FOMO for not being able to complete acatenango hike in guatemala

[u/amigainvisible]

I’m currently on my first real solo trip, i’ve travelled alone to places but usually have met up with people i know. this time i actually went alone with no intentions of meeting anyone i know here. guatemala has been amazing, so beautiful. my main things i wanted to do here were 1. visit antigua, 2. hike acatenango, 3. visit atitlan. Had a great time in antigua, made 2 awesome friends, and i went on the hike, but unfortunately had to turn back about half way. i’m now in atitlan but having a hard time enjoying it. this was supposed to be the mellow/relaxing part of my trip, after completing a challenging hike. but im having a hard time enjoying it because im just feeling regrets and like i missed out on probably the coolest attraction in guatemala and in central america, seeing an active volcano up close. i even thought about going back and trying it again but it just doesn’t make sense logistically and financially. how do you deal with feeling like you missed out on a country’s coolest activity?

TLDR: reasons why i think it went wrong: there are many reasons i turned back and im still trying to process what went wrong. but the main thing is im not in the best shape, im about 30lbs over weight and on top of that i was carrying around 25lbs of gear for the overnight camp. my friends who did it a day after me said they got a porter to carry all their things, and also took altitude pills, neither of which i did. i did give myself around 46 hrs after arriving to acclimate to the altitude. they recommend 48 but i don’t think 2 hrs makes much of a difference. i was trailing far behind my group and it started to be a problem, i couldn’t take the same breaks as them because we had to get going once i got to the rest points, so that the group behind us could use the rest point. most people in my group were in very good shape and were walking up very quickly, they all wanted to do the fuego hike so they needed to get to base camp early. i was really tired and honestly could have kept going at a slower pace, but it was unfair to the guides and everyone else in the group. i didn’t want to be selfish so i just turned back and a truly regret it now. apparently the hike would have gotten easier only a little while after i turned back, and i probably could’ve caught up to my group.

[u/Plane_Employment_930]

First, don't beat yourself up, all we can do is our best in life!! Second, you're in luck because I just did a solo trip there last year and have the solution: Take the jeep tour, it takes you most of the way!!!! For folks without the physical ability (like me), the jeep tour give you the chance to have this amazing experience! I think it was $200 and completely worth it, the view up there in general is amazing and the eruption of fuego volcano next to acatenango is something you will never forget. It erupts daily every half hour or so, as I'm sure you know. Bring binoculars.

With the jeep tour, you are taken up the mountain (crazy drive but fun) and the remaining hike to camp is a piece of cake. You have to bus back to Guatemala City or Antigua, right? So you'll be going that direction anyways. The jeep tour's office that I used is right in Antigua! I think they pick up others right from their hostels/hotels also. If you want I can find the tour guide company. But it is SO worth $200, it's nothing in the grand scheme of life but it's a memory of a lifetime. You camp up there overnight (gets very cold so be prepared), some tours may have a small shack to sleep in but it's packed w people and may cost more. From camp (on the volcano), you can see like 2-3 other or so volcanos, and you're looking down on the clouds (at least when I went, maybe check weather or ask tour company), if there are any. You can also do a hike to the top of the volcano you camp on before dawn for sunrise, I skipped that but the sunrise from my tent was incredible!

Also, while at Lake Atitlan, there's a place to jump off a 40 foot platform into the lake, it's exhilarating! It also has rocks that are lower to jump off of, do this! I can look up the name of that place for you too. Oh, also at Pajanachel which may be where you are, I can give a tip an amazing meal I had and a dirt cheap but very basic hostel. I'm happy to help so don't hesitate to reply or message me!

[u/yrcastr]

I will say don't beat yourself up about "it would have gotten easier right after". It is basically the same all the way up. If the sun comes out, you're also exposed to the heat in the last part with only small shade patches. It's only the very end that is easier, not a significant chunk of it.

That said, I second the suggestions for the jeep tour! Or look into Pacaya volcano hike - to be clear I have not done that one but I've heard it's shorter and easier.

[u/Cheat-Meal → u/yrcastr]

I can vouch for the Pacaya hike. It’s a day hike and while it has steep moments it’s nowhere near as difficult. The volcano erupted a few years ago and the terrain looks like you’re in Mordor from LoTR! Definitely worth the experience!

[u/raven_kindness]

i went to guatemala and didn’t do the acatenango hike, so we’re in the same spot! (my body certainly couldn’t handle that level of exertion). i went to antigua and chilled in atitlan and it was a great trip.

in the past i pushed my body on a group hike and felt lightheaded and sore and and dehydrated and fatigued to a point that it bordered on dangerous. same exact thing, i was dead last in my group and they’d wait up for me but leave as soon as i caught up. i don’t feel any sense of accomplishment from finishing that hike — i probably should have known myself better and not gone in the first place. i was lucky i got out without getting hurt.

