I chose this tour because it offered a way to see more of the area around Antigua and an opportunity to get closer to the volcano without a day long hike. It turned out to be the perfect outing for both.
I have only driven ATVs at the beach, on sand. It was both a little scary and exciting to drive through town on the way to see the volcanoes. The equipment was in great shape and the guide did a great job of helping me whenever needed. He was very considerate in making sure I knew where we were going by using hand signals throughout the day. That built confidence as we left the town and traveled up and down trails.
After a short stop at a nearby caldera/lake, we visited a lava flow from the 2021 event. Walking out onto the new lava really showed how massive the eight month event had been. Seeing a single tree surrounded by lava flow was amazing.
From there, we traveled to a lava flow that was older. It was like driving across a moon scape. There were places where the pumice was like sand and put my limited ATV skills to the test. At every point, where more speed or more breaking was required, the guide stopped to make sure I knew how to handle the terrain.
We were really lucky to have clear skies and great views of the other volcanoes all day. The wind was pretty strong at the second Pacaya stop but it was never cold.
The tour was easy to schedule and all of my questions were answered really quickly, prior to the trip. I appreciated that the guide seemed genuinely interested in answering questions and making sure the tour met my expectations.
The van ride from Antigua was great. Driving through Santa Ana de Jesus showed me a different part of Guatemala, woman using the central laundry areas to wash clothes, Men on horseback, men with machetes and people carrying incredible loads.