Randonnée de deux jours au volcan Acatenango

Overall, our trip with GT experience was great. They were extremely accommodating to our needs and provided a positive and fun experience. We took a different route to a lot of the other companies which saved time. The guides set a good pace so the hike wasn’t too challenging (other than the summit) if you are fit. The food they provided was also great and a good amount. I would recommend taking an extra 3L of water per person on top of the 2L they give you as you have to give 2L to the guides for cooking. We were initially told we would only need to give them 1L for cooking but actually had to give 2L, so we ran low on water the second day. The cabins were reasonably comfortable but the sleeping bags were super old and thin so make sure you take enough layers or even your own sleeping bag if you feel cold easily. It was a shame that we didn’t have more wood for the fire. I would’ve carried some up with me if that meant we could have had a longer fire. We took a shuttle to Guatemala City straight after our hike that GT arranged for us which was very convenient. There were also showers for 50Q at the agency which was wonderful.

Short Summary: While the service was good and provided as described, we had a near death situation as part of the tour and we were charged extra for it Long story: I gave the tour two stars because the described service is provided; there are cabins, we did receive gloves, hats, headlights, a stick and a good selection of snacks - our hike guide was super nice guy who organized the tour very well! While our guide was great, I cannot say the same about the provider GT-Experience. Once you reach the top, there is two hikes that can be done: the one described in the description here to non active vulcano Acatenango to watch the sunrise and an additional hike directly on the active El Fuego volcano which erupts around every 15-20 min. This „El-Fuego“ extension costs 30$ per person extra. When we started the tour we got a briefing which was mainly focused on all the extra charges we need to pay if forget our cups or miss something else - there was no proper security briefing regarding the risks involved in the El-Fuego hike informing us of current activities (note: there is a waiver everyone needs to sign). When we got up to the base camp, the weather was too bad to proceed with the optional El-Fuego hike - for the next day, the provider decided to skip the Acatenango Hike (which was included) and only do the optional El-Fuego Hike. The Hike itself is already quite exhausting but manageable if your are fit - in our case we were the group closest to the crater. At around 5:45 disaster almost struck and a heavy eruption caused us to run for our life, with lava rocks dropping left, right and in front of us. The videos of the incident went viral being posted all over the world from Central American to US, British, German and Indian boulevard news with the Guatemala tourist agency sending a warning to all providers and tourists to stop doing this El-Fuego extension. Two weeks later we find more videos of tourists being, once again, in the same spot where a rock almost killed a group of tourists two weeks prior. I cannot confirm if the footage was posted right after being taken and is indeed current footage and neither can I confirm whether the particular provider is offering the hike again, but overall it seems as if nobody learned from this almost tragedy. To top it off - when we were down again, we were „greeted“ by a very angry company employee who not only charged us for two cups that were forgotten in base camp but also for the hike that almost lead to Desaster. Upon questioning why we need to pay extra, when the hike that was already included was cancelled by the provider, the simple answer was „that’s nature“ Summing up: The trip itself is amazing and absolutely worth it; the described service is provided by the company and the main things are running really smooth - Do your research and figure out if it is worth risking your health for a selfie / Video close to the crater or if it is not better to watch the spectacle from a safe distance (Base Camp / Acatenango)

This was one of the coolest experiences of my life! The tour was led by an excellent guide and it was definitely an adventure that was worth the challenge. I knew this would be hard going into it but our guides really encouraged us and got us through! I wouldn’t change this experience for the world.

Most beautiful hike I’ve done in my life, the guides were so fun and knowledgeable and really cared about getting us through how difficult it was. Sunrise on acatenango was definitely the highlight!!

Thank you FERNANDO for making it an unforgettable experience! You are the best and made it a good experience for me and my friend

Roberto was an incredible tour guide. He was attentive, personable, and moved at a great pace. The cabin beds are not comfortable but it is in a great location to view Mount Fuego erupt all night. The only input we had for the tour company is that we did not have enough water for the hike. The packing list says to pack 2L of water, and 2L would be provided. It does say that you have to conserve some for hot cocoa/coffee/tea but this is misleading because the guide will take 2L for other things like oatmeal or ramen as well. You also have to transport these 2L yourself so you would essentially be transporting 4L of water but would only have 2L to consume over 2 days. I would recommend purchasing more water at the lunch stop (approx $6 a bottle) or carrying 4L in addition to the 2L provided. Also, the sleeping bags are not very warm, so I would pack lots and lots of thermal clothing.

As a group of 8, we had an amazing experience, and Fernando took great care of us! He constantly checked in on everyone, kept the vibes high the entire time, and made sure the group felt supported from start to finish. His positive attitude, encouragement, and local knowledge made the hike even more memorable. And we got to do Fuego! We couldn’t have asked for a better guide and would highly recommend this company to anyone hiking Acatenango.

Fantastic experience! Depending on the weather, you will have an awesome or less awesome experience (visibility of Fuego). Traveled fine with this organization, but a few things were disappointing: - left far too late, so we could only start the climb just before noon - pace was very high, so the guides made little effort to tell something about the area etc - cabin for sleeping is fine, but 'pillows' / bed base you sleep on completely saggy

This was one of the most rewarding experiences we’ve ever had! If you’re considering this tour, our biggest recommendation is to rent a porter—it makes the hike much more manageable and allows you to enjoy the experience even more. A huge shoutout to our guide, Paolo! He was hands down one of the best guides we’ve ever had. From the very beginning, he genuinely cared about our safety and well-being. He was incredibly personable, shared so much interesting information throughout the trek, and constantly motivated us to keep pushing forward when things got tough—and trust us, you’ll definitely need that encouragement on this hike! His positive attitude and kindness truly made the experience unforgettable. We also want to recognize our driver, Nicky, who was friendly, professional, and easy to talk to. He made great conversation and helped make the entire trip feel comfortable from start to finish. The team made this adventure so much more enjoyable, and we’re so grateful for the memories. When we return to Guatemala, we will absolutely be booking this tour again. Highly recommend!

One of the coolest experiences of my life. I’m an avid hiker and been to 18,000+ feet a few times so the Altitude didn’t bother me as much. Guide was great, the beds were comfortable and the food was adequate. Please come prepared and know what you’re getting yourself into. Wear proper footwear and enjoy the journey.