Did you know you can camp in a volcanic crater? Next to a sacred lake? Well, actually Guatemala has multiple places you can do this. There’s Volcan Ipala, which I will definitely be writing about in the future. But today I’m gonna talk about Volcan y Laguna Chicabal: one of the most magical and serene spots I’ve ever visited.

What Is Volcan Chicabal?

Chicabal, alternatively spelled “Chikabal”, is a climbable volcano with a lake in the crater. The elevation is 2,712 meters (8,879 feet) and the volcano is extinct, meaning it’s not expected to erupt in the future. This hike is doable for all ages, although be cautious going in rainy season as it can be slippery. It’s also consistently steep so make sure you have at least a moderate cardio base. But if you don’t want to incorporate a fitness routine in advance and still want to do this hike, you should be ok. Just take lots of breaks. There is also always the option of taking a pick-up truck to the top if you want the views without doing the climb.

There are several reasons I recommend going here. First, it’s a beautiful place in nature. From the top of the volcano, you have lookout towers with incredible views of neighboring volcanoes. If the weather is clear, you can see Santa Maria and Santiaguito on one side and Siete Orejas on the other side. Plus, you are far away from the rest of the world and surrounded by all types of wildlife. We saw so many different bird species, including multiple types of hummingbirds. You might even see the resplendent quetzal, Guatemala’s national bird that’s hard to find in most parts of the country.

The second reason I recommend this place is because of it’s spiritual energy. The Mayans consider Chicabal a sacred location. According to their ideology, the further away you are from cities and populated centers, the closer you are to divine energy (Ajaw). And it doesn’t get further from civilization than a volcano you have to hike up and then climb down into. Regardless of your religion or spirituality, there’s something mystical about this place. You will understand why as soon as you visit. Just watching the fog float over the lake makes you feel it.

There are plenty of other reasons to visit as well. This is a volcano/camping spot much less visited than Pacaya or Acatenango. It’s hardly ever crowded except for in April or May when the Mam Mayan people have a pilgrimage – I will write about this in more detail below- and Chicabal closes for tourists. The rest of the year it’s a tranquil spot to get away from everything. It also has a relatively cheap entrance fee. It costs 50Q for international visitors and 15Q for Guatemalans. Considering the fee includes the volcano hike, lookout towers, and trails both around the lake and to an ocean view lookout, it’s more than worth it.

The Hike Itself

While getting to the top of the volcano is steep, it can be avoided all together. You can ride up in a truck. We were hiking with all of our camping gear/food when someone driving a pick-up asked if we wanted a lift for 20Q. Normally I think it costs 100Q, but we had already walked some of the trail and the driver was on his way up anyway to bring other people back down. It was a fun adventure in itself. There isn’t exactly a clear road. It’s a lot of uneven mud and we went exhilaratingly fast in places. We were told that hiking from the parking lot normally takes people 45 minutes to an hour, but that varies depending on fitness level.

The hardest part of the hike for us: THE STAIRS going to and from the crater. The only way to go up or down to the lake is on foot. There are no car options like getting to the top of the volcano. And while I didn’t actually count the number of stairs, it felt never-ending. It’s funny because I tried to look up the exact number of stairs online. And every website I read listed a different number, ranging from 500-800. So, if anyone has actually counted the stairs themselves, please let me know the real number! Suffice it to say, there are a lot.

When walking down the stairs to get to the crater, we thought it was the only way down. However, on our way back up we noticed there’s also a path through the forest. I would recommend taking that on your way back out. Even though it’s the same distance, it feels a lot less monotonous than hundreds of stairs. Plus, the stairs can be really slippery from rain.

Once you are in the crater, you can walk all the way around the lake. It’s a flat and beautiful walk, especially because of the fog. You can watch the lake disappear completely. It feels so out of this world when you’re completely immersed in the fog. One second you are able to see the forest, the birds, the lake. And the next, there’s nothing. It was a surreal thing to witness.

There’s also a hike you can do from the top of the volcano to a lookout point. A lot of people don’t know about this trail and some tours don’t include it. They should though, because you can apparently see the ocean from the lookout. We went around 8am and it was too cloudy and overcast to see that far in the distance. But the hike itself was cool and we saw a lot of birds and other wildlife. It will be marked with signs saying “Mirador Costa Sur”. The path is a little rugged and unclear in some places. It also has both uphill and downhill sections. And at one point it was so grown over with trees that we thought we were going the wrong way. It took around 15 minutes to hike out from the stairs.

How To Get To Chicabal

Located outside Martín Sacatepéquez, Chicabal is in the department of Quetzaltenango, also called Xela. If you’re staying in Xela, it’s so worth it to make the trip out to Chicabal. We drove and it only took an hour. Important to note: Depending on the weather, you might not be able to drive all the way to the parking lot in a regular vehicle. We lucked out because it wasn’t raining when we went up. But if conditions are really muddy, you will need a 4×4 to make it up the mountainous road. It costs 15Q to park (less than $2US) in the official parking lot. And if you can’t make it up due to road conditions, there’s a lower parking lot with 4×4 vehicles you can hire to take you up the rest of the way.

If you don’t have a vehicle and are staying in Xela, there are colectivos (small buses or vans) that run from downtown Xela to San Martin. I believe they cost 7Q (a little less than $1US) and start running at 6am. From San Martin, you can walk for 1.5-2 hours to the base of the volcano. Or you can get a ride in a pickup for a small fee. Make sure to ask when you’re getting off the colectivo what times they will be returning to Xela and plan your trip accordingly.

