Volcanoes in Guatemala

Do you want to know what the most famous volcano in Guatemala is called and the most important facts about it? We specialise in trips to various countries in Central America. Our job is to offer you different options in Central America with cheap tourism to make the most of your stay at the destination. Below you’ll find information about the different volcanoes of Guatemala.

Our goal is to inform you about the best way to do tourism in Guatemala. Thus, you can do all kinds of activities and choose the volcano which interests you most in Guatemala, saving valuable time on your trip.

What’s the name of the most famous volcano in Guatemala?

First of all, it should be noted that the volcanoes in the Pacific Ocean area are largely active. This is due to what is known as the Central American Volcanic Arc. This living phenomenon extends not only to Guatemala, but to other countries such as El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. It’s part of what is known as the Pacific Ring of Fire.

It’s important to make the most of Central America for cultural and nature tourism. That’s why we’re going to talk about volcanoes. The different volcanoes found in this area have the peculiarity of being part of the same whole. They are a kind of mountain range of volcanoes which have different types of formations: high conical volcanoes, lava domes and ash cones. Travelling to Panama or travelling to Guatemala and taking the opportunity to combine cultural and nature tourism is a task for every tourist plan in Central America.

Actually, there isn’t just one famous volcano in the area. Throughout history, there have been several eruptions which caused some to become more important. For example, the Santa María volcano was very famous for a major explosion which occurred in 1902, but it’s not currently active. Therefore, this information on tourist Central America will focus only on three volcanoes: Santiaguito, Pacaya and de Fuego.

Santiaguito Volcano

This volcano is located in the department of Quetzaltenango, just 11 kilometres from the city of the same name. It has a height of 2,550 metres above sea level, which is a steep slope considering how close it is to the ocean. It’s characterised by a hostile landscape which attracts tourists admiring of the effects of the eruptions, the rock formations and lack of vegetation that the volcanoes leave, and for natural adventure tourism.

The most surprising thing about this volcano is that its formation originated from the important eruption from the Santa María volcano in 1902. The quality of Central America for trips for tourists interested in volcanic activity is, therefore, very rich, because natural history leaves formations such as this lava dome from which you can still admire its activity throughout history.

Pacaya’s Volcano

 

This active volcano has similar height characteristics to those detailed in the previous section. It’s located at 2,552 metres above sea level, very close to the ocean. However, its formation is complex. It’s located in San Vicente Pacaya, which is in the department of Escuintla, Guatemala. Its formation dates back thousands of years and, since then, it has remained active.

The last eruption occurred in 2018, although the most dangerous dates back to 1965. Its natural landscape is part of a National Park that was declared as such in 1963 and, therefore, is a great attraction for tourists, both for people travelling from abroad and for locals. It’s located less than 50 kilometres from Guatemala City and is very easy to reach.

Volcano de Fuego

This high stratovolcano reaches 3,763 metres above sea level. It’s located between the departments of Sacatepéquez, Escuintla and Chimaltenango, in south-central Guatemala. Without a doubt, it is one of the places in Central America with the most impressive volcanoes, due to its height and characteristics. 

Above 1,300 metres high, it has barely any vegetation. However, the different eruptions produced over time have left lava remains with impressive traces of the explosions. Although it’s active, it can be visited and tourist activity has not stopped operating.

Final recommendations

The Guatemalan landscape is also rich in lava formations, and some can be visited.

– Keep in mind that you must follow the rules set out on the visit and have the utmost respect for the environment.

– If the volcano is active, in addition to enjoying the experience, you must retain the information of what to do in case it becomes active.

– And finally, enjoy this sight without fear! No natural disaster will happen suddenly and without alerting the scientific personnel who monitor these natural wonders.

If you were wondering what the most important volcano in Guatemala is called, we hope you’ve found your own answer. Visit one of these three volcanoes and enjoy yourself!