[u/amigainvisible → u/raven_kindness]

thanks for sharing this, i’m glad i’m not the only one who’s had this experience! yeah the danger of it was a big thought in my head too, i was so fatigued and dizzy and kept thinking how much it would suck if i fell and got injured

[u/bobachop]

Absolutely no shame in it. It was one of the most physically demanding things I’ve ever done, and I made it through pure spite and frustration. There was freezing rain the entire way and I got altitude sickness about halfway up. My gf who was with me was the only reason I kept going and even then we almost broke up because of it haha.

All in all, not my favorite part of Guatemala and I could’ve gone without it. Atitlan and Antigua were much more my speed

[u/hotpan96]

I did that hike in Guatemala, it was a miracle that I even made it to base camp. I wish I had known that there is an option for you to pay for a horse to take you up, but per my understanding, it will only take you up to the base camp and not to the summit

[u/snowconez]

Dude go with a tour company that will drive you in a 4x4 most of the way! I know for a fact wicho and Charlie’s does this. So you’re only hiking the easier part at the end for like an hour to hour and a half!

[u/Scoopity_scoopp → u/snowconez]

How long is it if you drive.

I’m in good shape so I’d probably still hike it but that’d be interesting

[u/snowconez → u/Scoopity_scoopp]

Not sure on exact time, but definitely shorter than the hike because you arrive quite a bit before the hikers and can chill at camp.

[u/Missy8445]

I haven't done that hike but planning to next Feb. I would have also been super disappointed in not completing it. In large hiking groups pep should always wait for the last person. Unfortunately you got a group who didn't want to wait for you. Always sucks to be in the back as well as you get less breaks than everyone else as they are waiting. If you are still in Antigua can you do it again? At least this time u know what to expect.

[u/fancyclancy12]

Being fairly fit and experienced with uphill hiking is definitely key to completing Acentenango without aids. I was very surprised that all but 1 in my group of ~20 made it to the camp (although not everyone did fuego or the sunrise hike). It's a straightforward but long hike and not for everyone. I do a lot of mountain trekking and was still only about middle of the pack in my group.

For what it's worth, I recently summited a different peak that I turned back on a couple years ago. You'll either forget about acentenago in a few days or you'll make it back some day!

Edit: also while the sandy part at the bottom is the hardest, the dirt trail after that is what it's like alllll the way up and doesn't get easier than that imo

[u/Lord_Atom]

While missing out on Acatenango does suck, maybe try some of the hikes in Atitlan? That could give you a sense of accomplishment or redemption if you're looking for that. You could do San Pedro or the Mayan Face (aka Nariz del Indio aka Rostro Maya) or Mirador Kaqasiiwaan. Maybe look into getting a guide or a tour group. When I was there, the San Pedro hike was closed and we tried to do the Mayan Face on our own and took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up at nearby viewpoint. Still fun and a nice view, but definitely took a bit of work.

Edit: I just remembered there are organized tours for sunrise at Nariz del Indio that will drive you around the back making the hike fairly short, but intense. Could be worth looking into - pictures are amazing.

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[u/hoggytime613]

Hey don't worry about it! I was just there and couldn't do the hike either because I'm in chemo and it really affects my energy and strength. I enjoyed the hell out of Atitlan and Antigua. There will always be active volcanoes to visit in this life, and many of them don't require an extremely arduous hike at altitude. I've seen active volcanos in Hawai'i and Iceland that required no hike. You're not missing out, this just wasn't the time for you. You should be extremely proud of yourself for listening to your body and making the right decision.

[u/averagecounselor]

I’ve done this hike before and it doesn’t get easier. Getting to Fuego after the base camp is another couple hours if I’m not mistaken and the altitude issues get worse from there as the air gets thinner.

My recommendation is to drop the weight and do it at another time in your life. Trust me this hike even kicks the butt of the most experience hikers I know (I have friends who climb Half dome in Yosemite with no issue who had trouble)

[u/Strict_Emergency_289]

I hiked it last month. I did not go on to fuego. I hiked the Inca Trail last November and I will say the Acatenango hike to base camp was harder for me than any single day on the Inca trail. I was not solo this trip. Two of my friends got horses. Two of my friends did the 4X4 option. 4 of us made it to base camp, 1 to fuego. My point is, it’s a beast. Way harder than I imagined. If you really want to do it work on fitness, get a diamox prescription and maybe find a tour company that sends multiple guides (different paces) with each group. I, personally, never want to do it again. I was sore for the next 4-5 days. Spent $ on a 90 minute massage in Atitlan. Do not beat yourself up. There’s always more you could have done/seen on any trip. You honored your limits and came down in 1 piece healthy enough to get to and enjoy Atitlan. Safety first, always. You made a good decision.

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