Santa Maria Volcano (3.772 meters) is one of the highest volcanoes in Guatemala. The Santa Maria hike is popular among travellers for its frequently erupting 'hijo' Santiaguito (see video below), which can be seen from the summit. In this blogpost I will tell you a little bit about the history of these volcanoes, the hike and my personal experience climbing this summit!
Historical information about volcano Santa Maria
With 3772 meters (12.375ft) in altitude Santa Maria is one of the highest volcanoes in Guatemala. She is also one of the three most active volcanoes (the others being Fuego and Pacaya), erupting every hour or so. Her continuous eruptions are coming from her ‘hijo’ Santiaguito which was formed after a two-day eruption in 1902 which started on the 24th of October.
This eruption was one of the largest in the 20th century with volcanic rock (pumice) falling over an area of 273.000 square kilometers (105.000 sq mi), volcanic ashes coming as far as San Fransisco, California 4.000 kilometers (2.500 mi) away, and causing an area up to 160 kilometers from the volcano to be in total darkness for 53 hours!!!
Since the volcano had been sleeping for 500 to thousands of years, inhabitants of the area did not recognize the first signs of Santa Maria’s awakening, which supposedly happened in January. As a result nearly 6.000 people died from the eruption.
With regards to the name, before the 16th century Spanish colonization of the region, the volcano was known in K’iche’ (one of the many Maya languages) as Gagxanul, meaning ‘Naked Volcano or Mountain’.
Practical information on the Volcan Santa Maria hike
Inclination, distance and length
The top is at 3772 meters and if you are lucky, you will have view over several big volcano peaks. On one side you can see Acatenango with Fuego on its side erupting. On the other side you can see the highest peak of Central America, Tajumulco, and Tapachula, which is in Mexico.
With regards to the hike up to this altitude:
The hike is about 6 hours in total (3 to 4 to go up, 1 to 2 to go down).
Inclination is about 1.230 meters (4.035 ft)
Distance is 13 kilometers (8 miles)
This is considered a challenging hike, but we hiked up with two women of 50 and 60 years old with limited hiking experience whom we met at the trailhead, so any moderate fitness level will get you up. Just make sure you hike at a pace that is comfortable for you!
I did not feel any altitude sickness, nor did my hiking buddies. You will probably hike this from Xela (Quetzaltenango), which is at 2400 meters altitude. If you have stayed there for a few days, you will likely not have problems. I recommend staying at Hostel Kasa Kiwi or Hostel Casa Seibel.
However, if you are prone to altitude sickness or have had altitude sickness symptoms in the past at this altitude you can take pills beforehand. Or when you experience symptoms, I have read (this is NOT expert advice) that taking ibuprofen helps. Remember that if you really do not feel good, you should hike down until you no longer experience any symptoms.
When to go?
It is best to start the hike before sunset due to a cloud coming over the volcano from around 10am, making it harder to see the eruption. The hike to the summit can take 3 to 4 hours. This means you will ideally want to start around 5 to 5:30am to have a clear view at the summit.
The bus is definitely the cheapest option. However, the earliest buses arrive around 6am to 6:30am from Xela (Quetzaltenango), so it will be worth getting a taxi/uber to get to the trailhead. You can find the trailhead in the uber app as 'Faldas del Volcan Santa Maria: Unnamed Road, QFP3+G7J, Quetzaltenango'. Another option is going with a guide who organizes your transport.
We arrived at the trailhead a little before 6am, which is actually relatively late. There we met two older women. The husband of one of them had driven them to the trailhead and asked us if we had experience and could guide them up. The housemate whom I did the hike with had experience and so we hiked up with the four of us. The women walked at a much slower pace than us, so we adapted and still arrived before 10am to see a SPECTACULAR eruption.
We were lucky because we stayed up at the summit until about 11:15h with a perfectly clear view, seeing Fuego erupt in the distance. We then parted from the two women (forgetting to airdrop the photos we took together at the top, so this is a story of meeting strangers that will just live in my memory) and hiked down quickly.
Going back to Xela is easy: when you keep walking straight off of the trail onto the streets you will be in the street where the 'chickenbus' or 'camionnettes' will arrive frequently. When in doubt, ask any local and they will point you where the bus will stop and around what time you can expect it! If you prefer taking a taxi, discuss with the taxi/uber who drive you to the trailhead if they can also pick you up. In that case, it is probably best to get a phone number from them as it is hard to estimate when you will be back down from the hike.
How to go?
As a visitor you can climb Santa Maria either with a guide or without. Since Santa Maria is an actively erupting volcano, going with a guide is generally safer as they know the conditions of the volcano and the weather well. Plus, they will definitely make sure you do not get lost.
A guided tour will be around 250 to 300 Quetzales per person, which is about 30 to 40 euros. This includes the hike and transport to and from the trailhead.
It is also very possible to do this hike independently. I went with a Guatemalan housemate who had hiked the trail before. But the path is pretty straightforward: at every intersection on the trail there is white paint on the trees pointing in the right direction. The beginning of the trail you walk through a dried-up river, then through grassy farmlands before it becomes rockier. I recommend downloading an app such as Maps.me on which you can download the trail to make sure you do not get lost.
What to wear and bring?
The following list is not much different from other hikes or other volcano climbing experiences in Guatemala, but nevertheless:
Definitely wear good shoes. The ground was frozen before sunrise, but had melted on our way back which caused for some slippery mud slides. Shoes with good grip are thus a must and watch your ankles!
Dress warm and in layers. I was wearing several layers and a fleece jacket when I hiked up and I walked back in just a t-shirt.
Bring a head torch as you will start your hike in the dark
Bring enough food and water
Take your trash back down to throw it away in a designated place
Important reminders before going up
Be aware volcanic smoke is toxic!!! Pay attention to Santiaguito when you reach the summit. We sat right on the edge to have our lunch and saw a spectacular eruption. I was a little scared as the cloud of volcanic ash seemed to be moving towards us, but luckily the wind turned it sideways. Locals told me that the wind usually turns the cloud away from Santa Maria. However, it is important to stay alert as you do not want to get too close to this toxic cloud.
When we came back from the hike another housemate told us that there have been deaths from people breathing in volcanic ash when climbing this volcano. Although this is VERY rare and I do not know the circumstances or details of these tragic events, please be alert and careful! You are climbing an active volcano and we humans are just tiny little beings compared to the power of these incredible natural elements.
And, finally, as with many volcanoes in Central America, this place is also considered sacred. So be mindful of any rituals or ceremonies going on. And pick up trash you see on the trail.
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