Laguna de Ixpaco, a sulphur-water lake near Volcán Tecuamburro in aldea El Mora, Pueblo Nuevo Viñas, Santa Rosa, is free to visit and has no fixed opening hours, according to the site’s caretaker as quoted in the Ministry of Culture’s SIC directory (undated; checked 9 November 2026). It is about 67 km from Guatemala City, roughly an hour and a half by road. Soy502 (2018) and Guatemala.com (2024) both say the last stretch is a dirt road.
In short: Free, open at any hour (SIC; Soy502 also says you do not pay). Drive to Pueblo Nuevo Viñas, take the road to aldea El Mora, then ask for Ixpaco (Soy502). Last stretch unpaved: Guatemala.com says to bring a vehicle fit for it. On site: camping areas, thermal baths and a viewpoint (SIC). The lake is about 9 m deep and reaches about 40 °C. Expect a strong sulphur smell.
Entry, hours and location
| Item | Detail | Who publishes it | Date read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | Free | SIC (citing caretaker Amanda Herrarte); Soy502, 23 March 2018 | 9 November 2026 |
| Hours | No restriction | SIC | 9 November 2026 |
| Location | Aldea El Mora, Pueblo Nuevo Viñas, Santa Rosa, near Volcán Tecuamburro | SIC; Guatemala.com | 9 November 2026 |
| Distance from Guatemala City | About 67 km | SIC; Guatemala.com (2019 and 2024); Soy502 (2018) | 9 November 2026 |
| Driving time | About 1 h 30 min from the capital; about 30 min from nearby municipalities | SIC | 9 November 2026 |
| Road | Last stretch is dirt road | Soy502 (2018); Guatemala.com (updated 23 April 2024) | 9 November 2026 |
| Facilities | Camping areas, thermal baths, a viewpoint | SIC | 9 November 2026 |
| Depth and temperature | About 9 m; about 40 °C | SIC; Guatemala.com | 9 November 2026 |
The SIC listing carries no date and no phone number. Ask in Pueblo Nuevo Viñas or El Mora about the state of the road before the unpaved stretch.
How to get there
The SIC gives two ways in from Guatemala City:
- Via Cuilapa. Take the CA-1 toward El Salvador as far as the Los Esclavos sector in Cuilapa, then continue on the road toward Chiquimulilla.
- Via Las Vegas and Pueblo Nuevo Viñas. Enter through the Las Vegas sector, pass through the municipality of Pueblo Nuevo Viñas and carry on toward aldea El Mora.
Soy502 and Guatemala.com describe the final approach the same way: get to Pueblo Nuevo Viñas, find the road to aldea El Mora, then follow the way to Ixpaco. Soy502 advises asking local residents in El Mora for the route. Guatemala.com says the road is dirt, so make sure your vehicle is suitable for it.
The SIC lists no public transport to the lake.
The water: heat, colour and sulphur
The SIC describes Ixpaco as a lake of volcanic origin with a high sulphur content, about 9 m deep and close to 40 °C, and says it is known as the only sulphur lake in Guatemala. That last claim is the SIC’s, not a scientific survey’s.
- Bathing. Guatemala.com (updated 23 April 2024) says that despite the temperatures, there are areas where the water is warm and it is safe to bathe. The SIC lists thermal baths among the facilities. The SIC listing gives no bathing rules or water-quality data.
- Colour. Guatemala.com reports that some travellers say the water changes from bright sky blue in the morning to emerald green in the afternoon. Soy502 says locals call it Laguna de leche, milk lake, for the colour that sulphur gives the water. Guatemala.com’s 2019 article calls the colour mint green.
- Smell. Guatemala.com says the whole area is covered by an intense sulphur smell. Soy502 suggests opening the car windows before you arrive so you get used to it.
Local stories
The SIC records three residents’ accounts:
- Origin. Julio César, a neighbour, says the lake formed from a vein of Volcán Tecuamburro from which water sprang. Soy502 heard the same from residents in 2018.
- Healing waters. Since ancient times, people have credited the water with medicinal properties and used it for skin complaints, the same neighbour says. María Rosales told the SIC her parents said the sulphur water could relieve some illnesses, but that a healthy person who bathed in it could fall ill.
- The tamal seller. Braulio Bran, who lives nearby, tells a legend that at night a woman walks the site selling tamales and bewitches the lake.
Combine it with Tecuamburro
Guatemala.com’s 2019 article lists hikes to three summits of Volcán Tecuamburro, Soledad, Peña Blanca and Miraflores, among the things to do in the area, alongside the sulphur-water baths. It gives no route, guide contact or fee for the climb. For other volcanic water in Guatemala, see the hot springs guide.
More in the area
Sources
- Ministerio de Cultura y Deportes, SIC listing Laguna de Ixpaco, undated, read 9 November 2026.
- Soy502, Laguna de Ixpaco, 23 March 2018, read 9 November 2026. Press, secondary.
- Guatemala.com, Laguna de Ixpaco, fuente natural de azufre, published 25 May 2021, updated 23 April 2024, read 9 November 2026. Secondary.
- Guatemala.com, Laguna de Ixpaco en Santa Rosa, published 27 May 2019, updated 2 August 2021, read 9 November 2026. Secondary.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Laguna de Ixpaco, is it free, and how do you get there?
In aldea El Mora, Pueblo Nuevo Viñas, Santa Rosa, near Volcán Tecuamburro, about 67 km from Guatemala City. Entry is free with no fixed hours, per the person in charge quoted by the Ministry of Culture’s SIC directory (undated; checked 9 November 2026). Drive to Pueblo Nuevo Viñas, follow the road to aldea El Mora and then the turn for Ixpaco; the last stretch is dirt (Soy502, 2018; Guatemala.com, 2024).
How long does it take to drive to Ixpaco from Guatemala City?
The SIC puts it at about an hour and a half from the capital and about 30 minutes from the nearby municipalities. It gives two approaches: the CA-1 toward El Salvador to Los Esclavos in Cuilapa, then the road toward Chiquimulilla; or in through the Las Vegas sector, Pueblo Nuevo Viñas and on to aldea El Mora.
Can you swim in Laguna de Ixpaco?
The lake reaches about 9 m deep and temperatures of up to 40 °C (SIC; Guatemala.com). Guatemala.com (updated 23 April 2024) says some areas are warm and safe to bathe in, and the SIC lists thermal baths among the facilities. The SIC listing gives no water-safety rules, so test the temperature carefully and ask the caretakers where to bathe.
Why does Ixpaco smell of sulphur?
Its water is volcanic and high in sulphur, says the SIC. Residents told the SIC and Soy502 that it comes from a vein of Volcán Tecuamburro. Soy502 (2018) suggests opening the car windows before you arrive to get used to the smell.
What facilities are there at Ixpaco?
Camping areas, thermal baths and a viewpoint over the surroundings, according to Amanda Herrarte, the person in charge of the site, quoted in the SIC listing. The listing gives entry as free and names no separate charges.
