Private Hike next to volcano at 14800 ft. from Mexico city

This was incredible. My guide, Luis Ricardo, by far made the experience what it was. The views were beautiful, the pace was perfect, and he made me feel comfortable and safe. I definitely recommend this.

We did two hikes with Epic Journey (Desierto de los Leones and Iztaccíhuatl) and had an excellent experience. Communication was clear and helpful, with good details on timing and safety. Our guide Richard was punctual, a very safe driver (even on rough roads), and set a comfortable pace for the high altitude. He was friendly, provided water and snacks, and made us feel safe throughout. Highly recommend this company for a well-organized and safe hiking experience.

La experiencia general con los guías no fue buena. No fueron amables a nuestra llegada. No nos contaron nada sobre el volcán ni la zona. No nos dieron NINGÚN detalle sobre la caminata, hasta el punto de que después del almuerzo pensamos que continuaríamos subiendo, pero simplemente dimos la vuelta. Básicamente, caminamos hasta un estacionamiento donde la gente suele comenzar la caminata. — The overall experience with guides was not good. They were not welcoming on arrival. They did not tell us anything about the volcano or area. They did not tell us ANY details on the hike, to the point that after lunch we thought we were continuing up but we just turned around. We basically just walked to a parking lot where people normally start the hike

We wanted to experience the mountains on our trip to Mexico, and booked this to hike up on the last day of the year, and what an awesome experience that turned out to be. The trip to Iztaccihuatl from Mexico City and back was super smooth and easy. I do not think the hike could have gone any better; we had an awesome guide, and the mountains graciously accepted us that day. What more could I ask for? Except it was more than just a guided hike with Rubén. It was educational, enlightening, and full of great conversations. Perhaps if only Rubén could make the clouds disappear at the top so that we could get a better view of the scenery, then it would have been absolutely perfect, but I might be asking for too much then. Thanks to his timely stops and breaks, we did get plenty of beautiful views as we ascended.

Hiking Itza was an amazing experience and glad we chose Epic Journey VIP for this trip. It was great to have a great guide who was helpful and savvy on all things about the trip.

Because of recent heavy rains, the Nevodo de Toluca was closed by the authorities the day we were supposed to go, but the agency proposed to go to Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl instead. This was an excellent fallback plan as the park is beautiful, and the Popocatépetl (an active volcano) very impressive. Our guide Luis Ricardo was very friendly and accommodating. I'm an experienced hiker and found the trail easy, but I felt some discomfort after reaching about 4000 m. This must have been related to altitude, as I normally live at just 10 meters above sea level, and had never been at such altitude before. I felt better when we returned to a lower altitude. I know many people won't feel anything bad at 4000 m! This was still a very enjoyable hike, and I won't hesitate to book for Nevado de Toluca at the next opportunity.

It already started with the tour guide arriving 40 minutes late due to traffic jams. Couldn't be planned, he said. My question, whether there is so much traffic jam every day, he answered in the affirmative. So it would have been avoidable. We had booked for 2 people but my girlfriend was sick. So I was the only participant. Of course, there was no money back. Directions from Mexico City (Polanco): Approximately 2 h 40 min. Hike to Segundo Portillo (3394 m) and back: 3 h 45 min. Return to Mexico: Over 4 h 30 min. We were traveling in an ordinary limosine. On the unpaved road between the parking lot and the office, we had a tire damage due to the off-road car, which forced us to change tires. And endless traffic jams to the afternoon has also significantly extended the way back. Dann ging es los: After just over an hour we were at the primer Portillo (about 4250 m). The guide told me that this is usually the end of the tour, but we are so fast that we can go further - if I want to. Of course we went on. At the Segundo Portillo (3394 m), which we reached after almost exactly 2 hours of hiking, was finally over, as the guide told me that we had reached the end of the possible tour. We then (at my request) spent about 25 minutes there and took photos and snacked a bit. Afterwards we descended relatively quickly back to the parking lot, about 1 h 20 min. During and after the hike, the guide has announced several times that we are traveling very fast and usually there is not enough time for a hike to Segundo Portillo. And that it is extremely exhausting for him and takes a lot of strength. I felt good during the hike and paid attention to small enough breaks and food myself. I myself was travelling with high-quality equipment: Good boots for mountain hikes, weatherproof and breathable functional clothing, hiking backpack with 2 liters of water in a drinking bladder, 2 sticks. The guide only had a stick, a cotton sweater, jeans (which the organizer says is prohibited), sneakers/ordinary sports shoes and a tiny shoulder bag with a plastic bottle of 500 ml of water. I had the impression that the guide was not able to carry out the tour as booked, neither of the equipment nor of his physical condition, and that he no longer felt like climbing further up Segundo Portillo. So in total I spent almost 8 hours in the car (and waiting for the car) and only 3 h 45 min on the mountain. On the mountain I only got about two thirds of what I booked (4524 m / Tercer Portillo according to the description). I paid twice as there was no money back for the sick girlfriend.

Our guide, Ruben, was very friendly and informed us of everything we saw on the trip. Although my partner and I had no experience with mountaineering, Reuben was always patient and helped us overcome the volcano. The views of the ridge were spectacular - the best of our lives! Yes, like us, you don’t have any experience with hiking above 4000m altitude, I recommend leaving the top for when you already have practice and indulging in the crater. You won’t know until you climb, but you quickly get fatigued with partial oxygen starvation. Another thing is that you have to protect yourself a lot from the sun – there is not so much atmosphere to help. Cheer up and climb the volcano! You won’t regret it 🌋

The tour was fantastic, despite many clouds. Nobody can influence the weather in the mountains. Our guide Ruben explained everything very well, is super friendly, responds to wishes and has been very helpful. We would definitely book this tour again.

Good co ordination. Right on time. Good equipment and customized the hike to our needs. Richard also has good knowledge on the region . Points for improvement: vehicle can be better.