Pacaya from Guatemala City, Through Forest, Farmland and Lava

The trail is 3.7 kilometres and steep for most of that. It is in good condition but made of dirt and loose ash, so the shoes matter. It climbs through forest first, then farmland, then lava. At the top the fumaroles are the thing to watch, and they may be throwing ash, rock or lava while you do. You stay at a safe distance from them, which is a limit rather than an inconvenience. Some history worth having before you book. The last big eruption of Pacaya was in 2010. Until 2016 it was possible to get close to lava during the hike, with different companies taking different routes, and on sunset hikes the mountain could be seen throwing smoke and lava once the light went. The past tense there is deliberate. Pacaya is one of several active volcanoes around Antigua, the former capital of Guatemala, and the most accessible of them. Pick-up is from your hotel, by minibus, to the Pacaya Volcano National Park.