real start for the hike to Ilamatepe(Santa Ana) | Tourist Attraction

April 22nd, 2024 by brownjam03

Really nice hike! Amazing Vulcano. Just pay the 35 dollars for a guide, don’t try to fool the locals by taking the by pass. It opens at 7:30. We starting hiking 7:30. Groups are formed a bit later during the morning, I would say 9:00/9:30 if you want to split the $35. Hike took us max 3 hours. We slept at casa Cristal and kept our dog in the van. DOGS ARE NOT ALLOWED!

February 20th, 2024 by Jimmytravelsaround

I feel ashamed about all the comments from the Santa Ana volcano how to sneak in or bypass the checkpoint. I think it's better to respect local habits/law and not to insist until the guards get so pissed about annoying/arrogant tourists that they let you pass without a guide. even though we also think it's not needed. it's not about what I think is best, it's about respecting their mindset. eg just imagine how it is, if every time you leave your house your are not sure if you will come back...(this is what it was just a couple of years ago). el Salvadorans are so lovely people, that I think this is the minimum you can and should give back if you are a open minded tourist.
we waited at the entrance paid 6US$ entrance fee and 4US$ pp to join the first group with a local family and were the first at the rim. enjoyed it a lot!
park opens at 7:30 am on weekdays and 4:00 am on weekends.

November 23rd, 2023 by 3weltreisen.de

on the mainroad is a "Y" of Wood in the Fence, just right if you coming from casa cristal next the small closed tinda), then 5 min trail to the Office, 3.4 km hike one way 410m at 2831m to the Santa Ana volcano crater rim. At 6:50 a.m. Thursday we stand at the entrance and are not allowed in. We don't have a guide. The boss comes at 7 a.m., another discussion. The weather is so perfect, we don't want to wait an hour. We promised not to walk around on the edge of the crater etc. We were well equipped and then we were finally allowed to go. It was definitely an absolute exception. When we left the Top Viewpoint at 9:30 a.m. the first groups came towards us. The group guides were annoyed with us; for our safety we should never go without a guide. The last kilometer of the tour is very rocky and steep.
(From Casa Cristal: 1.5 hours up, 45 minutes at the top (cold and windy), 1.5 hours back, no dogs, 6US$pp entrance fee, guide requirement 35US$ private tour, 5US$pp group).

June 29th, 2023 by chasing.vida

Stayed at Casa Cristal and this “trail head” is about a 2 minute walk from the property. It takes you to the real entrance of the hike that has the pay booth. Takes about 3-5 minutes to get there. Super close.

May 27th, 2023 by vidadekombi

You must have a guide!

Prices $35 - private or $ 3-4 for a big group

Entrance PN - $6 - foreing

May 11th, 2023 by lesptitsmalouins

After 30min of negotiations at the visitor center, we couldn't enter without a guide. We spoke with government officials, policeman and they won't let us in because apparently it is now mandatory. They told us it was because of accidents that happened it the past... We really didn't want to pay more than the entrance fee as the hike seems really easy and doable without a guide, but there were like 5-6 guys with government badges so we didn't have any choices.

Guide is 35$ (private) and 3-4$ for a group (just wait for people to come there's a lot)

March 20th, 2023 by peggyann.boucher

Ceci est le début du sentier si vous partez de Casa Cristal