Santa Ana Volcano in El Salvador, a Great Half-day Hike

If you happen to be in Santa Ana, El Salvador, chances are you are there to hike the volcano, known locally as Ilamapetec.

Once a bustling commercial hub for coffee production, Santa Ana is a much quieter city now, with no real nightlife to speak of. However, it still receives many visitors given its proximity to many outdoor activities and is a popular jumping off point for hiking the Santa Ana Volcano. The Santa Ana volcano is part of the volcanos national park and is visited by hundreds of people each day.

In this article we will cover our experience hiking the Santa Ana Volcano (SPOILER, we loved it). We also share important info to help you have an enjoyable hike.

What to bring

The sun will be strong no matter the time of year you visit El Salvador. Make sure to bring sunglasses, and even a sports cap or sunhat. As always, bring sunscreen and make sure to reapply about every 90 minutes or so. Make sure to get the back of your neck and ears! (I missed my neck got a sunburn). Very important, bring plenty of water, at least 1L person. You are able to bring a refillable bottle with you or you can purchase some before you go. Also bring a lightweight backpack to carry these items so you can use your hands to climb. We used a drawstring backpack like this one.

What to wear

A stated above, you need to practice good sun safety. If you are going to hike the volcano we suggest wearing lightweight long pants and a long sleeve shirt to protect and against the sun. You don’t need to have any specialty hiking gear, but clothing specifically made for hiking or outdoor activity might be more comfortable. If you do want hiking gear you don’t any thing expensive either. I wore these hiking pants and they worked great!

Getting to the Santa Ana Volcano

There are many ways to get to the trailhead for hiking the volcano. We personally went as part of a group outing arranged by our hostel (one of the reasons we love hostels), which included transportation to and from the hike.

You can also get there using the chicken buses, just remember to go early if you use the busses as they can fill up quickly. You are also able to take an Uber up to the trailhead. Though the travelers we talked to said they had to hitch hike back down because they weren’t able to get an Uber back down!

Each way has their own pros and cons, so pick the one that works best for you. Chicken buses are cheap and adventurous, but can be crowded. Group tours are more convenient but cost more and you aren’t running on your own schedule.

Organized Tours

If you want to go as part of an organized tour that’s great! We booked our tour through the hostel we stayed at, Casa Verde Hostel. So if you are staying there inquire at the front desk.

Below we have collected some well reviewed group tour options from GetYourGuide, a great online tool to find tours and activities when you travel. While we have not used these tours personally, they have positive reviews, and we do use GetYourGuide personally on our travels.

Entering the Park

When you first arrive you need to find a guide to take you up. This is required by El Salvadoran law to enter the park. If you are part of a group tour this should be taken care of for you, be sure to check with the organizer beforehand. The guides are easy to find and are wearing shirts to identify themselves . Simply walk up to one and ask if they taking people up in their group and if they have room you will be part of their group. The fee for the guide is a few dollars (we aren’t sure if there an official rate).

They will then take you up a short trail to the official entrance to the national park. Here there are restrooms, as well as a small stand selling water and fruit. The entrance fee is 6 dollars for non El Salvadoran citizens and 3 dollars for El Salvadoran citizens (as of 2024). Make sure to have cash on you for this. Again, if you are part of a organized tour confirm if this included for you.

The Hike

Once the hike begins you will have about a 1.5 – 2 hour journey to the top. We would classify the hike as easy to moderate, but depending on your fitness level you may find the hike slightly challenging.

You will follow a rough footpath up for the most part. There are some parts with a steep incline and some step ups. There are also a few spots with noticeably more austere terrain that will require more effort and awareness to traverse. Remember, always go at a pace you are comfortable with to maintain safety.

Along the way your guide will stop the group to explain features of the volcano and park. There are also multiple miradors (viewpoints) for the group to stop and take pictures. These stops will also give you a chance to catch your breath.

The first part of the hike is in mostly covered vegetation, but the second half is not so be sure to protect yourself with sunscreen.

Arriving at the top of the Santa Ana Volcano

Once you arrive at the top there were be a large area for visitors to rest, walk around, and take pictures. The first thing you will notice is the green blue crater lake in the center of the volcano. These is an extremely acidic sulfur lake which gives it the distinct color, as well as emitting a rotten egg odor. Be mindful of the ledge when you are taking pictures as it is quite steep. There are police present that will shout at you to step back if you are getting too close.

You can also look out away from the volcano and see wonderful views of the neighboring volcano Izalco, Lake Coatepeque, and the El Salvadoran countryside. There is also a man that sells ice cream and popsicles at the top! So make sure you have a couple extra bucks on you to get yourself a treat for making it to the top.

The way back down

To return down the mountain you do not need your guide so you can go when you are ready. If you went as a group tour make sure to go down with your group.

The way back down is of course easier but still by no means a cake walk. There is still some austere terrain to cover. You will also need to control your speed going down as the steep parks are working the other way now. Make sure to stop and rest if you need to and stay with buddy.

Our Recommendation

We enthusiastically recommend hiking the Santa Ana volcano if you are in El Salvador. It’s a great half day activity that will only cost you around 10 dollars, making it budget friendly.

While the hike can be a bit physically challenging, we saw all groups when we went so it’s truly an activity for anyone. With the small size of El Salvador you should be able to do a day trip to the volcano from many popular cities and towns. You can also pair the hike with a trip to Lake Coatapeque, a swimmable crater lake at the base of the Santa Ana volcano. Regardless of if you’re staying in Santa Ana or not, we think this is something that should be on your itinerary for a trip to El Salvador.

We hope this review helps you plan your trip to El Salvador and inspires you to travel beyond the brochure ! Tag us on social media to keep us updated and possibly be featured on our story. .Feel free to DM us any new info you discover when you visit.