15 Feb 2022
Let me start that I'm picky about my excersions and do as much homework as I can and without a doubt, Erwin's Pacaya Volcano Hike is an incredible excersion. Erwin was kind, intelligent and open, answering a variety of questions about his country and what it's like to live in Guatemala.
He's got a nice reliable car with A/C that was clean and comfortable. He was also a safe driver.
He prepared us for what we should expect when we got to the base of the trail that would lead us to the volcano. That way we didn't feel overwhelmed by the men selling donkey rides.
We hiked with him on a moderate, wide slope while taking in the views of the devastation in the valley and learning more about the area. Once we got higher, we were met with the massive river of freshly hardened lava that had run towards the valley. We then made our way onto the small trail that weaves across. A note here..It would be wise to bring a hiking stick for better stability because of potential loose footing. You will also get to feel the heat coming from deep "vents" on top of the flow. There's a man that sells excellent pizza out on the lava field that will over charge you if you let him. The pizza was quite good but ask for the price first.
My only regret was not adding the repelling element that Erwin had also offered after the hike. That would have been cool. Honestly, you can't go wrong with Erwin's Pacaya Volcano Hike he's a kind and intelligent man. Definitely a must do!