Top Things to do in Mexico
The 10 Best Volcanos in Mexico, Mexico
With 26 UNESCO-declared world heritage sites, charming colonial towns and dozens of thrilling cities, there's plenty to explore in this country of 109 million. Outside the cities, stunning Pacific beaches, stark deserts, mangrove swamps and swimming holes provide all you need for a relaxing, romantic or adventurous vacation. Captivating, cosmopolitan and chaotic Mexico City and the 32 states offer an incredible abundance of experiences, from laid-back and leisurely to upbeat to adrenalin-charging.
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1. Popocatepetl
2. Sierra Negra Volcano
3. Ceboruco
4. Parque Nacional Volcan Nevado de Colima
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 60 reviews
An active, snow-capped volcano well-worth a side trip.
5. Volcan de Fuego
6. Iztaccihuatl
7. The Stirrup Volcano (Volcan del Estribo Grande)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 44 reviews
Located just outside of town, this small volcano provides excellent views of Patzcuaro.
Reviewed By ChineseBabe - Corvallis, United States
In Patzcuaro, this uphill walk is called El Estribo, and as others have said, it is easy to find the main rocky road. When we travel, we like to workout to get a dose of daily exercise, and in Patzcuaro, El Estribo is an outstanding outdoors option. The start is a little rough with a rocky road climbing through a poor but friendly neighborhood. There is lots of commerce and fellow exercisers on the road to El Estribo making one feel safe. The upper part of the climb is a beautiful, tree-lined road that leads to a fabulous lookout and picnic area. A steep set of 300-400 stairs takes climbers to the very top of the volcano. However, the lookout/ gazebo area has the best view. In our 7 days in Patzcuaro, we sweated up El Estribo 3 times and loved every 2-hour roundtrip walk. Non-walkers could take a taxi to the lookout area and gazebo to enjoy the fantastic views and appreciate the beauty of Lake Patzcuaro.
8. Paricutin Volcano
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 96 reviews
This volcano was born on March 4, 1943 and is one of the youngest volcanoes in the world.
Reviewed By 431marekd
Despite our preparation, we still were surprised by realities. We climbed the volcano at late December 2019. Arriving from Uruapan at the headtrail location called Centro Turistico De Angahuan is a challenge itself: the road through the town to actual place you meet guides is pretty rough. That ‘tourist centre’ is actually a place with ‘view point’ (El Mirador Del Volcan Paricutin) and provided nothing: no information, no maps, no word on options and prices. It’s not a tourist centre, rather a meeting point of people and horses and a place where you can park your car safely (cost 15Mxn per adult). There are also sleeping cabins for rent. The moment you enter the town, guides on horses spot you and will try to sell you a horse trip right under the volcano. Our plan was to climb up to the top and we weren’t interested in ride on horses. When asked, it costed more than 1000 Mxn per horse plus guide. For our hike, after a bit of bargaining we paid 600 Mxn for guide who led us the shortest way to the top. The hike is very difficult. It took us 4 hours to the cone. After easy walk through forest, the tough part started when you walk over sea of lava rocks. We needed to be very careful every step we took. Lava rocks are sharp and edgy. Shoes with sturdy sole are ‘a must’. After tiresome lava walk, the hardest part: climbing the volcano itself. It was about 1,5 hr. of very, very steep hike on small lava rocks then - last few hundred meters - on lava ash, which made every step even more difficult. Imagine climbing sandy dunes: it like that but very vertical and on high elevation. We actually climbed up to 2600m. Descending volcano is rather easy part: you walk ‘big steps’ down, almost ‘sliding’ down on path of ash. The whole trip down took us around 20 minutes. There are benches and couple kiosks where you can rest and buy some refreshments. Then, a 12 km walk back to the centre. This is the route horses use. It was easy but long and monotonous walk. On a way back you should visit ruins of the former church submerged by lava. Stunning experience. Around ruins you’ll find food kiosks offering hot meals, tasty local specialties. And a cold beer tastes fantastic after hours of walking. From the church there are about 3 km to ‘the tourist centre’. The whole climb took us 8 hours, including meal at the ruins. We started at 9am and were at the car at 5pm. We reached our hotel in Uruapan after dark. It seems we did volcano the hard way - climbing is not an easy option. I think we were the only ones who hiked that day. Others used horses. That day it wasn’t busy at the volcano: on the crater and on a way back we met maybe 25 people. There were many more people at the church’s ruins. Strangely enough, we saw number of cars (SUVs and pickups) at the volcano base, meaning locals know the way how to reach the place by car. Horses are not a bad idea if you OK with riding a horse for long hours to and from volcano base and then climb it from the other side which seems easier compare to the side we climbed. Don’t forget water, snacks and extra layer of clothes: it will be windy and may be cold at the top. Is it worth? As you probably know, it’s one of the 7th natural wonders of the world, so it explains all.
9. Pico De Orizaba
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 58 reviews
This glaciated volcano offers a challenging climb for experienced climbers.
Reviewed By O3649NNroberta
We coordinated a travel itinerary with Roberto Flores, who owns & operates Orizaba Mountain Guides, to include an acclimatization Hike to Malinche and then a summit attempt on Pico de Orizaba. We were picked up at our Mexico City hotel and transported to the base of Malinche for a self-guided acclimatization hike. Upon return from the hike, our driver offered snacks, fruit, and water. We then drove to the OMG lodge at San Miguel Zoapan. The accommodations at Zoapan were excellent, with comfortable beds, hot showers, and nourishing meals prepared by (2) wonderful ladies at the lodge. The next morning we woke up for breakfast, selected and packed our climbing gear, and met our climbing guide, Julio. We then drove for about 2 hrs from the lodge up to the Grande Piedra hut at about 13,800’. We then went for a 1-hr acclimatization hike with Julio, learned basic self-arrest technique with the ice axe, and became familiar with the use of the crampons. After this initial training, we had a wonderful dinner prepared by Julio and his assistant, Juan. We then hung out for a bit, cleaned the dishes, prepped our gear, and waited for sunset to get some rest. After a sleepless yet restful night, we woke up at midnight for a 1 am departure. Julio is an excellent guide and will allow you to dictate the pace, within reason. We reached the summit around 7:30 am and returned to the hut around 11:30 am. After a bit of time to rest at the hut, the 4WD picked us up to deliver us back to the lodge in Zoapan. We were allowed to shower, pack our bags, and have lunch, before returning to Mexico City. I highly recommend Orizaba Mountain Guides should you plan to embark upon any high altitude adventures in Central Mexico.
10. Volcano of Colima
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 159 reviews
Reviewed By jiahumada - Guadalajara, Mexico
The volcano is majestic and imposing, the landscape is the best and you can walk on the slopes and hills. you will have to go with an experienced guide and accept all the recommendations of the local authorities
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