Pacaya Volcano

Pacaya is a Guatemalan active complex volcano that erupted for the first time about 23,000 years ago and has erupted at least 23 times since the Spanish conquest. It reaches a height of 2,552 meters (8,373 ft). It resumed erupting forcefully in 1961, after being dormant for about 70 years, and has been erupting often since. Much of its activity is Strombolian, but it also has Plinian eruptions on occasion, which can cause ash to fall in the adjacent Departments.

Pacaya is a well-known tourist destination. It even hosts the popular Guatemala Impact Marathon, which was the first to employ a running route across the lava field formed by the 2010 eruption and benefits local communities by encouraging runners to complete the task. It is located 30 kilometers (19 miles) southwest of Guatemala City, near Antigua. The volcano is located in the Department of Escuintla.

Location: Guatemala