A Guide to Hiking Laguna Chicabal, Xela, Guatemala

If you’re visiting Xela (Quetzaltenango) in Guatemala, then we bet that one of the main reasons you’ve ventured off the ‘gringo trail’ is to go on some awesome hikes near the city. A fantastic acclimatisation hike around Xela is Volcan de Chicabal. At the top of this inactive volcano is Laguna Chicabal, one of the most important sacred sites for the Mam-Maya communities. In this guide we’ll share everything you need to know before you commit to hiking up to Laguna Chicabal.

You’ll find details on trail length, level of difficulty, whether to do it alone or with a guide, when the best time to do it is and what to wear and bring with you for your adventure. We’ll also provide you with a brief trail description in case you do want to attempt it without a guide.

If you’d like to see us visiting this stunning site, then definitely watch our dedicated Xela hiking video on our YouTube channel. For more Guatemala videos, make sure to watch our Guatemala series.

About Volcan de Chicabal / Laguna Chicabal

Chicabal Volcano is a 2,720 m (8,920 ft) tall inactive volcano located near the village of San Martín Sacatepéquez to the south-west of Xela (Quetzaltenango). At the top, you’ll find a crater lake called Laguna de Chicabal, which is one of the most important sacred sites for the Mam-Maya communities. These are modern Mayan people who live in the southwestern areas of Guatemala, as well as parts of southern Mexico.

To emphasize just how special this site is, there’s actually a sign in San Martin which says, ‘Before walking up to Laguna de Chicabal please ask permission from the creator of the earth’.

People come up here with their families and bring bouquets of flowers to place along the shores of the lake. Priests also perform traditional ceremonies there. We even had the pleasure of hearing families singing in unison, with their voices echoing around the crater in the mist, which was probably one of the most magical things we’ve witnessed.

Practical Information Before Hiking Laguna Chicabal

Entry Fee and Opening Times of Laguna Chicabal

The site is open every day between 7AM and 5PM.

It’s worth noting that there’s an entry fee of Q50 per person to Laguna Chicabal. You’ll have to pay at the Tourist Information Centre.

Length of the Laguna Chicabal Hike

The length of the Laguna Chicabal hike depends on how much you’re willing to hike. If you want to walk all the way from San Martin and walk around the crater lake then it’s going to be a 10 km / 6.2 mile hike in total.

Since we wanted to be up at the Mirador before the clouds rolled in, we took a Torito (4X4 truck) up to the viewpoint, walked around the laguna and then all the way back down to San Martin. This cut the total length of the trail in half, which we didn’t mind at all.

In terms of timings, we left Xela in an Uber around 6:30 AM and got to the Torito station around 7:15 AM. From there we hopped on a Torito which took about 20 minutes to reach the Mirador. So we were up at the viewpoint by about 7:45 AM. By around 9:30 AM the clouds had started to roll in and the view had completely disappeared by about 10 AM. We stayed for a little longer down at the shore but soon decided to climb back up to the lookout, where we made our way back down to the village to catch a bus back to Xela.

By 11:30 AM we were sat on a bus which dropped us off at the main terminal in Xela about an hour later. So if you’re in Xela for a shorter time, you can easily visit Laguna Chicabal in the morning, then wander around Xela itself in the afternoon.

Level of Difficulty of the Laguna Chicabal Hike

Hiking Laguna Chicabal is a great way to acclimatise to the higher altitude before attempting the more difficult hikes around Xela, such as Santa Maria Volcano. Based on our experience, the level of difficulty depends on how you choose to get to the crater lake. If you take the Torito up like we did, you don’t have to worry about the steep climb up to the viewpoint. However, bear in mind that the way down to the shore of the lake is pretty steep. This of course means that it’s also a steep uphill hike back to the Mirador.

From there, you can either take the Torito back down to San Martin if you want an easy option, or walk back to the village instead for some extra exercise and to save a few pennies. If you’re following in our footsteps just note that the road is very steep, which can be hard on your knees. Of course, if you hike both ways it will be a much tougher hike overall.

What to Wear and Bring with You

We highly recommend wearing outdoor and weather appropriate clothing when going on the Laguna Chicabal hike. It can be a bit chilly in the mornings, however in the dry season the temperatures increase quickly. Therefore, make sure to wear layers so you’re able to adjust to the changing conditions. You can wear either shorts or long trousers depending on what you feel more comfortable in. We still suggest taking a fleece and / or a rain jacket, as it might be a bit cooler at the top.

