evagabourel

My Acatenango Experience

A few months ago, my friend Denis invited me to join in on a trip he was planning for his little sister Kayleigh’s birthday…hiking Volcano Acatenango in Guatemala.  Of course I said yes!

We had enough time to save up for the trip and all the logistics would be taken care of by Jireh Travel.  

I had no idea what to expect on the hike but I was told it would be cold.  I had not been in my best physical shape, weighing more than I ever have.  However, I was determined to do it.  Denis and I exercised after work by walking laps at the Victor Galvez Stadium and then we did a couple months of three to four days a week workout with Marilee Kayaba.  I did not lose a pound…but I’m sure it helped my endurance.  I wanted to quit drinking and eat healthier but alcohol and food are my weaknesses and I wasn’t very committed to those aspirations in the end. 

Before we knew it, the date of our trip was finally here! What was supposed to be a group of eleven or twelve ended up being only a group of eight: Denis, Kayleigh, Viandra, Celine, Nadime, Carrie, Mrs. Nora and myself.  

We carpooled to the border, exchanged currency and made our way to the Flores Airport via a little minivan that we had privately chartered. Our flight arrived safely and smoothly and our van was waiting to take us directly to Panajachel which would be our home for two nights. This was a recommended stop to get us acclimatised for our hike in Acatenango. 

We stayed at Perla Maya Hotel.  The rooms were very basic but they had a magnificent rooftop view which we all loved. It was also a close walk to restaurants and little shops.  We did not get there on the first day until late afternoon so after checking into our hotel we freshened up and went out for a walk to see the lakefront of Atitlan.  Some of us tried roasted corn on the cob from a street side vendor.  We took pictures and explored a little before we chose a restaurant for dinner which ended up being a poor choice because the food was less than spectacular and my carpaccio de lomito smelled like butt according to Celine! 

On our second day, we ventured by boat to neighbouring San Jose and Santa Catalina.  We were very entertained by sightseeing and visiting a women’s textile cooperative, a chocolate-making shop, a honey-producing shop, a coffee-producing shop and a small art gallery featuring local artists.  We had lunch and beers and we visited El Mirador in San Jose for a really superb view!  It was a little hike up some steep stairs to get there but it was worth every step.  After all we did in San Jose we did not have much time to visit Santa Catalina but we managed to have a quick stop at a local gift shop there whose owners allowed us to dress up in traditional clothing and take photos in them.  By then it was also raining and poor Kayleigh was battling the flu so we decided to call it an evening.  Back at Panajachel we showered and went further into town for dinner, travelling by tuk-tuks.  This was fun, all huddled up together in those tiny three-wheeled vehicles listening to Dr. Dre no less!

Dinner was much better at Circus Bar and we went to bed excited for our next stop in Antigua the following day.  

On day three of our trip we had an early breakfast at Te Quiero Tea House and I had the first cup of good coffee in three days. Right after we headed out to Antigua.  Upon our arrival at Hotel Casa De Las Fuentes, we discovered that we couldn’t check in early so we left our luggage at reception and headed out to have a very delectable lunch at Restaurante Frida’s before going on an ATV tour up to Hobbitenango. 

This was a fun experience although it got a bit scary for me several times driving the ATV up and down those winding hills with Nadime in tow. It was a bit daunting knowing you’re driving an ATV but have to worry about your life as well as that of your passenger.  

Hobbitenango was cold and wet but we had a good time nonetheless.  We took pictures on the iconic hand but the highlight was the exhilarating tree swing on the “largest tree swing in Central America”, as advertised by their website.  We also had hot chocolates and cappuccinos in one of the little bars on site.  

Day four came way too quickly and it was time for our hike.  We were warned it would be freezing in temperature so we packed warm clothes.

Our day started off with coffee and croissants at Starbucks before we walked over to the meeting point for our tour company to pick us up.  By 7:30 we were on our way and it was about an hour drive from Antigua to the town of Acatenango. When we got there, we met our guides Henry and Willie and we had the chance to rent backpacks, walking sticks, hiking pants, headlamps and raincoats.  We set off on our hike to Acatenango by 9:15 a.m.  

There was no easing into it, it started off uphill right away.  The weather was forecasted to be cold and maybe even wet.  The first part of the hike through farmland went by without much difficulty but it was tough due to the cold and the elevation.  There was a cafe along the way about fifteen or twenty minutes into the hike and we had a quick cappuccino.  The sequence of events thereafter is kind of a blur.  It was a really tough hike…cold and wet from the clouds’ dew, and sometimes hard to breathe normally due to the elevation (over thirteen thousand feet).  There were times I had to stop every hundred steps because my heart was racing too fast and I needed to do breathing exercises.  It really felt like the longest hike I’ve ever been on LOL.  I forgot at what point along the way there was a stop and someone was up there selling beer! Denis and I had one and it was so delicious.  At our lunch stop where we sat and ate our packed lunch there were more beers on sale so Nadime, Celine, Denis and I each got on that we planned on drinking in our cabin later that night.  

