Nature & parks in Santa Ana
Top Parks & Nature Attractions in Santa Ana, El Salvador
Nature & Parks in Santa Ana
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Top-Rated Outdoor Activities (17)
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What travellers are saying
- streamvistaKnoxville, TN166 contributionsThe Santa Ana volcano hike starts in a seemingly tame wooded trail. At the beginning, you’ll find a ranger station, bathroom, and some snack kiosks. If you need any refreshments (the plantain chips are great) or a bathroom break, do it here.
The hike takes some energy to complete. It isn’t crazy difficult and I saw all ages do it. But, the trail is full of steps, incline, and uneven terrain. You need some level of fitness to compete it. That said, it’s a good experience. There’s nice views most of the hike and you can see great vistas of the other nearby volcano.
The view at the top is worth it. Very interesting to look inside the caldera. But, it can be cloudy sometimes because it’s so high up.
Recommendation: Come very early. We did and avoided the crowds. In fact, no one else was at the top when we arrived. Walking back down, I think we saw like 200 people trekking up — mainly Salvadorans.
Overall: Go! It’s worth it.Written 8 May 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - QuakeupVictoria, Canada215 contributionsOne of the guides on the trail up Santa Ana Volcano suggested that hiking Izalco Volcano is about the same distance as Santa Ana, but double the exertion. He was right!
I joined a guided hike that started from the Cerro Verde parking lot at 11 AM. Our large group on this Sunday morning descended through a beautiful wooded switchback trail to the saddle that separates Cerro Verde from Izalco Volcano. From here it’s a 45° rise, which is hiked on a rough and rocky switchback trail. There are plenty of solid handholds if you need to pull yourself up in places.
It was amazing to see the steam vents seeping out of the rock as we neared the small crater rim. Izalco has retained its iconic cone shape, so it’s not very wide at the top or as interesting as the sweeping view inside the magnificent Santa Ana Volcano nearby. I was rewarded by the expansive views all the way into Guatemala to the north, Lago de Coatepeque to the east, San Salvador to the south, and the great blue sea of the Pacific to the west.
Enjoy a frozen ice cream novelty at the crater rim when you get there. Only $1.5 for a popsicle—wow!
This is an out and back trail, and we retraced our footsteps to the car park the way we came. Going down the volcano was easy, but the return up Cerro Verde was a tough slog because of the grade and distance. The saving grace is that this section is entirely in the shade.
Prices: I was charged $4 for park admission (including parking fee), plus $3 for the guide.
Hiking time: Guides suggest four hours. Took me three hours, because the guides eventually allow us to hike the last strenuous section at our own pace.Written 13 February 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - TravelingFamilyTripChicago, IL202 contributionsWe wound up having lunch at the lakeshore one day, and at a restaurant on the cliffs around the lake another day. Both were really nice. The lake is famous for ocassionally changing colors, and we got to see a bit of this change-over in progress one of the days we were there. Very cool!Written 28 February 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- TravelingSoccerLoonSaint Paul, MN2,757 contributionsBeautiful region. It was about a 90 min drive from San Salvador and I came up here on a personal guided tour with Centro America Tours. My guide Benjamin was excellent. The hike to the top of the Santa Ana Volcano was the highlight of my stay in El Salvador. My guide on the trail Herzon was great. 4 mile round trip hike that was moderately strenuous but beautiful views along the way including of the nearby Izalco Volcano. Sights and smells of the active volcano when we reached the top were awesome. Didn't see too much wildlife when visiting but it was midday. There is also an observation point with views of Lake Coatepque in the park. It was clouding up at this point in the afternoon but I could imagine this would be beautiful from photos that I've seen.Written 12 January 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- TravelingFamilyTripChicago, IL202 contributionsWe visited with an arranged tour. We did about a 7 mile hike (round trip) from the visitor's center down to the junction of two streams in the valley below. It's not virgin forest by any means, but it was a nice hike, and swimming the the stream pools at the bottom was very refreshing.
Yes, the road to the visitor's center is very bad. Not the worst I've ever been on, but I was glad it wasn't me who was driving!Written 28 February 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - TravelingFamilyTripChicago, IL202 contributionsGrab some ice cream from one of the nearby shops and find a bench to watch the people go by. It's a nice central square and we enjoyed watching the local kids running around on the bandstand.Written 28 February 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions about Santa Ana
- These experiences are best for nature & parks in Santa Ana:
- Best Day-Tour : Santa Ana Volcano Hiking + Panoramic View Lake Coatepeque
- Full-Day Combo Tour :Joya de Céren + Cerro Verde Park +Santa Ana City + Lake
- Santa Ana Volcano Hiking Tour + Coatepeque Lake Sightseeing
- Combo Tour: Colonial Route & Volcanoes of El Salvador
- Hiking Volcan Santa Ana ( Ilamatepec ) + View Lake Coatepeque
- These places are best for nature & parks in Santa Ana:
- Santa Ana Volcano
- Lago de Coatepeque
- National Park Cerro Verde
- Izalco Volcano
- Parque Nacional El Imposible
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