Pacaya Volcano - Guatemala

There are 29 volcanoes in Guatemala - many of them still active. Closest to Antigua (and also visible in Guatemala City) are Agua and Fuego. Agua is no longer active and Fuego is about an 8 hour hike (it's the one seen blowing lava in previous pictures - the hike is actually to the dormant volcano next to it). Pacaya volcano is further southwest of Guatemala city and isn't visible from Antigua. It's a popular hike because it only takes a few hours and isn't all that strenuous. It's considered active but all you can see is the black volcanic rock - some of which is warm - which is why Scott is roasting a marsh mellow...

It's about a two hour drive from Antigua - we happened to get the craziest shuttle driver in the country. There were several near misses - when Guatemalan's honk at someone else you know its bad...

One of the things I didn't get a picture of but wished I would have was the locals. When you get out of the bus you are accosted by about 50 kids wanting to sell you walking sticks - I almost wished I would have bought one so they would have left us alone - because they kept asking up until we went into the park. Then once we were on the trail cowboys and their horses follow you - hoping you'll decide it's too much work and you'll want to rent one of their horses. If you even think about stopping for a rest, a drink of water or to take a picture they ask "lady - you want a ride" - over and over again... Of course that was our fault because we are slow hikers - or maybe it's just a bummer because of this trip there was no one slower than us...

The coolest part of the entire trip was that once we got to the top there was a store that sold hand made items made of lava. It's pretty sad that the coolest part of a nature trip was a store...

So - hindsight being 20/20 - we would have taken two days and hiked the taller volcano - or just not do this one... Everything is about the experience though - so no regrets.