Guatemala
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Guatemala · Quetzaltenango

Volcanoes and lakes

Santa María volcano and Chicabal lake, with unconfirmed status. INSIVUMEH's bulletin of 3 October 2026 keeps the ban on going within 5 km of the Santiaguito domes; the Santa María summit is about 2.5 km from the Santiaguito point it publishes, and whether the climb is permitted has not been confirmed.

2 places2 unconfirmed, flagged

  1. 1

    AdventureStatus unconfirmed

    Santa María volcano

    Llanos del Pinal, Quetzaltenango. The pin is the volcano's summit in OpenStreetMap, linked to its Wikidata entry; it is not the start of the climb. The Manhermans viewpoint over Santiaguito has no pin of its own.4.1 km in a straight line from the regional map centre

    Entry
    Not stated
    Hours
    Not confirmed
    Booking
    Not stated

    A volcano south of Quetzaltenango that, according to CONAP, is run by CONAP and the Municipality of Quetzaltenango. CONAP describes a 2.5 to 5 hour climb from the El Polígono estate, but how the 5 km restriction around the Santiaguito domes applies to it has not been confirmed. At its foot is the Santiaguito dome complex, whose Caliente dome is active according to CONAP.

    Status not confirmed with CONAP and the Municipality. The mapped Santa María summit is about 2.5 km from the Santiaguito point published in INSIVUMEH's daily volcano bulletin of 3 October 2026. That bulletin calls for a 5 km restriction around the domes to remain in place, under record 141-2024 of the Municipality of Quetzaltenango. How it applies to the Santa María climb, and whether that climb is permitted, has not been confirmed; check with the Municipality and CONAP before planning it. Spain reports occasional robberies on the Santa María climb (update of 8 May 2026).

    Source: CONAP – Zona de veda definitiva Volcán Santa María · 2026 · +3

    Practical details and sources
    Hours
    Whether the climb is permitted has not been confirmed: the summit point is about 2.5 km from the Santiaguito point in INSIVUMEH's 3 October 2026 bulletin, which calls for a 5 km restriction around the domes to remain in place. For the park, CONAP gives Monday to Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

    Nearby: Fuentes Georginas (7.9 km) · Víctor Salvador de León Toledo Natural History Museum (9.2 km) · Chicabal lake (11.7 km)

    Sources: CONAP – Zona de veda definitiva Volcán Santa María · CONAP – Volcán Santiaguito y mirador Manhermans · INSIVUMEH – Boletín vulcanológico diario (3 oct. 2026) · Gobierno de España – Recomendaciones de viaje: Guatemala (8 may. 2026)

  2. 2

    NatureStatus unconfirmed

    Chicabal lake

    San Martín Sacatepéquez, Quetzaltenango. According to ASAECO, the «Laguna Seca» visitor centre is 3 km up a dirt road from the hamlet of Toj Mech. The pin is the lake in OpenStreetMap, linked to Wikidata; it is not the entrance.9.5 km in a straight line from the regional map centre

    Entry
    Not confirmed
    Hours
    Not confirmed
    Booking
    Not stated

    The lake of Chicabal volcano, at 2,712 m, in San Martín Sacatepéquez. For the Mam Maya worldview it is one of the most important sacred sites: every year, 40 days after Holy Week, the Rain Petition is held there, according to the ASAECO association.

    Status not confirmed: according to its website, ASAECO runs the volcano and the lake; CONAP's listing names CONAP as administrator and says ASAECO handles the activities. Neither gives a fee on the pages consulted, and whether the hours still apply is not confirmed. Check before you go.

    Source: ASAECO – Laguna de Chicabal (consulta oct. 2026) · 2026 · +2

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    guatemala.com (June 2025) gave foreign visitors Q75, Guatemalans Q20, children Q10, parking Q20 and camping Q20. Not confirmed with the administration.
    Hours
    Monday to Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., according to CONAP.

    Tip: According to ASAECO, a trail leads from the visitor centre to a viewpoint and then 570 steps go down to the shore; another 1.8 km trail circles the lake. guatemala.com (2025) says swimming is forbidden because the lake is sacred.

    Nearby: Santa María volcano (11.7 km)

    Sources: ASAECO – Laguna de Chicabal (consulta oct. 2026) · CONAP – Zona de veda definitiva Volcán Chicabal · guatemala.com – Volcán y laguna Chicabal (27 jun. 2025)

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