Park or nature areaOutline guide

Volcan El Chichón

Volcano in Chiapas, Mexico

Photo: Dmitri Rouwet, Marta Iorio and Demetrio Polgovsky, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Volcan El Chichón is an active volcano in Chiapas, a state in southern Mexico. It is sometimes known as El Chichonal. The volcano is a popular hiking destination, especially to the summit where a 1-km-wide caldera can be descended to a sparkling green lake in its basin.

Getting there and around

Getting there

The closest airport with scheduled commercial flights is in Villahermosa, about 120 km from El Chichon.

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Airports and nearby hotels

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Carlos Rovirosa Pérez International Airport

Villahermosa · International · VSA

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Read before you go to Volcan El Chichón

Articles and travel topics about Volcan El Chichón and Mexico.

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Full travel guide

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UnderstandEl Chichón was thought to be a dormant volcano until 1982, when it erupted 3 times within a week, leveling nearby villages and killing 1,900 people.

Get inThe closest airport with scheduled commercial flights is in Villahermosa, about 120 km from El Chichon.

Fees and permitsPark admission is M$50 (cash only) and is paid at the trail head in Chapultenango. Local Zoque guides can often be hired at the trailhead and are recommended because they know the terrain and can help avoid accidents.

Get around

Eat

DrinkBring plenty of water. You will be on the mountain at least 5 hours and there are no sources of drinking water along the way.

Sleep

Stay safeTravel with a group. If you're traveling solo, hire a guide. Bring plenty of water (figure about 3 liters per person). Bring a hat and sunblock. The sun will be very bright and there is no shade along the route.

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Sources and licences

Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Volcan El Chichón" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Summary from the Wikipedia article "El Chichón", available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikipedia
Photo: Dmitri Rouwet, Marta Iorio and Demetrio Polgovsky, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

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