This was one of our most anticipated activities while researching our trip, because come on, how cool is roasting marshmallows on an active volcano? Pacaya's last big eruption was in 2010, sending ash raining all the way to the capital 30 miles away. Lava rivers flowed even last year. We weren't expecting to see any lava (and didn't), but weren't sure what it would be like exactly. This was one case where we didn't want to research too much and spoil the surprise of the experience.
We had a 6 a.m. shuttle pickup, bumped around the town's cobblestone streets for a while picking up other passengers, then started the hour-long ride to the national park. We passed through smaller villages on the ride and got some peeks into life there: horses carrying cargo, guys packed like sardines into the back of a truck headed to work, women hand washing clothes at a central public laundry pool.
At the entrance to the park, we had a quick bathroom break (water at sink but not at toilets), then the girls chose walking sticks from the crowds of young boys renting them. We walked past the many horses available for rent, thinking that the trek wouldn't be that bad, ~3 mi total out and back. Fortunately, the guys with the horses are smart enough to follow people up, knowing that hikers might want those horses soon enough. Zadie instantly started complaining and crying, so we got her on a horse pretty quickly.
The hike up had great views of the surrounding volcanos, so we stopped a lot for pictures. With all those horses though, you couldn't get too distracted by the views and forget to watch where you're putting your feet. :) It's about 1,500 feet of elevation gain, not super steep in most places, but not easy either. Bill was just starting to get over a cold, and the combo of hiking uphill, his cold, and the elevation was not a good mix for him, so he got a horse next. Ruth made it farther, but eventually took the last horse. After she did, we rounded a few last corners and realized how close we were to the end.
The top looked like an alien landscape, all black rocks and steam. We followed a marked path over to a lookout area where the guides handed us marshmallows and sticks, and showed us where and how to best toast marshmallows over vents. The heat in our spots was not too hot to keep your hand over, and we were only patient enough to get slightly warmed marshmallows. Further down the mountain, a more patient entrepreneur was selling pizzas baked in the volcano.
We hung out at the top for a while, enjoying the marshmallows and the view, heeding the warning from our guides to be careful around a caldera. Don't fall into a big volcanic hole, Zadie! 👀 These loose rocks were slippery.
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It was a quick trip back down on foot after that, followed by the shuttle back to Antigua.
The next day was when I did the Acatenango overnight hike, which was completely different than Pacaya. Two volcanos in two days, go figure. Gotta love Guatemala.
PS, side note on cost for this day: This day trip more than anything else taught us how much cheaper it can be to book locally. We were looking at tours on Viator for $65-95/person, but ended up booking directly with a company in Antigua for $15 each plus paying our own entry fee at the park (~$13, also not included in many of the tours, Zadie was free).