Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Santa María Volcano with smoking Santiaguito beside it
SantaMaríaisoneofthemostpopularvolcanoclimbsfromXela,withspectacu-
larviewsfromits3,772-metersummit.Thetrailheadisattheendofapavedroad
in the village of Llanos del Pinal. To get there, take one of the hourly pickups
leaving from Xela's Cementerio General (General Cemetery) at 20 Avenida and
4a Calle 7 A.M.-5 P.M. Heading out of Llanos del Pinal, the road soon turns into
a trail up the steep volcanic slopes, with painted arrows leading the way along
this initial section of the footpath. About two hours from the starting point, you
reach a flat grassy area known as “La Mesa,” where the trail diverts to the right
and then switchbacks up the mountainside through pine forests. This part of the
climb is somewhat steeper, with the summit about three hours from this point. A
few hundred meters from the summit, you'll see the end of the tree line and the
summit itself, providing a much-needed mental boost for the end of your climb.
The best time to arrive at the summit is at sunrise, affording opportunities
to take in the magnificent views before clouds start to roll in. From there, you
can look southwest into the smoking crater of 2,500-meter Santiaguito Volcano,
which has been belching out smoke and ash since its birth in 1902. To the east
you'll see the cones of San Pedro, Tolimán, Atitlán, Acatenango, Agua, and
