to all the best spots. This is a great way to socialise and trade stories with other travellers and you usually get drinks provided as part of the tour!
Tropicana Hostel offers one of the best and most social bar crawls!!
Antigua Flea Market
This market is massive and sells absolutely everything. I got lost here for almost a full day and despite leaving with 3 full bags of clothes and other essentials, I only came out £20 poorer. You can negotiate great deals with the local sellers and really immerse yourself in Guatemalan culture.
Antigua is probably the best place to shop in the whole of Central America, there is so much authentic art available as well as souvenirs and thrift clothing. All of this comes together in Antigua Flea Market and creates a unique shopping experience!
Visit the Chocolate Museum
You can enter and have a look around the ChocoMuseo for free, there are plenty of staff to show you around if required.
However, if you would prefer a more hands-on approach, such as a chocolate workshop where you make your own chocolate bar and taste Mayan-style cacao drinks, then there is a tour available that offers just that!
In the Chocolate Workshop, you take the cacao from bean to bar. If you are a chocolate lover like myself then this will be a great experience. Honestly, I’d eaten my chocolate bar before the workshop was even finished.
Do a Cooking Class
Another great way to spend a day, is there are many great cooking classes throughout Antigua. I love these classes, they are a great way for the locals to make some income whilst passing on generations of knowledge.
You will learn cooking skills that you’ll never forget, whilst creating memories with locals. I guarantee you will definitely finish the day with a full belly!
Book private group classes through Viator here!
Do a Food Tour
These tours will show you the traditional foods you may not get the chance to sample otherwise. You also get the opportunity to walk around the bustling streets and see Antigua like the locals do. You can meet some of the vendors working behind the food stalls, whilst learning the history of these beautiful dishes.
These tours are a great opportunity to socialise whilst meeting like-minded travellers. You can even complement the food with a few beers on your way around!
Read more of our Guatemala articles HERE.
Leave a Reply