Hiking the Santa Maria Volcano

I met Veronica at a hostel in the tiny village of San Juan La Laguna on beautiful Lake Atitlan. She had just arrived in Guatemala from Chicago. The next morning at 4am we hiked up to Rostro Maya, a popular spot to get a morning view overlooking the lake at sunrise. It was amazing!

After hanging out a few more days she invited me to hike Volcan Santa Maria with her. Santa Maria is a large volcano located outside of Guatemala’s second-largest city Quetzaltenango, also known as Xela.

I had already survived the Acatenango volcano hike near Antigua a few weeks earlier. Always up for a challenge, I agreed. Why not?

After arriving in Xela by camioneta from Lake Atitlan, we had plans to leave at midnight. We checked into our hostel, took a nap, and soon after we were on our way to hike a majestic volcano under the cover of night…

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The Ascent into the Darkness

We started the hike around 12:30am. The early stages were relatively flat and easy, and we were the only people around. The rustling leaves in the wind, cicada calls, and twinkling stars were our only companions. By total coincidence we found ourselves hiking up on Easter Sunday.

I’m not religious, but I remember thinking, would Jesus do this hike at night? I wasn’t sure.

Gerson, our local guide in Xela and a nature lover had spent years navigating the rugged trails of the area. His knowledge and connection to the land ran deep. On this particular night, he found himself guiding a couple of Americans up to the summit of Santa Maria.

Midnight hikes are not a common request. Most people just hike up in the morning, but if you keep reading I’ll explain later why that’s unwise. As if seeing the sunrise from atop a volcano isn’t motivation enough, another reason for doing this hike is the chance to see Santiaguito erupting.

Santiaguito is one of Guatemala’s 37 volcanoes and it sits right next to Santa Maria. It’s famous for its relatively frequent eruptions, and they can occur several times an hour or more.

As the trail grew steeper, the air became cooler. The city lights in the distance began to fade, replaced by the glow of our bouncing headlamps. After a while, we encountered a group of locals trudging along who were as daring as we were. One poor guy was really suffering!

Almost There I Hope…

The last hour is much steeper and has more difficult footing. You’re scrambling at times up a dusty natural staircase with snarled roots and branches hanging over the trail. To make things worse, my headlamp completely died about 3/4 of the way up. I brought a backup and that one also died! It was comical.

Luckily Veronica and our trusty guide had us covered. What’s a hike without some adversity right? Besides even with a light, you can’t see much, just a short section of trail, and the person ahead of you.

Oh, and some trash. There’s unfortunately a cringeworthy amount of litter along the way.

Time felt like it was dragging on. My camera bag was feeling heavier. I knew I was getting tired because a beer and some breakfast were sounding better and better. Would we even make it up in time for sunrise? Sure hope so! That was kind of the whole point…

Sunrise on top of Volcan Santa Maria

Phew. Finally, after 4.5 hours, we reached the summit by 5:05am. It was still dark. A flag planted in the rocks was flapping in the gusty wind. It was the only sound. Needless to say, it was pretty cold, but fortunately, the sun would be up soon.

By 5:15am we saw the first light. The darkness of night slowly began to give way to the first hints of dawn, painting the sky with hues of orange, pink, and purple. The sunrise was right around 6am.

We stood together at the summit’s edge, with our eyes fixed on the horizon. Furiously snapping pictures too. It was a beautiful reward!

There weren’t many people up there other either. Just a group of campers in their tents who were waking up and the group we saw along the way. The views of Xela below were absolutely incredible! After sunrise, we walked to the other side of the summit to catch a glimpse of Santiaguito.

Volcan Santiaguito

Volcan Santiaguito’s history is tied to the Santa María Volcano, which experienced a catastrophic eruption in 1902 that killed up to 5,000 people and hurled ash as far as San Francisco. From that eruption, Santiaguito was formed. It’s now one of the most active volcanoes in Guatemala and it has been erupting since 1922!

The sky was clear and we had a direct view of it. There it was smoking in the morning light. Lucky us! I set up my tripod and started snapping photos. My hands were starting to go numb from fumbling with the camera dials.

It was shady and much colder on that side of the mountain, but it was all worth it. On Easter Sunday we had risen! These kinds of hikes always give one a sense of accomplishment. You feel like you can achieve anything.

You can see many of the surrounding volcanoes from the summit as well. Volcán Santo Tomás, Paquisis, Atitlán, San Pedro, Tolimán, Tajumulco, Acatenango, and Fuego (which was also erupting in the distance).

Another amazing sight was seeing the layers and layers of mountains all the way into Mexico!

After spending an hour or so taking photos, admiring the landscape, playing with a friendly stray dog, and chatting with other hikers, it was time to head down.

The Descent Back to Civilization

Coming down it was getting noticeably busier on the trail. We were passing many people, including local ladies on their way up wearing dresses and sandals. It was especially steep and slippery in certain sections.

