Acatenango

Acatenango rises to 3,976 metres beside its neighbour Fuego, and the reason thousands of people climb it each year is what happens next door: Fuego is one of the most persistently active volcanoes in the Americas, erupting several times an hour, and the camps high on Acatenango's flank look straight across at it. After dark the eruptions become visible as bursts of orange thrown above the cone, sometimes with lava running down it. The climb is a hard six hours through farmland, cloud forest and volcanic scree, camping at around 3,600 metres in genuine cold, then an optional pre-dawn push to the summit for sunrise over the whole volcanic chain.

What you actually see

• Fuego erupting at night - orange bursts above the neighbouring cone, the reason to come.
• The summit at sunrise - the volcanic chain and, on clear days, distant peaks.
• Cloud forest on the ascent - the middle section of the climb.
• The high camp - tents on the ridge facing Fuego.

When to go

November to April is the dry season and gives the best chance of clear views of Fuego; cloud in the wet season can hide it entirely. Go on a night without a full moon for the strongest contrast on the eruptions.

Honest expectations

This is a genuinely hard climb: six hours up with a pack, at altitude, on loose scree in the upper section, and many people find it the hardest thing they have done on a trip. It is properly cold at camp, below freezing at times, and cheap operators provide inadequate gear. Fuego is an active volcano and access arrangements change with its activity. Choose an operator on safety and equipment rather than price.

Nearby

Antigua is the base town; Lake Atitlán lies west.