May 22–25, 2026

guate[bueno]

3,976 m  ·  Overnight Camp  ·  Fuego Views
Antigua, Guatemala  ·  May 2026
See the plan →

01 Day by Day

Itinerary

Switch days with the tabs. Add new times with the button at the bottom of each day.

  • 6:02 AM
    Krish & Lillian depart LGA → Houston IAH. United UA 1090 · Boeing 737-800 · 4h 5m. Terminal 4 at JFK.
  • 9:09 AM
    Arrive Houston IAH. 2h 21m layover before the Guatemala connection.
  • 2:42 PM
    IAH → Guatemala City (GUA). United UA 1032 · Boeing 737 MAX 8 · 2h 59m.
  • 4:37 PM
    Krish & Lillian arrive GUA (La Aurora International). Grab a shared shuttle to Antigua — ~45 min, Q80–100 (~$10–12). Check into Hotel Nolasco.
  • Evening
    Explore Antigua. Parque Central comes alive at night — great food, street vendors, chill vibes. Early bed, big day tomorrow.
Just Krish & Lillian today. The rest of the crew arrives May 22 at 11:08 PM. Two full days to explore Antigua before the hike.
  • Morning
    Slow start. Big breakfast near Parque Central. Walk the Arco de Santa Catalina and Cathedral ruins — the city's most iconic spots.
  • Afternoon
    Optional: coffee farm tour (~$20), Jade Museum, or just wander the cobblestones and pick up last-minute gear. Check the Places doc for spots.
Altitude tip: Antigua sits at 1,530 m. Two days here before the hike is ideal acclimatization. Drink water, take it easy. The rest of the crew arrives tomorrow night (May 22, 11:08 PM).
  • 11:08 PM
    Fly into GUA (La Aurora International) — at night.
  • ~Midnight
    Shuttle to Antigua (~45 min, Q80–100). Check into Hotel Nolasco — K & L will already be there. Pack your bag and sleep.
Late arrival night. Go straight to Hotel Nolasco, sleep. Soy Tours pickup is 7:30 AM tomorrow — pack tonight before you crash.
  • 7:30 – 8:00 AM
    Soy Tours pickup at Hotel Nolasco. They drive you to the volcano base — have your pack fully ready the night before.
  • 9:00 AM
    Stop at the Soy Tours office in La Soledad (volcano base). Pick up warm jackets, pants, hats and gloves — all provided. Get trail briefing from guides.
  • 10:00 AM
    Hike begins. 6.9 km (4.3 miles), high difficulty. Corn fields → cloud forest → volcanic ash. Steady uphill — pace yourself, breaks every 10–15 min.
  • 12:30 PM
    Lunch break on the trail. Eat what you packed — guides carry the camp gear and meals. Hydrate hard here.
  • 4:00 PM
    Arrive at base camp (3,756 m). Set up in the cabins — 8-inch mattresses provided. Rest, layer up. Fuego erupts across the valley every 15–30 min.
  • 5:00 PM
    Optional hike down toward Fuego crater (+Q250/person). Highly worth it — closest you'll get to active lava. Book when you reserve the main tour.
  • 7:30 PM
    Hot dinner at camp — provided by Soy Tours. Then watch Fuego glow red against the night sky. Sleep early. Guides wake you at 4 AM.
Tour: Soy Tours Antigua — Q660/person, park entrance included. WhatsApp: +502 41 69 22 92 · @soytoursantigua
  • 4:00 AM
    Guides wake the group. Layer everything you have. Headlamps on. Summit push begins — ~1.5 hrs of steep loose ash to the top. Use trekking poles on the final stretch.
  • Sunrise
    Summit at 3,976 m. 360° views: Fuego erupting, Volcán Agua, Lake Atitlán, Pacific coast. Sunrise paints everything gold. This is the moment.
  • 7:00 AM
    Breakfast at camp — provided by Soy Tours. Pack up your gear. Guides break down camp.
  • 8:15 AM
    Begin descent. Faster than going up but brutal on the knees — gaiters essential through the volcanic ash sections.
  • 11:00 AM
    Back at the Soy Tours office in La Soledad. Return the warm gear. Celebratory beer included — you earned it.
  • 12:30 PM
    Back at Hotel Nolasco. Shower, rest, recover. Dinner out in Antigua tonight — check the Places doc for picks.
Weather: May mornings are almost always clear — summit views peak at dawn. Clouds roll in by 10–11 AM so the timing is perfect.
  • Morning
    Check out of Hotel Nolasco. Slow morning, big breakfast. Walk Mercado de Artesanias — pick up textiles, coffee, and souvenirs.
  • Late Morning
    Optional: Cerro de la Cruz overlook or ruins of La Merced church before heading out.
  • Afternoon
    Shuttle back to GUA airport. Book the shuttle at least 3 hrs before departure. 2 hrs early at the airport is plenty.
Flights: Afternoon/evening works best — full morning in Antigua. Most US connections route through Miami, Houston, or Atlanta.

