Excursion au volcan Pacaya et sources chaudes au départ de Guatemala

Cancelled on us within days of our trip, left us scrambling for another tour. It is the only tour I booked with this company and through Expedia. TikalGo through Viator >>>>

They cancelled 30min after the pickup time, when we had been waiting almost 1 hour. Lousy.

The perfect couple! a wonderful experience to explore the Pacaya volcano with a local guide and complete with roasted marshmallows on the volcano, followed by a great lunch and afternoon relaxing at the hot springs! highly recommended experience

No show, no communication, nothing. Didnt even reply or pick up the calls. Wasted a day in Guatemala that we waited for their shuttle that never arrived.

This tour will NOT provide seeing lava or hot springs. It's a hike and being dropped off at a hotel pool

The tour is great, the agency wrote to us a day before to confirm the time and place of pickup, the van operator arrived on time; We left Guatemala and headed to Antigua to pick up other tourists who were waiting there since the tour is shared. Later, they took us directly to the natural park to begin our almost 3-kilometer ascent to the Pacaya volcano. The trail is challenging, it was raining and not all the tourists in the group were prepared, however, in the area they sell ponchos, sticks and rent horses for those who cannot climb on their own. The guide explained the details along the way and we took breaks to catch our breath at our own pace. Once at the top we were able to admire all the natural beauty of the area and go down to the “petrified lava” area where a pleasant surprise awaited us, well We were able to roast chocolates with the steam that still comes out of the place, simply wonderful. During the descent the guide took us along another less challenging path, so that the group would not be at risk of landslides on the mountain due to the rain. The operator waited for us in the parking area and later took us to the hot springs where a delicious lunch awaited us. There are 4 dishes on the menu that are included and a hibiscus or horchata drink, the dish can be: pizza, hamburger with potatoes, barbecue or roast chicken with salad, rice and beans, a delight for any palate; If you require it, you can purchase more products and the prices are affordable. At the end of the meal, they guided us to the “spa” to enjoy the thermal water pools, a well-deserved rest for the body and mind after the previous challenge. Finally our operator took us safely back to Antigua to drop off part of the group and from there to Guatemala City to our drop-off. Before booking this tour I read the comments and realized that there are people who have rated the experience with less than 5 stars, some a single star complaining that they were given Pizza to eat, or that they had to travel a long way in “ They go” to Antigua to pick up other clients, or that the walk was very hard and the weather, when the above is to be expected since you are visiting a “Volcano”, however, if you have read my comment up to this point, then you should know that this experience is fabulous, challenging for your mind and body, but also rewarding because when you reach the top you will know that you triumphed and surpassed yourself. Your reward will be the volcano itself, the amazing panoramic views and then a very good meal, because the flavor is very rich, the dishes are large, the pizza is 8 slices, the hamburger is large with large potatoes, the barbecue chicken is delicious and the refreshing waters, the restaurant and the “spa” are fantastic and without a doubt the most relaxing part of the entire great experience. If you hesitated when reading negative comments, let me tell you that my experience was phenomenal, arguments for the above: -The agency contacted me previously and confirmed the tour in the pickup that “I” selected from their options. -The driver arrived on time and contacted us directly by name and surname. -The driver always drove safely. -The mountain guide follows a certain rhythm, obviously the activity has a time, however, he made all the breaks we required and when we requested it, some of the group stayed far behind and while we waited for them, the rest of us caught our breath. -The mountain guide explained the details to us and allowed us to choose how far to go, it was our decision to reach the final goal, some of the group due to their physical conditions decided not to reach the final goal and there was no problem. -The horses are available at all times for those who cannot climb at a cost to be agreed with the residents, between 45 or 50 USD, in my group a tourist rented his horse and reached the top quickly, even with the rain. -The roads are safe, there are rural police present throughout the journey, we never feel unsafe. -At the top they sell water, sodas, snacks at a cost of 10 quetzales each and there is a free toilet (don't expect luxury, it is a septic toilet, consider that you are at the top of a volcano). -The restaurant and the “spa” are in a very beautiful hotel, with very friendly staff who are always looking out for you. -The “spa” allows you to relax and they give you thermal water therapy (hot and cold) with a specific time designed so that it is long enough and just right. -The “spa” gives you a drink (smoothie), towels, there are showers, lockers, dressing rooms and everything is clean, comfortable and 5-star. -The road trips through the mountains are winding and the driver knows them perfectly and drives very safely, we were never afraid of an accident. In summary: -If you are looking for a “hiking” activity to a volcano with a “medium-high” challenge, Pacaya is your option and without a doubt Grey-Line is the agency to hire. -The tour is “SHARE” of this. -If you do not want to eat Pizza, Hamburger or Chicken, bring your own food or buy other options on the restaurant menu, the tour is an “ADVENTURE”, NOT a gastronomic tour to “try” the “typical” delicacies of Guatemala. After the arduous journey on foot you need “CALORIES”, to recover all the energy you burned when climbing the Volcano. -PREPARE YOURSELF physically and mentally, bring hiking “BOOTS”, a change of socks, a change of clothes, DO NOT WEAR SANDALS, CROCS OR FABRIC SNEAKERS, YOU ARE GOING TO CLIMB A VOLCANO. -Check the weather, carry a poncho in your suitcase, a jacket, clothing suitable for hiking so that in case of rain you can change clothes and stay dry at the end of the activity, if you forgot your poncho, you can buy one at a price of 50 quetzales With the local residents, don't expect the poncho to be brand name, but it is enough to cover you from the rain. -Carry cash, quetzales or dollars, there are no bank terminals to pay by card, remember that you are leaving the “comfort” of the city and doing an adventure activity in a protected natural area, you must pay your access ticket to the park and The money helps maintain services and its conservation. We paid 100 quetzales in cash on June 8, 2024, consider that prices may change, bring enough cash. -lCarry water and snacks for hiking, such as “almond”, “peanut”, “chocolate”, “energy bars”, snacks that give you energy to ascend to the top. -Take your garbage or deposit it in the cans along the way, it is very unfortunate to see people without awareness about nature. -The activity is 10 hours or more, prepare yourself mentally and enjoy it, maybe you will only do it once in your life. To end. If what you are looking for is a shared, challenging and at the same time relaxing activity of high quality at a fair price, THIS TOUR IS YOUR OPTION. VERIFY that what you are hiring is what you want, as the portal gives you options to select the type of activity. If what you are looking for is NOT TO SHARE WITH ANYONE, VIP treatment, not spending a lot of time in transport with other people, then this is NOT your option. Be kind to the service providers, do not leave your garbage in the unit, and please ENJOY THE TRIP, THIS ACTIVITY IS FANTASTIC, UNIQUE AND ARRIVAL TO THE TOP WITHOUT DOUBTS IS WORTH ALL THE EFFORT.

