36 Pacaya Facts and Figures, 2026
By Pacaya Volcano editors
Park and hiking figures plus five tour listings. Compare the records and download the data.
Published · Updated
5operator listings, Oct 2026
3 / 5include park entry, Oct 2026
2,569 mPacaya, Smithsonian, undated
Filter comparison
| Operator / source | Total hours | Park entry | Departure | Walking measure | Included extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OX Expeditions | 6-7 h | Excluded | 06:00 / 14:00; office | Not stated | Snack; local and bilingual guides |
| Old Town Outfitters | 6-8 h | Included | 08:00 / 14:00; office | Approx. 8 km; +400 / -400 m | Picnic; bilingual guide |
| Trek Guatemala | 6-8 h | Included | 08:00; Antigua | Not stated | Lunch; poles; bilingual guide |
| Antigua Tours | 6 h | Included | 07:00-13:00 weekdays; address pickup | 3 hours; distance not stated | Private guide; snacks |
| Gray Line | 9 h | Excluded | Antigua hotels; time not stated | Not used: crater approach unverified | Santa Teresita; lunch; bilingual guide |
5 listings shown
Sources: five linked official listings, checked 16 October 2026. Hours cover the whole excursion; routes differ.
No listings match. Clear the search or reset the filters.
Admission inclusion varies: 3 of these 5 listings include it and 2 exclude it. That count describes this selection only. Confirm the current permitted endpoint and cancellation terms with the operator.
Download comparison CSVScale: 0 to 10 hours. The solid bar ends at the shortest advertised time; the lighter part extends to the longest. Gray Line includes a separate hot-springs visit.
Key takeaways
- CONAP lists Pacaya and Laguna de Calderas National Park's area as 1,049.518 hectares in its visitor record. (CONAP, accessed October 2026)
- INGUAT's August 2026 Pacaya guide lists foreign visitor admission at Q100 per person; guiding and transport are separate questions. (INGUAT, August 2026)
- INGUAT describes many guided Pacaya routes as approximately 5.5 to 6 kilometres in total in August 2026, without publishing a measured track. (INGUAT, August 2026)
- The Smithsonian catalogue records Pacaya's elevation at 2,569 metres above sea level, not a visitor route's high point. (Smithsonian GVP, accessed October 2026)
- OX Expeditions advertises 6-7 hours for its Antigua Pacaya day trip. (OX Expeditions, accessed October 2026)
- Gray Line advertises 9 hours for its Pacaya and Santa Teresita hot-springs trip from Antigua. (Gray Line, accessed October 2026)
How large is Pacaya National Park?
Park area, legal date and visitor hours describe different things. The hours are a listing, not a live opening notice.
| Record | Figure |
|---|---|
| Park area | 1,049.518 hectares |
| Declaration year | 1963 |
| Listed hours | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Reference height | 2,500 metres |
- CONAP lists Pacaya and Laguna de Calderas National Park's area as 1,049.518 hectares in its visitor record. (CONAP, accessed October 2026)
- CONAP records 1963 as the declaration year of Pacaya and Laguna de Calderas National Park. (CONAP, accessed October 2026)
- CONAP's undated Pacaya park listing gives visiting hours of 07:00 to 18:00, Monday to Sunday; confirm access before travel. (CONAP, accessed October 2026)
- CONAP's Pacaya visitor description uses a reference height of 2,500 metres above sea level; this is not a trail's ascent. (CONAP, accessed October 2026)
What do official hiking and entry figures cover?
INGUAT gives indicative routes, not a surveyed track. Fees depend on visitor category and do not settle the guide charge.