In terms of footwear, you should wear hiking boots or shoes with good grip. We personally like wearing boots for their extra ankle support, which comes in handy on the way down.

Also, make sure to have enough SPF on you as the sun can be pretty strong. Take a hat and sunglasses for extra protection as well. If you’re hiking down to the shore or all the way back to the village then the descent can be pretty hard on the knees, so you might want to use poles on the way down.

Most importantly, make sure to have plenty of drinking water. Staying hydrated is also important to avoid altitude sickness. Having some snacks or a packed lunch is a good idea to help re-fuel your body. Have some cash on you for your bus ticket, Torito ride, snacks and any emergencies, but don’t carry too much.

Best Time to Hike Laguna Chicabal

You can technically hike up to Laguna Chicabal all year round. Of course, the best time would be during the dry season, which in Guatemala is from November to April. This doesn’t mean that you can’t hike in the rainy season, but make sure to check the forecast first. Normally the mornings are fine in the rainy season, with heavy rain coming in the afternoon.

In terms of time of day, we recommend going earlier rather than later for a few reasons. Firstly, the clouds can roll in by mid to late morning. This means that you might not get clear views from the Mirador and the crater lake will most likely be lost in the clouds. For reference, we got to the Mirador around 7:45 AM and by 9:30 AM the clouds had obscured most of the view.

Another reason for starting early is that the temperatures will be a bit more pleasant, especially going uphill. Lastly, more people head up in the morning, and it’s always a bit safer to hike with others around you.

How to Get to Laguna Chicabal from Xela

Step 1. Xela to San Martín Sacatepéquez

Firstly, you’ll need to travel from Xela to the village of San Martín Sacatepéquez, located to the south-west of Xela. The most affordable option to get there is to take a chicken bus (camioneta) early in the morning. They depart from Minerva Bus Terminal in Xela and will drop you off at a place marked Parada de Colectivos in the village. It’s worth noting that it can take over an hour to get to San Martín from Xela because the bus will continuously drop people off and pick people up along the way. For this reason, we recommend taking the first bus that leaves around 6AM.

Now, if you’d like to get there faster and not miss the crater lake view before the clouds roll in, then you can also get an Uber ride from your hotel / hostel in Xela. It can cost anywhere between Q60-100 or more depending on traffic. On the positive side, the driver can drop you off at the Torito station (more on that later), which would save you a good 20-30 minutes of uphill walking.

Step 2. San Martín Sacatepéquez to Laguna Chicabal

Once you’ve made it to San Martin you can either hike all the way up to Laguna Chicabal or take a Torito up to the Mirador (viewpoint). Toritos are big 4×4 pick-up trucks that look a bit like safari jeeps with big horns at the front. You’ll find them parked at the Torito station.

A one-way Torito ride cost us Q50 per person when there was no-one else riding with us. It may have been slightly cheaper if there were more people. When we got there in the morning it was just the two of us, so we had to pay the higher price. The ride took a good 20 minutes and the driver briefly stopped at the official entrance so that we could buy our admission ticket to Laguna Chicabal. That’s also the last stop where you can purchase refreshments or snacks. Then the truck carried on and dropped us off at the Mirador.

In case you want a ride back down when you’re done, make sure to agree a pick-up time with the driver when they drop you off. Otherwise, you can just hike all the way back to San Martin and take the chicken bus back to Xela.

Should You Hike Laguna Chicabal with a Guide or Independently

An important question you might have when planning to hike Laguna Chicabal, or any volcano in Guatemala, is whether it’s safe to do it on your own or whether you should go with a guide. Based on our research, and reading a ton of recent reviews, we feel that it is generally safe to do this hike independently. However, as always, what might feel safe for us may not feel safe for you. We personally felt safe doing this hike without a guide and had a great experience. However, joining a guided tour would give you the chance to learn a bit more about the site and its significance.

Below are a few tour companies to consider if you want to hike Laguna Chicabal with a guide:

• Adrenalina Tours offer an early morning guided hike to Laguna Chicabal. They also have shuttle services within the country, and operate in neighbouring countries such as Belize as well.
• Voyageur Tours also offer an early morning Laguna Chicabal hiking experience. In addition, they also offer transportation services within the country.
• Monte Verde Tours is the company we did the Santa Maria Volcano hike with. Although we didn’t see Laguna Chicabal on their website, other posts we read indicated that they went with them on this hike, so it’s worth enquiring. They also offer private and shared shuttle services between popular locations in Guatemala.

