Yvonne - Oct 31, 2022 1:50 pm Date Climbed: Oct 29, 2022
Spectacular!
Wow! The views from the top of this volcano are incredbile. You can see most of Lake Atitlán as well as another five volcanoes (Toliman, Atitlan, Acatenango, Fuego, and Santa María).
Karl Gozo-malta - Feb 22, 2017 12:06 pm Date Climbed: Feb 16, 2017
So worth it :)
I Got there at around 7:30, tool the first boat at 7am crom san marcos and then a tuc tuc to where you strt the trek.
I sped up in 1hr23mins, chilled and enjoyed the view for a while and ran down the hill in 40 mins. And then kept running back to the boat dock for about another 15 mins
Actually, i stopped running at the natural health food store! The last right turning before the boat about 300 metres in on the right. The have amazing stuff to fuel you after a nice run!
And i had a litre of water with me, which i only drank half of, -'d a ciuple bananas to take me up there. Ate one of them at the top before i ran down. And some cacao beans :)
The view from up there is amazing... get early cause it gets cloudy later.
Hiked up from San Pedro la Laguna, a guide insisted in following us for the start of the hike, which was through a coffee plantation with a number of possible trails. We gave him a small tip which he seemed happy enough with. Unfortunately, we had had a big night the night before so started a bit late and the summit was covered in clouds.
osatrik - Feb 19, 2015 9:03 pm Date Climbed: Feb 7, 2015
With OSAT / MyCrow Angels / FHTH Group
Summitted with Michael Chansler's "High Impact Adventure" trip prior to building a home near Antiqua with the From Houses to Homes charity. Good temperature for the climb, but view at top was somewhat constrained by clouds.
Scott - Jan 18, 2015 8:24 pm Date Climbed: Dec 30, 2014
San Pedro
Today Shaylee and I climbed the San Pedro Volcano. For safety reasons we took a guide, but with all the people on the mountain, it probably wasn’t necessary. We all went very fast up the mountain and made the summit in two hours and ten minutes, which is pretty good considering the elevation gain was around 4000 feet (1200 meters).
The hike was actually really interesting and had some nice cloud forest. There were some great views of the lake from the top. We had a nice lunch before heading down in a fast one hour.
Shaylee - Jan 10, 2015 7:00 am Date Climbed: Dec 30, 2014
San Pedro
12-30-14
Ze - Jan 19, 2013 7:09 pm Date Climbed: Dec 26, 2012
steep & nice views
this was about a 3700 ft hike from the official trailhead, but only in 2-2.5 miles, so it is quite steep! The trail is pretty well maintained. The trail winds up the northwest side of San Pedro through some small coffee fields and forest. We even saw a fat horned Guan hanging out in a tree. The views from the top of Atitlan and the nearby volcanoes were spectacular! Highly recommend.
A lovely (and surprisingly steep!) climb above Lago de Atitlan. Good cure for the common hangover... ;)
Tim Geerlings - Apr 3, 2011 12:40 am Date Climbed: Apr 2, 2011
Incredible views, easy climb
Left San Pedro at 6:00am, got to the TH at 6:30. A guide took us about 1/4 of the way to where the trail is easy to follow. Two and a quarter hours later of nothing but climbing we were treated to an AMAZING view of most of Lake Atitlan from 1.5km above... it is very worthwhile
I slept in San Pedro La Laguna, left at 7 am. One of the rangers at the start of the trail accompagnied me through the coffee plantations up to where the trail gets a bit steeper, from where I continued on my own. From there on it was a clear hike all the way up through the jungle (although at the cabin near the top the trail goes down a bit, which I at first mistook as a trail going down to the lake again). I could see only half of the lake though when I got there because the clouds were coming in.
Curtissimo - Dec 8, 2008 8:57 pm Date Climbed: Oct 5, 1995
loved it!
went without a guide and slept on top... would certainly recommend a guide as it is easy to get lost in myriad of trails.
BLong - Oct 6, 2008 11:18 pm Date Climbed: Dec 31, 2005
San Pedro
A great volcano and by far the safest to climb around lake Atitlan. An easy climb provides good views on a clear day. Climbing on New Years Eve then drinking till the sun comes up is not recommended though :)
apachedino - May 4, 2008 12:26 am Date Climbed: Mar 21, 2008
BEST LAKE EVER
Lake ATitlan is the most beautiful lake that I have ever been to, we hoped to do Atitlan but came during semana santa and found it difficult to find guides. Not that they are needed necessarily for the hike, but for safety. Two people were robbed during our short stay in San pedro. This hike however was gorgeous and we had a clear day at the top to relax and enjoy the views. Feugo actually belched a plume of smoke while we were on top.
huskertriguy - Jan 19, 2008 5:14 am Date Climbed: Jan 12, 2008
Attitlan Surrogate
Information we received in San Lucas was that we would not find a guide to go up Atitlan, nor would it be safe to hike up due to a high number of recent robberies. We later found out this was inaccurate, but were well satisfied with San Pedro as a substitute.
