Climbing a Volcano: Nevado de Toluca

 

“If you go to the Nevado de Toluca, pack a plastic bag, in case you feel like vomiting, and a chocolate bar for the low blood pressure. And be careful where you rest, because there’s puke everywhere.”

You can imagine our level of excitement after hearing this from our friends and family. Still, we wanted to experience it ourselves to let you guys know if it was worth the trip and to give you a few tips…

 

Verdict: Totally worth the trip. Especially if you need a break from the hecticness of Mexico City. Plus, besides getting a chance to climb a volcano (which doesn’t happen very often), you’ll also be standing in a ceremonial site from 650 a.C! And don’t worry about getting sick. If you climb at your own pace and take breaks, you’ll feel fine. At least, we did.

 

1. Rent a car

The easiest way to get there, especially if you want to avoid 3-4 hours of extra hiking. The highway from Mexico City to Toluca is in great shape and it only costs $80 mxn (Google Maps or Waze will guide you perfectly– takes 2.30 hrs to get there).

Once you see a large sign on the left side of the road that reads ‘Parque Nacional Nevado de Toluca’, make your way up through the small dirt road until you reach the first parking lot and pay an entrance fee of $40 mxn per car.

If it’s snowing (December-January) or you want to do the 4-hour hike, you’ll have to park here and do the rest by foot. If not, we recommend parking at the second base –which means only walking 30-40 minutes to the crater. Our kind of exercise… lol.

 

 

 

 

2. Wake up early

Our biggest tip! It can get really crowded, especially on weekends, so an early morning is a must to fully enjoy the view. Plus, you’ll avoid heavy traffic on the highway. We went on a weekday and arrived at the first parking lot at 8:00 am, so that we could be at the craters before 9:00 –not too foggy & not too cold.

 

 

 

 

3. What to pack & wear

Between the altitude and the cold, there’s a little bit of planning required:

• Dress up in layers: we went mid-April and would suggest wearing a long sleeve + sweater or hoodie + a jacket (we used our Uniqlo ones and they were perfect). And don’t forget your gloves! We forgot ours and couldn’t feel our fingers after.
• Your backpack should have: enough water or Gatorade, protein bar, chocolate bar, toilet paper or tissues, for the restroom, hand sanitizer and sunscreen. And your camera, of course!

 

 

Huge tip: Use the restrooms at the second parking lot before heading up, even if you don’t feel the need. With the combo of exercise and staying hydrated, you’ll want that bladder empty! Especially because there are no facilities inside the park.

 

4. Climb at your own pace!

You’ll be at about 4,100m above sea level when standing in the craters, so slowly let your body get used to the altitude; it’ll be a little bit hard to breathe. Don’t force yourself. If people pass you by, let them; you’ll probably see them catching their breath at the next set of rocks, and the site is huge so they won’t ruin your photos.

But most of all, enjoy the climb! Yes, the crater with the emerald/turquoise lagoons is beautiful, but until you get there you’ll also be mimicking the trek that pre-Hispanic cultures did thousands of years ago. That, to us, is just mind blowing…

 

 

 

 

5. The perfect view of the Nevado de Toluca

The perfect view will be the one you get once you reach the crater. Both lagoons with the colorful mountains at the back. Beautiful, isn’t it? And it must look even more magical all covered in snow!

Here, in the lagoons, is where archaeologist have found ceremonial offerings from 650 a.C and 1520 a.C, like turquoise, jade and wooden artifacts associated with Tláloc, god of rain and earthly fertility. Meaning that for many centuries this volcano remained an important ceremonial site for pre-Hispanic cultures.

 

 

 

 

Although the Nevado de Toluca is an extinct volcano, we couldn’t think of anything else other than movie scenes from Dante’s Peak and Volcano. It’s as if we could still feel its ‘powerfulness’, you know? 

Would love to hear your experience! Have you guys been to the Nevado de Toluca? Do you have more tips for fellow travelers?

 

 

---

---

 

Useful information

• If you feel dizzy, just put your legs up, breathe slowly, drink little sips of water and eat a little bit of chocolate. There are guards there that can assist you.
• There’s a little store in the second parking lot that sells water, cookies and candy, but pack your own food in case it’s closed.
• Park opens at 8:00 and closes at 16:00.
• Time required: Mexico City to Nevado de Toluca: 2.30 hrs + 40min trek to the crater + 1.30-2 hrs of sightseeing.