02 Gear

Packing List

FREE · Soy Tours = they provide it.  RENT · Soy Tours = ask when booking.  MUST = bring it yourself.

Soy Tours Provides Free

  • FREE Winter jacket
  • FREE Fleece pants
  • FREE Fleece hat
  • FREE Warm scarf
  • FREE Warm gloves
  • FREE Warm socks
  • FREE Dinner & breakfast at camp
  • FREE Cabin beds with 8-inch mattresses

Rent from Soy Tours

  • Q100 Large hike backpack (45L+)
  • Q50 Headlamp
  • Q10 Trekking pole (per pole)

Clothing — Bring Yourself

  • MUST Hiking boots, ankle support — broken in
  • MUST Dry-fit hiking shirt (x2)
  • MUST Rain gear — waterproof jacket + pants or poncho (critical May–Oct)
  • MUST Hiking pants or shorts
  • Town clothes for Antigua days
  • Flip flops or sandals for camp

Essentials — Bring Yourself

  • MUST 3–4 liters of water (altitude dehydrates fast)
  • MUST Sunscreen SPF 50+, sun cap, sunglasses
  • MUST Toilet paper / tissue
  • MUST Powerbank — zero electricity at basecamp
  • Baby wipes — no water at basecamp
  • Blister kit (moleskin + bandages)
  • Ibuprofen, electrolyte tabs
  • Altitude meds (Diamox) — talk to your doctor

Trail Snacks

  • Granola bars, chocolate, dried fruit, nuts
  • Lunch for the trail (not provided)
  • Extra snacks for the summit push
  • Instant coffee or tea for camp mornings

Docs + Tech

  • MUST Passport (valid 6+ months)
  • MUST Phone + offline maps downloaded
  • Camera / GoPro + mini tripod for Fuego shots
  • AirTags for bags
Tip: Soy Tours provides all warm layers — don't overpack clothing. Focus on rain gear, hiking boots, water, and snacks. Ask about rentals when you book: +502 41 69 22 92.

03 Explore

Places

The crew's shared Google Docs. Add your picks, vote on spots, finalize the plan.

Paste your Google Doc links above. Only you need to do it once — saved to this browser.

04 Know Before You Go

Pro Tips

01

Train Before You Go

1,500 m of gain at altitude will humble you. Do stair workouts, weighted hikes, or Zone 2 cardio in the weeks before.

02

Diamox Is Your Friend

Altitude sickness is real at 3,900+ m. Talk to your doctor about Acetazolamide — start 1–2 days before the hike.

03

Layers, Layers, Layers

28°C at the trailhead. -2°C at camp. You'll strip down going up and pile everything on at sunset.

04

Hike Your Own Pace

Slowest person sets the pace, no ego. No glory in burning out and getting altitude sickness 4 hours from camp.

05

Cash Is King

Many places in Antigua and all trailhead services are cash-only. Withdraw Q1,000–1,500 before leaving Antigua.

06

Offline Maps Essential

Zero signal on the mountain. Download Google Maps or Maps.me offline before you leave Wi-Fi.

07

Fuego at Night

Erupts every 15–30 min all night. Set your phone on something stable and do long exposures. Bring a mini tripod.

08

Hydrate Early

Carry 3L and start drinking water well before you feel thirsty. Altitude + exertion dehydrates you fast.