Guatemala: The most underrated country of Central America

It seems Guatemala has gained much more popularity in recent years (can’t you see why?), but I still think it’s vastly underrated. How many other places in the world can you hike right up to an active volcano that spews lava in the air every 10-20 minutes??

That’s Volcán de Fuego, obviously a must-do in the country, and well-worth the grueling 11-miles (18km) and 5,085 ft (1550m) elevation gain up to ~12,300ft (3,750m) – And that’s just round-trip to base camp!

Luckily, you get an incredible view from base camp (if you get favorable weather), but there’s also an optional extra hike you can do to Fuego during sunset. You hike down slightly from camp and back up, which means it’s like our boomer parents walked to school as kids – uphill BOTH ways. Plus, you watch sunset from Fuego, so yes, that means back in the dark.

Extra hike not required (ngl I slightly envied the people who chilled back at camp), but it was so worth it. There’s also a morning sunrise hike to the summit of Acantenango, the volcano that camp sits on, but I skipped that one for some extra Z’s before hiking all the way back down. It’s hard enough trying to sleep at altitude, then throw in a volcano erupting outside your door every 20 minutes… I heard it was cloudy at the top and underwhelming after Fuego anyways… so no regrets.

I hiked with Wicho and Charlies, who provides rental gear, meals at the top, and even offers private cabins. I haven’t gone with any other company, but solely based on my experience and what I’ve heard from other travelers who did, I’m confident they’re the best.

And if this once-in-a-lifetime volcano hike wasn’t enough, Guatemala also is home to Lake Atitlán, a stunning, massive lake 3-4 hours from Antigua.

There are different towns around the lake, each with a different vibe. It’s easy to grab a little boat taxi and hop between them, so don’t worry too much about where you’re staying. But make sure you stay somewhere— you don’t want to miss Atitlán.

I recommend staying in Antigua for at least a couple days when you arrive, doing the volcano hike from there, and then heading to Lake Atitlán afterwards for some much-deserved rest, recovery, and relaxation.

Photo Gallery