It was horrible, they didn’t pick us up from the airport. We have been waiting for 2 hours. They didn’t answer the phone. At the end we did got our money back, but not our day off that we missed because of the organisation.

We booked our trip for Saturday, February 3rd. On the day of the tour, I waited as instructed in the hotel lobby at 6:30 a.m., but no one showed up to pick us up. I called the number of the agency in Guatemala that was in charge of my reservation, Gray Line Guatemala, but received no answer. We called Viator; they said they were going to issue a refund, but they did nothing to find us another trip, so we lost an entire day. After this terrible experience, I found more reviews from people who have experienced the same no-show. It is very unfortunate that Gray Line Guatemala continues to offer this tour and keeps not showing up without informing tourists about it, making them lose an entire day. Please do not book!

The place is spectacular, the vehicle operator excellent, the two guides left a lot to be desired, as they only gave us instructions but no worthwhile explanation. Lunch offers a hamburger, pizza, salted or chicken, nothing typical, which I think is a mistake. Finally we had to go from Guatemala City to Antigua to pick up some people and from there to Pacaya, a route that apparently is not common.

The guide and driver were super friendly with minimal English. The volcano hike fee is NOT included. You can purchase a horse to take you up and down the hike for a low fee. Not a lot of time at the spa to really enjoy and food is very American. Felt rushed for all events.