Volcán Tajumulco

San Marcos Department, Guatemala

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Volcán Tajumulco, located in Guatemala's San Marcos Department near the Mexican border, stands as Central America's highest peak at 4,220 meters (13,845 feet) with twin summits—the main one featuring a small crater—and forms part of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas range.

This extinct stratovolcano, composed of andesitic-dacitic lavas, rises from sea level amid sparsely populated highlands used for potato farming and grazing, offering a 5-hour hike from nearby hamlets like Tuichán despite frequent mists and cold nights that can drop to freezing.

On clear days, its summit provides sweeping views of Guatemala's volcanic chain, the Pacific Ocean, and distant borders with Mexico, El Salvador, and Honduras, attracting climbers for its accessibility and legendary ties to local Mayan origins.