About six hours and several “bathroom” breaks later, we were finally at the base camp.  It was foggy and visibility was not the best due to the clouds or maybe it was fog.  It was absolutely freezing too!  We were shown our “Cabins” which ended up being some very tiny triangular shaped structures in which three of us were able to fit. Celine, Nadime and I shared cabins, while Denis, Kayleigh and Viandra roomed together. The cabins offered absolutely no warmth with cold air coming in through the poorly sealed walls and door.  We were each provided with sleeping bags. And there was an extra one that we decided we would use as a shared blanket.  

All I can remember was how freezing it was…I put on three pairs of leggings plus a fourth I borrowed from Celine. I had on two long sleeved blouses as well as my jacket, gloves, beanie,three pairs of socks and a neck gaiter…and I was still trembling!  There was no way I wanted to go outside to eat or even pee!  Nadime came up with the brilliant idea to pee in plastic cups, then throw it out the door – and that is exactly what we did!  Denis came over with some pain meds and imodium which we took in the hopes it would prevent us from having to use the “bathroom” in the morning. 

After all six of us huddled in our cabin to have dinner of stir fried beef with white rice which the guides graciously delivered to our cabin, we were ready to get some sleep by 7:30 p.m.  

We heard loud noises which sounded like thunder, and we were told it was the adjacent Fuego Volcano erupting…however visibility was poor and we were not able to see it.  The guide promised to come wake us up to see it if the weather improved.  

Nadime, Celine and I huddled close together to try to keep warm but it felt like the longest night ever.  We managed to get some sleep, but it was very restless to say the least. 

We had set an alarm for 3:45 to be able to set off at 4:00 a.m. to hike one hour to the top of Acatenango.  Our camp was set up at the base of it. When the alarm woke us up, we put on our hiking pants and packed our bags with water and snacks. It was still freezing. I wished I had packed a thick sweater. I also discovered that the imodium did not help at all, I desperately needed to relieve my bowels but it was so dark to see that I decided I would wait.  I was feeling really anxious, like I didn’t know if I would be able to hike to the peak of the volcano…it was cold, dark and windy and I really needed to use the “bathroom”.  Plus the guide told us that we might not get to see anything due to the weather. From the peak of Acatenango we should have been able to see the sunrise as well as eruptions from the Fuego Volcano.  I started the hike and immediately it was uphill and I was sinking and falling all over myself in the volcanic sand.  My panic escalated.  I asked if the entire hour would be like this…the guide said yes.  Like godsend, Denis announced that he would be staying with Kayleigh because she was feeling nauseous.  I told the guide that I would stay too.  It was a mixture of relief and disappointment.  Relief that I had company to stay back but disappointment because I would not summit Acatenango and maybe I could have done it, but having company just made it easier to stay.

Not long after the hikers left, we heard a loud “thunder” and we saw Fuego erupt in beautiful lava! I did not have my phone handy but it was a beautiful sight! Realizing the fog had cleared and we would be privy to more shows, we decided to sit out and watch, this time with phones in hand.  We were patient (the eruptions happened about twenty minutes apart and some bigger than others) and got to see some nice eruptions from Fuego.  This made me feel better about staying because it was unknown whether the other hikers would be able to see them from the summit, but we were definitely seeing it here! To celebrate, Denis and I popped our beers at 6:00 a.m….hey, no judging! LOL

As soon as daylight came, I quickly dug a hole and did my business then buried it.  This made me feel a whole lot better too. 

About two or so hours after they left, the guides and rest of the crew were back.  They were not able to see anything from the cold, windy, foggy summit but they did manage to get some nice views along the way.  I lived vicariously through them recounting their experience of the summit and wondered if I would have made it had I tried…maybe I’ll go back when the weather is not so cold…maybe.

We had coffee, oatmeal and pancakes for breakfast then we took photos with Fuego Volcano in the background since the weather had cleared up enough for us to do this. We were blessed…apparently the two groups who had gone before us were not able to see anything!

We geared up for our hike back and it was uneventful and very easy compared to the trip up. There are no major injuries to report except for sore legs, bruised toes, and a slight knee discomfort at the end.  We made it down in record timing of three hours.  Maybe the thought of a nice, warm, long shower and clean clothes propelled us forward.  We were so relieved to have made it.  I joked with Kayleigh that she must wish she could have returned this birthday gift, but I was secretly so proud of her for accomplishing her first big hike! This was definitely baptism by fire into the world of extreme hiking…and she did great!

As tired as we were back in Antigua, we managed to go out for lunch then returned to the hotel for a siesta, then went back out for dinner and a couple hours at a club.  In the morning, we made one last stop at Starbucks before it was time to head back home. What a wonderful week it was!  Thank you Denis for spearheading this wonderful adventure.