Our boat from San Lucas to San Pedro was 90 minutes late. Two gents who were going to come with us bailed in frustration not five minutes before the boat arrived. They opted for some elementary short hike up to a short ridgeline instead. Five minutes short of adventure.
Be prepared for very steep terrain that never lets up; we were thankful for the low elevation, even if we were disappointed not to hike 4,000-foot higher Atitlan. The Mayans do not seem to bother much with switchbacks. Because I have been dormant for some months and have grown a bit soggy, and because we were carrying 40-pound packs, it took us 3 1/2 hours, rather than the more common 3. We made it down in just under 2 though my knees suffered for the quicker pace on the steep descent.
We did hire a guide at the trailhead fairly inexpensively. I recommend this not just for peace of mind or safety - I never perceived much of a risk, though you will run into many natives who are collecting wood or coffee or hiking themselves - but because he can offer plenty of history, insight, and keener senses for wildlife. In any case, Spanish is helpful both for communicating with others on the trail and with a guide whose English may be marginal.
At the top we were encased in clouds, though they did clear a bit after a while to reveal beautiful Lake Attitlan. It took our breath away.
The crater is quite a bit obscured by the dense rainforest, though you can see across at points. It doesn't necessarily seem to be quite so deep.
Highly recommend this hike as an alternative to Atitlan if elevation, safety, or time are concerns!
Route Climbed: Normal route Date Climbed: 12/27/1995
The San Pedro Volcano next to the pueblo of San Pedro La Laguna is supposed to the easiest and safest to climb of Guate's volcanos. In Panajachel, Tour Operators offer guided tours for $20 p.p.. In San Pedro, it is easy to find a guide for Q15 p.p.! But a guide is not necessary. With the following description, it should be possible to find the path or even after losing it, find back to it.
The day before we climbed, I investigated the path following a tip from the Hb p. 524. I walked up part of the path and met some people coming down who told me that there is now problem finding the path.
First, one has to get to the dirt road to Santiago. It is best to take in the center of the pueblo the street with the green church towards the hill. Where the street makes a sharp right turn, it's possible to climb the hill rather steeply on a small rocky path. Following this path, one gets to the road to Santiago in about 15 min. (It's possible to take a shortcut to the left about halfway up, at this part there is not much risk to get lost). Getting to the dirt road, one has to turn left and walk on the road for about 20 minutes. Where the road makes a sharp right turn, the path to the volcano leaves it at the left hand. There is am sign (an inscription on a stone), it's impossible to miss. One looses a few meters of altitude, the path crosses rather horizontally some coffee plantations (nice views of the lake). When the path begins to gain altitude again, one has to walk over a whole series of huge rocks, completely covered with inscriptions from people who found it necessary to immortalize their visit in that way. About 20-5 minutes after this part comes the place where it's easy to loose the path. It's in a coffee plantation, the main path continues straight on, but one has to walk on the right hand into the coffee plantation. After this it is impossible to get lost. The path is quite broad all the way up to the summit. After getting lost, if you find something only remotely suggesting to be a path, that's not the path. It may be some path a farmer uses to get to a field or to cut some fire wood, but the one up to the summit is a real path, pretty broad, not overgrown by vegetation, because it is supposedly used by quite a number of hikers. But unfortunately, the junction is not obvious at all. Where the path branches off, there is nothing suggesting a path to the right. It becomes visibly after one climbed up a few meters into the coffee plantation. If one misses this junction (as we did), the main path goes straight ahead without gaining any altitude until it ends at a corn field. At this point it's better to turn back and try to find the junction. Not knowing this, we made our way up to the summit through the jungle. The volcano is perfectly cone shaped, so there is no risk to fall down somewhere. We went just straight up, walking on the edge of corn fields, and later through the jungle. After about 1 and a half hour we found the way back to the path which we followed right up to the crater. About half an hour before reaching the summit, there is flat platform in the wood. The path at the left side is the one leading to the place called the mirador (that's were the view is) with some impressive rocks (generally the edge of the crater is completely overgrown with dense vegetation). It's possible to go around the whole crater and get back to the platform mentioned above. Without loosing the path, it should take about 4 hours to get up and about 2.5 hours down.
Yvonne - Oct 31, 2022 1:50 pm Date Climbed: Oct 29, 2022
Spectacular!Wow! The views from the top of this volcano are incredbile. You can see most of Lake Atitlán as well as another five volcanoes (Toliman, Atitlan, Acatenango, Fuego, and Santa María).
