Daniel

Volcan San Miguel (Chaparastique)

Climbing San Miguel in El Salvador

I read few articles on the web on how to climb San Miguel in El Salvador, unfortunately all involved people who lived there (as peace corp./embassy staff etc.,) and they all had 4x4's to help them get through the Coffee plantations up to altitude close to +/- 1,600 meters (4,800 ft). The remaining 450 meters consist of a very steep hike that can take a good 60 to 120 minutes depending on your fitness.

None of the articles I came across had details on how to get there if you where a normal backpacker using the public transport in El Salvador. I hope this article will help those who do not have cars.

I was there in April 2013 and it took me a day of frustrating events to get this hike set up. I first went to San Miguel's Alcaldia (which is what all the blogs/travel books tell you to do!). You should have seen their faces when I told them I was there to ask for some help or assistance on climbing the Volcano (and yes you need to know Spanish because some of the interrogations I went trough were quite intense...Why are you here? why are you climbing? do you know anyone here? who sent you? etc.,)

So after passing the first round of interrogations they sent me to the CAM (which is the office of Civil Protection i.e. kind of local FBI). There we went through another round of interrogations. I was "lucky" to fall on the Colonel himself running the show down in San Miguel. He was inquisitive but at the same time very helpful. He gave me the phone number of Senior Santos that work for the Ministry of Health and Forestry who happen to live at the bottom of the Volcano in Las Placitas - Altitude 700 meters) and who as a kid climbed it every week end for fun!!!

Senior Santos other benefits is that he has an old "personal" truck and knows all the Coffee Plantation people so not only he was able to help get to 1,600 meters but also got the necessary permissions from Finca Isabela (the one plantation that has a rod that goes all the way to 1,750 meters). Since his truck is not a 4x4 we made to 1,600 meters which was great as the road is really bad (if you can call it a road).

There is a public bus that goes to Las Placitas (+/- 1 hr). The bus station to Las Placitas is 30 minutes walking distance from the main terminal station (at the corner of Calle Chaparrastique and 7a Av Sur). 10 minutes before you reach Las Placitas you will see the small sign for Finca Isabela (on the left side near a school) if you miss it there is a police station (small house) on the right hand side (again before you get to Las Placitas). You can stop in either these spots and call Senior Santos.

I am putting Senior Santos email on here but please understand the guy is not a tourist agent, he has a work to do in that town (he is normally available on week ends)*** PLEASE DO NOT BOMBARD THE GUY WITH QUESTIONS OR ASK HIM TO COME AND PICK YOU FROM SAN MIGUEL OR TRY TO SPEAK / EMAIL HIM IN ENGLISH.

The guy is doing it because he likes hiking but you should still compensate him for the Gas he uses. At the time, I gave him $20 bucks and please give him the money as being for "Gas expenses" as he can get pretty sensitive if he feels you are paying him for his effort. Senior Santos' email portillo10@hotmail.es

The views from the top where amazing even though I did not have a 100% clear day (visibility was at best 60%) and based on Senior Santos you rarely see all of El Salvador from the top. I know some blogs talk about the astonishing views but these only happen very very rarely (brace yourself for some disappointment).