Laguna Chicabal Hiking Trail

If you’re completing the hike independently, we recommend getting to the Torito station with an Uber. The first chicken bus to San Martin won’t depart until about 6 AM. If you’ve been travelling around Latin America for a while, then you’ll know that everything runs a little bit slower and there’s no set timetables. So journey’s will most likely take longer than they’re supposed to. With an Uber, you can get to the trailhead in about 45 minutes. However, we suggest departing no later than 6:30 AM. If you’re on an early morning tour, then they normally pick you up around 6 AM.

1. San Martin Sacatepéquez to Mirador de la Laguna de Chicabal

If you’re taking the chicken bus in the morning then it’ll drop you off at the Parada de Colectivos in the San Martin. From there, you’ll need to walk through the village to the Torito station. On the way you should pass the sign which indicates in a few different languages that you should ask permission from the creator of the earth before entering the site. Don’t forget to do that!

The walk to the Torito station is pretty steep, so if you do decide to take an Uber, we recommend asking your driver to drop you off there. Here you can decide if you’d like to hop onto one of the Torito’s, which will zip you up to the Mirador in about 20 minutes, or go on foot. Just a heads up; it’s uphill pretty much the whole way, so it can take a good 1.5 hours to get up to the Mirador if you’re going at a decent pace. We decided to pay for a ride to get up to the viewpoint as quickly as possible. This was the right call, as the fog rolled in pretty soon after our arrival.

Note. Whether you’re riding a Torito or hiking, you’ll pass the Tourist Information Centre on the way, where you’ll need to purchase your park entry ticket.

At the Mirador you’ll find two raised viewing platforms. One points towards the crater lake where you can admire the laguna and surrounding cloud forest. From the other, you can actually just about see Volcan Santiaguito, one of the three active volcanoes in Guatemala. It was pretty hazy looking in that direction on the day of our visit, but we could still just about see an eruption.

2. From the Mirador to the Shores of Laguna Chicabal

Once we were ready to leave the views behind, we made our way down to the shores of Laguna Chicabal. You can either take the stairs or go down via a zig-zagging path. Both are pretty steep, especially the stairs which go straight down.

When we reached the lake we found all the beautiful flower arrangements decorating the shore. We decided to sit down for a while to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. Then, we took a stroll around the laguna itself. It’s a nice, easy walk dotted with signs from the Maya Zodiac and more offerings.

Soon, we noticed that families were arriving and spreading out around the lake. We decided to wait a bit longer to try to witness some of the traditional ceremonies that normally take place here. By this point the fog was rolling in pretty quickly and the laguna disappeared within a few minutes. Just when we were about to head back up we heard people starting to chant and sing, which was a truly magical experience.

3. Shores of Laguna Chicabal to San Martin Sacatepéquez

Once we’d decided it was really time to head back to San Martin, we took the zig-zagging path back up to the viewpoint. It was still a pretty tough ascent but perhaps slightly less steep than the stairs would’ve been.

From the Mirador, we just followed the road all the way back to town and the bus stop. If you want to take the Torito back from the top, then it’s best to arrange a pick-up time with the driver on your way up so they can definitely be there when you want to leave. Once we arrived at the bus stop, we hopped on one of the camionetas heading towards Xela.

Additional Notes on Hiking Laguna Chicabal

• You CANNOT swim, wash or fish in the crater lake. It’s an incredibly important sacred place so please respect the rules!
• Compared to Santa Maria Volcano, which was the most littered hiking trail we’ve been on in Latin America, Laguna Chicabal was impressively clean. Let’s keep it that way, so please Leave No Trace and bring everything back with you.
• We only saw some toilet signs at the Tourist Information Centre.
• It’s generally a safe hike, but we would still advise being cautious and not taking too many valuables with you if you attempt to do it independently.

Final Thoughts on Hiking Laguna Chicabal in Xela

Laguna Chicabal was the most peaceful hike we did around Xela. We thoroughly enjoyed walking around the shore, sitting down and enjoying the tranquility of the place. Whilst the site was absolutely stunning, witnessing the locals partake in their traditional ceremonies definitely made our visit even more special.

We also loved the fact that we could make the hike as easy or as difficult as we wanted by taking the Torito up to the Mirador.

Have you ever hiked Laguna Chicabal in Xela, Guatemala before? If so, how was your experience? If not, would you add this hike to your Xela itinerary? Let us know in the comments below.