My Journey Round The World

Guatemala is located on the boundary of two tectonic plates, which makes it a geologically very active area. With a height of  about 2,500 meters above sea level, the Pacaya Volcano is relatively easy to climb – if you take your time & don’t  rush to go up – and gives you a spectacular view from the top! As we had our Spanish course in the morning, we decided to  do the sunset & night tour – one of the most popular…  Climbing is not too difficult, however, better taking your time as you’re leaving from 1850 metres  to reach 2300 meters. You have no other choice than taking a guided tour – as it seems to be the way nearly everywhere in Guatemala… Guided tour is good but you have to follow the group, or try to! Luckily, for once, I wasn’t the lowest one & anyway, I decided to take my time – better if I wanted to reach the top! In this tour, everything is made  to make you pay a bit more… Just before going out off the bus, driver offered to rent some wooden sticks “absolutely necessary” as well as to buy flash light to go down after sunset… – he even took some kids from the street into the bus to make the sticks promotion! I was glad to have mine – as Fleur was – for the way down, even 1 is really helpful! – & as well as my frontal light!

After a bit less than 2 hours, we finaly reach the top. So rewarding to see the lava so close & this beautiful view! We now understand why they were selling some machmalos down… Pity we didn’t buy any!

The way down by night was a bit challenging, especialy at the beginning… but it was fun to go down with the frontal light accross the forest! Again a wonderful experience & training for the Incas trail