The Volcán Tajumulco is the highest of Guatemala and Central America. The altitude is 4220. It is located in the department of San Marcos, which is 1-hour bus ride from where I live, Xela. Yesterday I took a hiking tour to this volcano. Even though it is higher than The Volcán Santa Maria, it is an easier hike. Because it is less steep and there is actually a road for the half of the hike. On the other hand, Santa Maria is almost like a jungle.
Today, Tajumulco is not active. Even though there were several eruptions reported, none were officially confirmed. In 1956 it was announced as one of the protected areas of the country.
On December 20, 2009, for the first time ever the temperatures dropped below zero and a snowfall took place on the peak of Tajumulco.
Raisa Bingelli, 20, of Switzerland is trying to sustain the campfire by blowing in it on Volcano Tajumulco. She took a hiking tour with 4 other people from Europe and Middle East on October 27, 2010. While she found it extremely challenging due to cold weather and steepness, she said "it was great". Raisa has been traveling for two months now. So far she has visited only Utila, an island in Honduras, where she got her dive master class and Xela, where she studied Spanish for two weeks. She said "It's the most beautiful language in the world", for her motive to study Spanish. In Central America she has two more months to go.
I shot this photo at 4220 altitude, when we went up to see the sunrise at 4:30 a.m. I have no clue what this thing is on the top. And I was too cold to investigate it. I could barely took some photos.
This is the crater on Tajumulco. At the far right end, it is possible to see another volcano, called Tacana. Because of its high cost, there aren't tours organized for Tacana. When I shot this photo, it was possible to see a slight shadow of Tacana at the background.
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