Guatemala
Lava, lakes, and a boda to remember.
Written November 2025
Field Notes
I landed in Guatemala City in March of ‘23 full of nerves. When my field officer picked me up, he told me I was the youngest USAID volunteer he’d ever hosted. I was there to create digital marketing content for an association of coffee farmers in Chiquimula, an mountainous region four hours away. While I was prepared to feel slightly out of my comfort zone, I had no idea I would be pushed to my limits as I battled power outages, enormous spiders, sleek scorpions, and a touch of food poisoning. But it was all worth it – I danced in the streets of Chiquimula, stripped down for an Indigenous temazcal ritual, and ziplined across the coffee farm. I hopefully taught those farmers a thing or two about global coffee marketing.
When my friend Ninna decided to throw her wedding in Antigua, I was stoked to revisit some of my volunteer highlights (namely, Pollo Campero), while also seeing the popular sites of Guatemala. This time, I did not expect to be pushed quite to my limits. Yet, at the top of Fuego, watching lava spew from a volcán 100 yards away, I felt the limits of my body and mind. From the awe of witnessing a natural phenomenon, sure, but mainly from the 8 hours of non-stop vertical ascension.
Guatemala taught me some important lessons. As a volunteer, I learned to respect Indigenous customs and listen before presenting solutions. As a traveler, I learned to adjust to the altitude BEFORE attempting to hike a 14,000 foot volcano. Both lessons feel equally valuable.
Antigua
Acatenango Hike
After you’ve spent a few days in Antigua, it’s time to take on Acatenango. You might be confused – isn’t Fuego the volcano that erupts every 15 minutes? That’s right, they’re connected, and you’ll get a great view of the plumes from Acatenango’s base camp.
The hike we chose was the overnight one with Ox Expeditions ($119) that we upgraded to Double Whammy status ($40 extra). Here’s what this experience entails.
You'll attend an information session at 5pm at Ox's Antigua shop. You'll hear critical information, like how many snacks to bring, as well as size up your fellow hikers' climbing experience.
You'll go to Ox to get your gear. They give you a 30-pound hiking pack filled with top layers (fleece, jacket, poncho), a headlamp, and 4.5L of water. At around 7am, you do breakfast at a local spot. Rice and bean burritos – fuel of champions.
You'll drive about an hour to the start of the hike. You'll pick up some walking sticks and decide if you want a porter to carry your pack. Then, you begin the first ascent, 40 minutes of hot, grueling strides, like climbing a StairMaster in the desert. The guides are assessing if you are healthy and fast enough to keep going, so if you feel good here, you're golden.
For the next few hours, you're in for around seven 40-minute climbs, from leafy switchbacks to steep volcanic forest passes. There are many breaks, some featuring coffee, lunch, or just catching your breath. The climb is hard, there's no denying it. For some, it's the hardest physical feat they've ever attempted. I would put it slightly below my half-marathon in terms of difficulty, but I'm not an experienced hiker and I carried my own pack.
You'll reach base camp around 3pm. This is where you'll be spending the night, and where you'll be posed the difficult question: can you handle *another* 4-hour hike today? Every single person in my group said yes (an anomaly). Unanimously, we were doing Fuego.
The hike to Fuego is fast but steep. The wind is more extreme and you'll need the headlamp on the way back. If it's cloudy, you won't see shit. Fortunately, in the last 10 minutes of summiting, the clouds parted and we saw the explosions up close.
After 2 more hours hiking, weary yet intensely fulfilled, you'll make it back to base camp for a spaghetti dinner and firepit conversations. I crashed into my sleeping bag pretty immediately. Note: the bathrooms are tough, there's no running water, and you're pretty much guaranteed to sleep in your sweaty filth. But it's only a night, you'll be okay.
The next morning, you'll get the opportunity to summit Acatenango, a 2-hour brutal climb straight upwards. My group did not do it for multitudinous reasons, namely weather. We ate a small breakfast and then hiked downhill for three hours. I did not walk straight for three days after.
Lake Atitlán
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a temazcal?
A temazcal is a sweat lodge, literally meaning ‘house of heat.’ The farm had one – a sauna-like teepee where we conducted the Nahuatl ceremony. It mainly consisted of inhaling herbal steam, getting doused with cold water, and doing that over again three times. My sinuses have never been clearer.
What is Pollo Campero like?
The ambrosial scent hits you before you even see the perfectly fried chicken. You scan the menu before giving up and ordering your classic: two wings, one thigh, and some Campero rice. All I can say is, they are NOT moving like this at KFC.
Should you be in the front or back of the hiking group?
Great question. You should endeavor to remain at the front of the group, as once the back catches up during a break, the front is already moving again. But the vibes in the back are way more hilarious and relatable.
What was your favorite part?
Ah, the Dora question. Nothing can beat watching Ninna’s dad crowd surf surrounded by 17th century monastery ruins. Except the first shower I took post-Acatenango.