| Record | Figure |
|---|---|
| Foreign admission | Q100 |
| National admission | Q30 |
| Indicative total distance | 5.5 to 6 kilometres |
| Indicative elevation gain | 400 to 500 metres |
| Hike with stops | 3 to 4 hours |
| Uphill portion | 1.5 to 2 hours |
- INGUAT's August 2026 Pacaya guide lists foreign visitor admission at Q100 per person; guiding and transport are separate questions. (INGUAT, August 2026)
- INGUAT's August 2026 Pacaya guide lists Guatemalan visitor admission at Q30 per person. (INGUAT, August 2026)
- INGUAT describes many guided Pacaya routes as approximately 5.5 to 6 kilometres in total in August 2026, without publishing a measured track. (INGUAT, August 2026)
- INGUAT describes approximate Pacaya hike elevation gain of 400 to 500 metres in August 2026; the actual route may differ. (INGUAT, August 2026)
- INGUAT allows approximately 3 to 4 hours for a complete Pacaya hike with stops in August 2026, before adding transport. (INGUAT, August 2026)
- INGUAT estimates the uphill portion of a Pacaya hike at approximately 1.5 to 2 hours in August 2026, depending on pace. (INGUAT, August 2026)
How high is Pacaya compared with nearby volcanoes?
Catalogue elevations are not your climb or an allowed endpoint. Pacaya heights differ between records; none is a route measurement.
| Record | Figure |
|---|---|
| Pacaya | 2,569 metres |
| Agua | 3,760 metres |
| Fuego | 3,799 metres |
| Acatenango | 3,976 metres |
- The Smithsonian catalogue records Pacaya's elevation at 2,569 metres above sea level, not a visitor route's high point. (Smithsonian GVP, accessed October 2026)
- The Smithsonian catalogue records Agua's elevation at 3,760 metres above sea level, not a visitor route's high point. (Smithsonian GVP, accessed October 2026)
- The Smithsonian catalogue records Fuego's elevation at 3,799 metres above sea level, not a visitor route's high point. (Smithsonian GVP, accessed October 2026)
- The Smithsonian catalogue records Acatenango's elevation at 3,976 metres above sea level, not a visitor route's high point. (Smithsonian GVP, accessed October 2026)
How is Pacaya monitored?
Monitoring infrastructure provides context. Station totals cannot establish a hazard ranking or whether a path is open.
| Record | Figure |
|---|---|
| Pacaya | 5 |
| Fuego | 9 |
| Agua | 1 |
| Network | 6 |
- INSIVUMEH's monitoring network description lists 5 multiparametric stations for Pacaya; station count does not measure visitor safety. (INSIVUMEH, accessed October 2026)
- INSIVUMEH's monitoring network description lists 9 multiparametric stations for Fuego; station count does not measure visitor safety. (INSIVUMEH, accessed October 2026)
- INSIVUMEH's monitoring network description lists 1 multiparametric station for Agua; station count does not measure visitor safety. (INSIVUMEH, accessed October 2026)
- INSIVUMEH's network description lists 6 Guatemalan volcanoes monitored in real time, including Pacaya. (INSIVUMEH, accessed October 2026)
Where do the older Pacaya distance figures come from?
These undated Ministry descriptions are historical context only. No current track or access permission was established.
| Record | Figure |
|---|---|
| Distance from the capital | 50 kilometres |
| Plateau approach | 2 kilometres |
- The Ministry of Culture's undated Pacaya description gives approximately 50 kilometres from Guatemala City to the volcano; it does not specify a reproducible driving endpoint. (Ministry of Culture and Sports, accessed October 2026)
- The Ministry of Culture's historical Pacaya description gives approximately 2 kilometres from San Francisco de Sales to a plateau, not a current measured return hike. (Ministry of Culture and Sports, accessed October 2026)
What do named operators advertise for a Pacaya day trip?
Prices and departures are as listed in October 2026. Each figure belongs to the named package. Different routes, stops and group sizes prevent a meaningful average. Prices are observations, not quotes for your date.
