A mountain guide lights a cigarette using magma scooped from a lava flow near the summit of the Pacaya volcano in Guatemala.
I climbed Pacaya when staying in nearby Antigua, where I’d come to see the incredible Easter parades.
Climbing Pacaya felt exciting and dangerous. We were able to stand beside lava flows as the molten rock crawled past, and it was so hot that the plastic soles of my shoes started to melt.
Later I was able to stand by the edge of a volcanic vent and stare into the magma below. It was like looking directly into the sun, but without hurting my eyes.
Perhaps not surprisingly, treks are now discouraged on Pacaya, especially since destructive eruptions in 2010 and 2013.