If you would rather go with a group than on your own, there are plenty of travel agencies in Xela that organize trips. I stayed at the hostel Casa Seibel and they arranged morning pick-ups to Chicabal for day tours. You just have to sign up the day before. And there are other organizations that coordinate overnight trips. While I don’t think it’s necessary for safety reasons to go with a group, it can be a fun way to meet people and you don’t have to worry about logistics.

Camping

The cost of camping in Chicabal is 15Q (a little less than $2 US) so I was very surprised that we were the only ones camping in the crater. Especially as we went on a Saturday. But maybe because it was September, Guatemala’s rainiest month. And not as many people camp that time of year. There was a little bit of rain in the early evening and also overnight, and I did come down with a cold the day after camping. Probably due to the cold rain. But it was absolutely worth it. This was the most peaceful camping spot and it left me feeling recharged. Well worth a week of a stuffy nose.

Once you walk down the stairs from the top of the volcano to the lake, turn right. The best spots for camping, meaning the areas with the most grass, are in that direction. If you go to the left, the path around the lake is too narrow for a tent. You will also see 40 cleared altars set up around the lake. Those are for ceremonies as the lake is a sacred space for the Mam Mayan people. I would avoid camping in the spaces for altars and stick to the grassy areas. There’s plenty of space.

It’s important to note that it can get really cold at night and in the early morning, especially if you go during the dry season. In January and February, it can drop as low as 37° Fahrenheit (3° Celsius). In September when I was there, it was a lot warmer. My phone said it was 50° Fahrenheit (10° Celsius) when I checked it at 6:30am, but it felt a lot cooler with the fog and rain. I highly recommend packing warm clothes, a beanie, gloves, and a warm sleeping bag.

Also, make sure to bring everything necessary for camping. There is a store at the top of the volcano with food, drinks, and other essentials. There’s another by the parking lot. But there is nothing around the lake. So make sure you have everything you need before walking down. Pack plenty of food/water, a headlamp, toilet paper, and trash bags-because you will have to carry everything out with you. There are no trash bins or bathrooms around the lake. And it’s a long walk in and out of the crater, so be sure to double-check you’ve packed everything before you start your hike.

Mayan Significance

As previously mentioned, Laguna Chicabal is considered a sacred space for indigenous people. Particularly for the Mam, a subgroup of Mayans from the highlands of Guatemala and Mexico. Many of the Mam people are farmers and their culture emphasises connectivity among people and land. Every Spring, there’s a ceremony called “rogativa por la lluvia” where they make a pilgrimage to pray for their crops and fields and for the season to be blessed with rain.

The Rogativa begins at the end of dry season, usually in early May. Tourists are not allowed to visit during this time, as the volcano becomes crowded with people paying their respects. Mayan people of all ages make this pilgrimage wearing traditional indigenous skirts and carrying an offering with them. This is seriously impressive considering the inclination of the volcano.

The ritual involves carrying bouquets of flowers up the volcano and then down into the crater. Then walking 5 meters into the water and digging a hole in the sand, where one places a dried stick to mount the flower bouquet. After making the offering, the Mam people will kneel alongside the lake and pray for half an hour. They are praying for their crops and fields and for the season to be blessed with rain. Gratitude is practiced not only for rain but also the sun, forest, water, and the wind so multiple elements are incorporated. It is an all-encompassing ceremony to thank nature. Some people walk up with different colored candles and others perform fire ceremonies.

“Rogativa por la lluvia” literally translates to “rain prayer”. And the prayers can be to Mayan gods or to the Christian God. Due to colonization, a lot of indigenous beliefs are syncretic and this ceremony is no different. For instance, when you circumvent the lake, you will find 40 different altars featuring nahuales, Mayan, and also crosses, Christian. Another example of syncretism is that the date of the pilgrimage is based off of Christianity and not the Mayan calendar. The Rogativa occurs 40 days after Semana Santa, or Holy Week, which is a Catholic holiday.

It makes complete sense to me that this place is chosen for a pilgrimage. You are surrounded by nature and can really feel the spiritual energy. If you want to learn more about the ceremony and significance, read this Prensa Libre article. It has a lot of great photos and a more in-depth description of the event.

Overall Takeaway of Volcan Chicabal

I think everyone can benefit from staying in a peaceful and away-from-civilization place like this. I know I felt way more relaxed and rejuvenated after this camping trip.

Don’t forget:

Respect the space! Don’t use the water for washing. Make sure to take out everything you brought in.

Come prepared for the stairs! Definitely the hardest and only unavoidable part of the hike.

Pack for the cold! Bring layers, especially if you plan on staying overnight.

No swimming in the lake! It’s a sacred lake for the Mayan people. Even though the water looks tempting, resist jumping in.

And again, can someone please let me know how many stairs go from the top of the volcano and into the crater? I will be eternally grateful.

Thanks so much for reading. Let me know if you have any further questions about the hike in the comments. And reach out if you have suggestions for hikes I write about in the future. Hope this inspires you to check out Chicabal!

Also if you’re looking for more Guatemalan volcano inspiration, these are some of the others I’ve written about: Pacaya, Acatenango, and Tacana 🙂