| Record | Figure |
|---|---|
| OX Expeditions | 6-7 h · entry excluded |
| Old Town Outfitters | 6-8 h · entry included |
| Trek Guatemala | 6-8 h · entry included |
| Antigua Tours | 6 h · entry included |
| Gray Line | 9 h · entry excluded |
- OX Expeditions advertises 6-7 hours for its Antigua Pacaya day trip. (OX Expeditions, accessed October 2026)
- OX Expeditions lists Pacaya departures at 06:00 or 14:00 from its Antigua office. (OX Expeditions, accessed October 2026)
- OX Expeditions estimates 1-2 hours from its Pacaya trailhead to the lava fields in its listing; its detailed itinerary gives a shorter range. (OX Expeditions, accessed October 2026)
- OX Expeditions estimates 30 minutes to 1 hour for the return to its Pacaya trailhead in the listing. (OX Expeditions, accessed October 2026)
- Old Town Outfitters advertises 6-8 hours for its Pacaya day hike from Antigua. (Old Town Outfitters, accessed October 2026)
- Old Town Outfitters lists approximately 8 kilometres for its Pacaya hike; this is its advertised route, not a park-wide standard. (Old Town Outfitters, accessed October 2026)
- Old Town Outfitters lists 400 metres of elevation gain and the same loss for its Pacaya hike. (Old Town Outfitters, accessed October 2026)
- Trek Guatemala's Pacaya listing gives 6-8 hours for the day trip, depending on group pace. (Trek Guatemala, accessed October 2026)
- Trek Guatemala's Pacaya itinerary departs Antigua at 08:00. (Trek Guatemala, accessed October 2026)
- Trek Guatemala's listing quotes USD 99 per guest for its public Pacaya tour with five or more guests. (Trek Guatemala, accessed October 2026)
- Trek Guatemala's English listing quotes USD 129 per guest for its private Pacaya tour with five or more guests; request a current quote. (Trek Guatemala, accessed October 2026)
- Antigua Tours gives 6 hours as the total length of its private Pacaya trip. (Antigua Tours, accessed October 2026)
- Antigua Tours describes 3 hours of hiking within its private Pacaya trip. (Antigua Tours, accessed October 2026)
- Antigua Tours offers weekday Pacaya departures from 07:00 to 13:00, Monday to Friday. (Antigua Tours, accessed October 2026)
- Antigua Tours lists $225 for one or two people on its private Pacaya hike; confirm billing currency with the operator. (Antigua Tours, accessed October 2026)
- Gray Line advertises 9 hours for its Pacaya and Santa Teresita hot-springs trip from Antigua. (Gray Line, accessed October 2026)
Download and cite this page
Pacaya Volcano editorial team. “36 Pacaya facts and figures: park and hiking records, 2026.” Published and updated 16 October 2026. https://pacayavolcano.com/pacaya-volcano-hike/pacaya-facts-and-figures/
Methods and limitations
45 candidate figures checked, 36 kept. We excluded packing advice, booking conditions and an old walking-time claim to keep this reference focused on destination and trip figures. We compiled five named Antigua-departure listings rather than a market census. Admission is counted only when the listing explicitly includes or excludes it: three include it and two exclude it. Hours are transcribed as ranges; no average, route conversion or safety score is calculated.
We excluded an unsupported annual park visitor total, an unavailable historical INSIVUMEH bulletin, an unofficial 24-hour opening claim and Gray Line’s unverified crater-approach distance. Old Ministry route descriptions are retained only as historical context. No current measured park track was found. Smithsonian elevations use the catalogue data service; they differ from heights in tourism descriptions.
Undated sources are labelled as accessed in October 2026; this is not a publication date. Operator and authority descriptions can change; they are not confirmation of a booking, access or current activity. Figures rechecked 16 October 2026; next review 16 January 2027.
The headline counts are compiled from the five linked operator pages; the elevation is from the Smithsonian catalogue. No comparable prior-year snapshot is held, so year-on-year change is unavailable.
Report a correction through Contact. We will recheck the original source and update the affected record and download together. For a visit, continue to the hike planning guide.
Primary sources
- CONAP: Parque Nacional Volcán Pacaya y Laguna de Calderas.
- INGUAT: Hike Pacaya.
- Ministry of Culture and Sports: Volcán de Pacaya.
- INSIVUMEH: Vulcanología: acerca de.
- OX Expeditions: Pacaya Volcano Hike Day Trip.
- Old Town Outfitters: Pacaya Volcano Day Hike.
- Trek Guatemala: Pacaya Volcano Day Hike.
- Antigua Tours: Private Pacaya Volcano Hike.
- Gray Line: Pacaya Volcano Tour and Hot Springs with Lunch from Antigua.
- Smithsonian GVP: Pacaya.
- Smithsonian GVP: Agua.
- Smithsonian GVP: Fuego.
- Smithsonian GVP: Acatenango.
The comparison shows what each operator publishes about its own package. Before booking, confirm the start, permitted endpoint, entry inclusion and terms for your date. Use the hike planning guide to prepare your visit.