Karl Gozo-malta - Feb 22, 2017 12:06 pm Date Climbed: Feb 16, 2017
So worth it :)I Got there at around 7:30, tool the first boat at 7am crom san marcos and then a tuc tuc to where you strt the trek.
I sped up in 1hr23mins, chilled and enjoyed the view for a while and ran down the hill in 40 mins. And then kept running back to the boat dock for about another 15 mins
Actually, i stopped running at the natural health food store! The last right turning before the boat about 300 metres in on the right. The have amazing stuff to fuel you after a nice run!
And i had a litre of water with me, which i only drank half of, -'d a ciuple bananas to take me up there. Ate one of them at the top before i ran down. And some cacao beans :)
The view from up there is amazing... get early cause it gets cloudy later.
seancau - Sep 4, 2016 3:23 pm Date Climbed: Sep 28, 2014
Cloudy SummitHiked up from San Pedro la Laguna, a guide insisted in following us for the start of the hike, which was through a coffee plantation with a number of possible trails. We gave him a small tip which he seemed happy enough with. Unfortunately, we had had a big night the night before so started a bit late and the summit was covered in clouds.
osatrik - Feb 19, 2015 9:03 pm Date Climbed: Feb 7, 2015
With OSAT / MyCrow Angels / FHTH GroupSummitted with Michael Chansler's "High Impact Adventure" trip prior to building a home near Antiqua with the From Houses to Homes charity. Good temperature for the climb, but view at top was somewhat constrained by clouds.
Scott - Jan 18, 2015 8:24 pm Date Climbed: Dec 30, 2014
San PedroToday Shaylee and I climbed the San Pedro Volcano. For safety reasons we took a guide, but with all the people on the mountain, it probably wasn’t necessary. We all went very fast up the mountain and made the summit in two hours and ten minutes, which is pretty good considering the elevation gain was around 4000 feet (1200 meters).
The hike was actually really interesting and had some nice cloud forest. There were some great views of the lake from the top. We had a nice lunch before heading down in a fast one hour.
Shaylee - Jan 10, 2015 7:00 am Date Climbed: Dec 30, 2014
San Pedro12-30-14
Ze - Jan 19, 2013 7:09 pm Date Climbed: Dec 26, 2012
steep & nice viewsthis was about a 3700 ft hike from the official trailhead, but only in 2-2.5 miles, so it is quite steep! The trail is pretty well maintained. The trail winds up the northwest side of San Pedro through some small coffee fields and forest. We even saw a fat horned Guan hanging out in a tree. The views from the top of Atitlan and the nearby volcanoes were spectacular! Highly recommend.
pksander - Sep 29, 2011 11:12 pm Date Climbed: Sep 18, 2011
Standard RouteA lovely (and surprisingly steep!) climb above Lago de Atitlan. Good cure for the common hangover... ;)
Tim Geerlings - Apr 3, 2011 12:40 am Date Climbed: Apr 2, 2011
Incredible views, easy climbLeft San Pedro at 6:00am, got to the TH at 6:30. A guide took us about 1/4 of the way to where the trail is easy to follow. Two and a quarter hours later of nothing but climbing we were treated to an AMAZING view of most of Lake Atitlan from 1.5km above... it is very worthwhile
ncst - Jul 26, 2009 2:51 pm Date Climbed: Apr 1, 2009
Nice jungle hike!I slept in San Pedro La Laguna, left at 7 am. One of the rangers at the start of the trail accompagnied me through the coffee plantations up to where the trail gets a bit steeper, from where I continued on my own. From there on it was a clear hike all the way up through the jungle (although at the cabin near the top the trail goes down a bit, which I at first mistook as a trail going down to the lake again). I could see only half of the lake though when I got there because the clouds were coming in.
Curtissimo - Dec 8, 2008 8:57 pm Date Climbed: Oct 5, 1995
loved it!went without a guide and slept on top... would certainly recommend a guide as it is easy to get lost in myriad of trails.
BLong - Oct 6, 2008 11:18 pm Date Climbed: Dec 31, 2005
San PedroA great volcano and by far the safest to climb around lake Atitlan. An easy climb provides good views on a clear day. Climbing on New Years Eve then drinking till the sun comes up is not recommended though :)
ChristianRodriguez - Sep 9, 2008 2:49 am Date Climbed: May 1, 1994
Normal RouteNice volcano.
apachedino - May 4, 2008 12:26 am Date Climbed: Mar 21, 2008
BEST LAKE EVERLake ATitlan is the most beautiful lake that I have ever been to, we hoped to do Atitlan but came during semana santa and found it difficult to find guides. Not that they are needed necessarily for the hike, but for safety. Two people were robbed during our short stay in San pedro. This hike however was gorgeous and we had a clear day at the top to relax and enjoy the views. Feugo actually belched a plume of smoke while we were on top.
huskertriguy - Jan 19, 2008 5:14 am Date Climbed: Jan 12, 2008
Attitlan SurrogateInformation we received in San Lucas was that we would not find a guide to go up Atitlan, nor would it be safe to hike up due to a high number of recent robberies. We later found out this was inaccurate, but were well satisfied with San Pedro as a substitute.
