Authorities restrict access at Pacaya Volcano on 4 November

Authorities have issued visitor restrictions at Pacaya Volcano (Volcán Pacaya) in Escuintla after an official bulletin on 4 November 2026 warned tourists away from lava flows, fissures and the Mackenney crater. The notice concerns the active volcano in Guatemala and changes what visitors can approach during a climb.

Pacaya Volcano faces visitor restrictions on 4 November

The National Institute of Seismology, Vulcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology, known as INSIVUMEH, issued the bulletin for the volcano on 4 November 2026. It recorded weak degassing of water vapour and other magmatic gases from the Mackenney cone, with the wind carrying the gases south.

The same notice advised tourism agencies, guides and tourists not to walk on lava flows or fissures on the western flank. It also advised against ascending to the Mackenney crater because continuing degassing can release harmful or potentially fatal gases, while falling material may enter the crater. The 4 November volcanic bulletin names San Vicente Pacaya in Escuintla as the relevant local authority area.

Why the Mackenney crater matters for the route

The bulletin describes the mountain as a compound stratovolcano with Strombolian activity. Its listed elevation is 2,552 metres (8,373 ft), and the report says conditions were favourable for observing activity at the Mackenney cone while no incandescence or sounds were observed on that date.

The restriction links the news directly to the parts of the landscape that visitors seek on a hike. The upper crater is not simply a viewpoint in the current notice: it is an area affected by gas and possible rockfall. The western lava fields and fissures are also excluded because the ground can fracture and cause serious injuries.

Pacaya is administered as a national park with the municipality of San Vicente Pacaya and the park administration represented in the national tourism coordination structure. The official park coordination page identifies the site as Parque Nacional Volcán de Pacaya y Laguna de Calderas.

What the 4 November notice changes for visitors

The notice does not state that the whole national park is closed. Instead, it sets limits around the crater, western lava flows and fissures, while directing guides and tourism businesses to inform visitors about the dangerous areas. A traveller can therefore find a guided volcanic landscape, but not an unrestricted ascent to the crater or a walk across the named lava zones.

The distinction matters because a clear observation area and a permitted route are not the same as access to the active cone. The official recommendation applies to agencies, guides and tourists, so the restrictions should be treated as part of the visit conditions on 4 November 2026.

Visiting Pacaya Volcano: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The relevant notice is the INSIVUMEH bulletin issued on 4 November 2026 for Pacaya in Escuintla.
• Visitors should not walk on the western lava flows or fissures and should not ascend the Mackenney crater; the bulletin cites gases and falling material as hazards.
• The volcano is in Guatemala's Escuintla department, with San Vicente Pacaya named in the official notice and the national park administration identified by INGUAT.
• The terrain includes an active compound stratovolcano rising to 2,552 m (8,373 ft), so the restricted crater and lava areas are not ordinary walking surfaces.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

The 4 November 2026 restrictions leave the permitted route dependent on current instructions from the authorities and local guides.

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Frequently asked questions about Pacaya Volcano

What changed at Pacaya Volcano on 4 November 2026?

The official bulletin warned visitors away from western lava flows, fissures and the Mackenney crater because of gas and falling-material hazards.

Where is Pacaya Volcano and how do you get there?

It is in Escuintla, Guatemala, with San Vicente Pacaya named as the local area in the official notice. The park coordination page identifies the national park and Laguna de Calderas.

What is Pacaya Volcano?

It is a compound stratovolcano listed at 2,552 m (8,373 ft), with the Mackenney cone and active volcanic gases recorded in the 4 November 2026 bulletin.