For me, it was harder on the knees than going up. Occasionally you’d hear someone slip on the gravel. I think we all fell at least once. Okay, Veronica fell several times, but who’s counting?

We made a pit stop to eat mangoes halfway down. They were the best mangoes ever! Everything tastes better out on the trail after some serious exercise. It took us about 2.5-3 hours to get down.

When we finally reached the base of the volcano, the adventure was over, but the memories would surely linger on. We had witnessed an unforgettable sunrise on top of a volcano and saw another volcano erupting below us in the afterglow.

Josh the owner of Monte Verde Tours came to pick us up and we were back at our hostel before 11am. Ready for a shower, some food, and some rest. Later on, Veronica made her way back to Antigua, while I stayed in Xela to study Spanish.

As we parted ways, we carried the knowledge that even in the vastness of Mother Nature, human connection can be the most profound treasure of all.

Where to Stay in Xela, Guatemala?

These would be my top recommendations:

• Casa Seibel 8.8/10
• Kasa Kiwi 8.6/10
• Hotel Pensión Bonifaz 8.5/10

Do You Need A Guide for Volcan Santa Maria?

If you go up at night or for sunrise I think you do. If you go during the day, probably not. Just follow the arrows and the other people. (See map below).

What to Bring for the Santa Maria Volcano Hike?

Monte Verde Tours provided us with a coat, hat, headlamp, and gloves. I’d recommend bringing snacks, a spare flashlight or headlamp, comfy shoes, a backpack, a camera, sunscreen, water, and a hat.

Two liters of water per person felt like a bit too much. It was kind of heavy in the backpack too. You could probably get by with 1.5 depending on your hydration level before you start, but it’s also good to have extra just in case.

When is the Best Time to Hike the Santa Maria Volcano?

The best weather in Guatemala is during the dry season from November to April. The second best time to go is whenever you find yourself in Xela with a day to spare for an adventure. I recommend hiking up at night so that you can arrive for sunrise or early enough to see Santiaguito.

If you start too late you might miss the views and that kind of defeats the point. Volcanoes in Guatemala typically cloud over by 9-10am. They’re rarely cloud-free all day long. Don’t go up if it’s clouded over!

How Long Does it Take to Hike Santa Maria?

It takes around 4 hours to get to the top and another 3 hours to get down. Factor in another hour on the summit and it’s a pretty long day.

Tour Companies for the Santa Maria Volcano Hike

Monte Verde Tours and Adrenalina Tours are the main companies in Xela to go up with.

We went with Monte Verde and had a great experience. We paid 250Q ($30) pp. 500Q ($60) total for two. We also gave our guide a 100Q tip.

What’s the Weather Like on Volcan Santa Maria?

This should go without saying, but always check the weather before you do something like this, and be prepared for the worst. At a high altitude, you never know when things can take an unexpected turn. Generally, the weather in the highlands and in Xela is colder than the rest of the country.

It’s typically sunny in the daytime and much cooler at night due to its elevation. Obviously, the top of Santa Maria is even colder and you should be ready to endure temps below 40F or 4C. Windchill can also be a factor.

Noteworthy Facts About Volcan Santa Maria

Volcan Santa María is a stratovolcano located in the western highlands of Guatemala that is part of the Sierra Madre mountain range.

• Peak elevation: 3,772 m (12,375 ft)
• Total elevation gain: 1,230m (4,036ft)
• Total distance: 13km (8.04 miles)
• Trail type: Out & Back
• Difficulty: Challenging/Moderate
• Trail map: Wikiloc
• Trailhead: Volcan Santa Maria Park Entrance (Llano de Pinal bus stop)

Is the Volcan Santa Maria Hike Hard?

It’s certainly challenging, but manageable. It’s not as difficult as the Acatenango volcano hike. I’m from Colorado so I’m pretty used to altitude though. If you know you’re more sensitive to it you might want to hang out in Xela for a day or two before you hike to acclimatize first.

Remember to pace yourself. It’s not a race. It’ll be easier if you rest the day before, eat some carbs, and hydrate to fuel up ahead of time.

Is the Santa Maria Volcano Hike Safe?

It’s as safe as any volcano hike gets. People go up and down daily. There’s always some risk in doing these sorts of things, but Santa Maria hasn’t erupted in over 120 years and is no longer active. However, the smaller cone of Santiaguito had a larger eruption in 2016.

As far as bandits go there doesn’t appear to be a serious threat of being robbed, just use common sense. It’s smart not to hike alone. Go up with a group. Leave your Rolex at the hotel.

Conclusion

I’m very happy we did this hike! Hiking up volcanoes is probably the most adventurous and memorable thing you can do in Guatemala. You’d be remiss if you were in the area and you didn’t do the Santa Maria volcano hike. It’s something I’ll never forget. Highly recommended!

Additional Resources:

Eruption History of Santa Maria

Heading to Guatemala? Have you ever hiked a volcano before? If so, where?