We were prepared for a long night hike to Santa María, a tough ascent with more than 1,200 meters of elevation gain, and an exceptional view. What we weren’t prepared for was the incredible eruption of the Santa María volcano! A cloud of ash, dust, and smoke erupted from the crater with a deafening “boom!” Simply unbelievable.
Saturday, April 29, 2023
After relaxing in the Semuc Champey waterfalls, it’s time for action! It’s 4 AM when we set off on the trail that will take us to the summit of the Santa María volcano, standing at 3,772 meters (12,375 feet) high. We’re only going 4 kilometers to the top, but with a 1,200-meter (3,937 feet) elevation gain! 🥵 It’s pitch dark and lightning strikes in the distance. We hope the weather holds up! We gradually find our rhythm, but soon enough, two lights catch up to us. Looks like they’re not wasting time! We step aside to let them pass and realize it’s a couple on horseback! As daylight breaks, we start the second part of the hike: 800 meters of elevation on a very steep and rough trail.
We reach the summit after 3 hours and 30 minutes of a particularly grueling ascent. It’s been a long time since we’ve suffered this much on a hike, not since our climb of the Iztaccíhuatl volcano in Mexico, to be exact. The view over the sea of clouds is incredible. From up here, we have a perfect view of the Santiaguito, a small but very active volcano of the Santa María. When we arrive, it isn’t smoking and seems harmless. But after a few minutes, smoke starts pouring out of the crater! 😲
About every 45 minutes, the Santiaguito releases an enormous plume of smoke right before our astonished eyes, slowly rising into the sky. Incredible! The sound of the explosion, which reaches us a few seconds after the first smoke, is impressive. We’ve never heard such a noise, deep and muffled! It’s breathtaking.
After two hours at the summit, the weather starts to change, and it’s time to descend. The valley is now fully cleared, and we enjoy a beautiful view of the city of Quetzaltenango. We also cross paths with two beautiful lizards basking in the sun. They are truly magnificent!
The descent is long and exhausting. After 2.5 hours, we are back at the Jeep, tired but very happy. We pack our things, fold the tent, drink a liter of Ice Tea (yes, we found Ice Tea in Guatemala!!), and head out, making sure to stop for a delicious ceviche. It’s been a while! We head to the volcanic hot springs of the Zunil volcano, but at the entrance, we learn that the water is between 30°C and 35°C. Feeling a bit disappointed, we decide not to go 😅 We were hoping for a hot and relaxing bath! So we head directly to Chichicastenango, a 2.5-hour drive. By the way, we miss a speed bump and hit it at 50 km/h. Ouch! 🫨 Fortunately, JP is fine. We settle for the evening and night in a family’s garden near the town center. For tonight’s meal: homemade french fries!
We go to bed early, feeling safe in the family garden, surrounded by the two big dogs, the chickens, and the cats. Tomorrow, Sunday, we’re going to visit the weekly market in Chichicastenango, a regional institution and the largest market in Central America!