Our boat from San Lucas to San Pedro was 90 minutes late. Two gents who were going to come with us bailed in frustration not five minutes before the boat arrived. They opted for some elementary short hike up to a short ridgeline instead. Five minutes short of adventure.
Be prepared for very steep terrain that never lets up; we were thankful for the low elevation, even if we were disappointed not to hike 4,000-foot higher Atitlan. The Mayans do not seem to bother much with switchbacks. Because I have been dormant for some months and have grown a bit soggy, and because we were carrying 40-pound packs, it took us 3 1/2 hours, rather than the more common 3. We made it down in just under 2 though my knees suffered for the quicker pace on the steep descent.
We did hire a guide at the trailhead fairly inexpensively. I recommend this not just for peace of mind or safety - I never perceived much of a risk, though you will run into many natives who are collecting wood or coffee or hiking themselves - but because he can offer plenty of history, insight, and keener senses for wildlife. In any case, Spanish is helpful both for communicating with others on the trail and with a guide whose English may be marginal.
At the top we were encased in clouds, though they did clear a bit after a while to reveal beautiful Lake Attitlan. It took our breath away.
The crater is quite a bit obscured by the dense rainforest, though you can see across at points. It doesn't necessarily seem to be quite so deep.
Highly recommend this hike as an alternative to Atitlan if elevation, safety, or time are concerns!
cgclimber - Jul 22, 2005 5:25 pm
Date Climbed: April 15, 2005A wonderfull hike to the top, a great place to watch the sunrise.
Luidger - Dec 15, 2001 9:52 am
Route Climbed: Normal route Date Climbed: 12/27/1995The San Pedro Volcano next to the pueblo of San Pedro La Laguna is supposed to the easiest and safest to climb of Guate's volcanos. In Panajachel, Tour Operators offer guided tours for $20 p.p.. In San Pedro, it is easy to find a guide for Q15 p.p.! But a guide is not necessary. With the following description, it should be possible to find the path or even after losing it, find back to it.
The day before we climbed, I investigated the path following a tip from the Hb p. 524. I walked up part of the path and met some people coming down who told me that there is now problem finding the path.
First, one has to get to the dirt road to Santiago. It is best to take in the center of the pueblo the street with the green church towards the hill. Where the street makes a sharp right turn, it's possible to climb the hill rather steeply on a small rocky path. Following this path, one gets to the road to Santiago in about 15 min. (It's possible to take a shortcut to the left about halfway up, at this part there is not much risk to get lost). Getting to the dirt road, one has to turn left and walk on the road for about 20 minutes. Where the road makes a sharp right turn, the path to the volcano leaves it at the left hand. There is am sign (an inscription on a stone), it's impossible to miss. One looses a few meters of altitude, the path crosses rather horizontally some coffee plantations (nice views of the lake). When the path begins to gain altitude again, one has to walk over a whole series of huge rocks, completely covered with inscriptions from people who found it necessary to immortalize their visit in that way. About 20-5 minutes after this part comes the place where it's easy to loose the path. It's in a coffee plantation, the main path continues straight on, but one has to walk on the right hand into the coffee plantation. After this it is impossible to get lost. The path is quite broad all the way up to the summit. After getting lost, if you find something only remotely suggesting to be a path, that's not the path. It may be some path a farmer uses to get to a field or to cut some fire wood, but the one up to the summit is a real path, pretty broad, not overgrown by vegetation, because it is supposedly used by quite a number of hikers. But unfortunately, the junction is not obvious at all. Where the path branches off, there is nothing suggesting a path to the right. It becomes visibly after one climbed up a few meters into the coffee plantation. If one misses this junction (as we did), the main path goes straight ahead without gaining any altitude until it ends at a corn field. At this point it's better to turn back and try to find the junction. Not knowing this, we made our way up to the summit through the jungle. The volcano is perfectly cone shaped, so there is no risk to fall down somewhere. We went just straight up, walking on the edge of corn fields, and later through the jungle. After about 1 and a half hour we found the way back to the path which we followed right up to the crater. About half an hour before reaching the summit, there is flat platform in the wood. The path at the left side is the one leading to the place called the mirador (that's were the view is) with some impressive rocks (generally the edge of the crater is completely overgrown with dense vegetation). It's possible to go around the whole crater and get back to the platform mentioned above. Without loosing the path, it should take about 4 hours to get up and about 2.5 hours down.