The 2027 Guatemala Impact Marathon is a trail race on Pacaya volcano on Saturday March 6, 2027, according to the organiser, Impact Marathon (race page read November 3, 2026; the page gives the location as ‘Sacatepequez, Guatemala’). It offers three distances: 10km with 600m of climbing, 21km with 1,100m and 42km with 1,600m. The race closes a seven-day week, 1 to 7 March 2027, that the organiser runs with its partner SERES: you arrive in Antigua, spend several days with SERES and its youth projects, camp beside the start line at Finca El Amate the night before, and finish the week in Guatemala City.
This page sets out what a runner needs to decide whether to sign up: the distances, the day-by-day schedule, what the package covers and leaves out, the two accommodation options and the race-only route for people living in Guatemala. Everything below comes from the organiser’s Guatemala Impact Marathon 2027 page, which we read on November 3, 2026. Where the organiser does not say something, we say so rather than guess.
Quick summary
| Item | Detail (organiser, read November 3, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Event | Guatemala Impact Marathon 2027 |
| Organiser | Impact Marathon |
| Location | Pacaya volcano (organiser page header: “Sacatepequez , Guatemala”) |
| Race day | Day 6 of the week: Saturday March 6, 2027 |
| Full week | 1-7 March 2027, six nights |
| Distances | 10km (600m climb), 21km (1,100m climb), 42km (1,600m climb) |
| Partner | SERES |
| Accommodation options | Base Camp (shared) or Summit Camp (single supplement) |
| Race-only entry | For citizens or residents of Guatemala; organiser opens it in July/August |
| Fundraising | Averages just over £1000 per runner; no minimum individual target |
| Water | Stations every 3-6km; a GPX file is provided for your watch |
The three distances
The organiser describes the course as crossing old lava fields, climbing through coffee and pineapple farms and bringing runners onto the ridge near the crater. Each distance has its own name on the organiser’s page.
| Distance | Organiser’s name | Climb | What the organiser says about the route |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10km | I ‘Finca’ That’s Enough | 600m | Starts inside Finca El Amate, drops through pineapple fields and family farms and comes out onto the southern lava field; it is an out-and-back |
| 21km | I ‘Lava’ This Race | 1,100m | A fast opening drops runners out of Los Pocitos onto the open lava field |
| 42km | The Beast of Pacaya | 1,600m | No further route description in the page text we read |
Water and navigation. The organiser’s FAQ says: “There are water stations every 3-6km across the entire route”. It also says runners are given a GPX file to add to their watch. We did not find cut-off times or a kit list on the page we read, so ask the organiser about both before you choose the 21km or 42km.
The week, day by day
The organiser frames the trip as a week of living in the country rather than a race weekend: “For six days, you live inside Guatemala, not just pass through it”. This is its published schedule. The weekdays are our calendar check against the organiser’s dates.
| Day | Date | Organiser’s title | Detail from the organiser |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Monday 1 March 2027 | Arrival in Antigua | You land in Guatemala City and the organiser moves you out to Antigua |
| Day 2 | Tuesday 2 March 2027 | Ulew Fuego with SERES | Day with the partner organisation SERES |
| Day 3 | Wednesday 3 March 2027 | El Rodeo | Not detailed in the page text we read |
| Day 4 | Thursday 4 March 2027 | Coffee, El Astillero | Not detailed in the page text we read |
| Day 5 | Friday 5 March 2027 | Rest, reset, and the move to camp | After lunch, transfer to Finca El Amate; tents are pitched near the start line |
| Day 6 | Saturday 6 March 2027 | Race day | Back to Guatemala City that evening for the finishers’ dinner and a night in a central hotel |
| Day 7 | Sunday 7 March 2027 | Homecoming | Last day of the week |
On the night before the race, the organiser says: “Tents are pitched 50 metres from the start line”. That means race morning starts at camp, not with a transfer from Antigua.
What the package includes and excludes
The organiser lists these as included:
- Six nights of accommodation in Guatemala City, Antigua and at race camp
- All in-country transport for the week
- Three meals a day, cooked locally
- Race entry and a bib for 10km, 21km or 42km
- National park permits and Finca El Amate access
- Experienced local guides, medics and race staff throughout the week
And these as excluded:
- Flights to and from Guatemala
- Travel insurance
- Visa costs, if required
- Bolt-on trips, including Acatenango and Lake Atitlán
How entry works
Base Camp or Summit Camp. The organiser sells the week in two versions. Base Camp means a shared twin or double room in Antigua and a shared two-man tent at race camp. Summit Camp is, in the organiser’s words, “our single supplement option”.
Price. We are not quoting a fixed price. On November 3, 2026, the booking box shown to a US-located browser displayed a price from $2,073.71 per person, with a $518.43 deposit, for the 1-7 March 2027 week of six nights. The odd cents suggest a converted display price. The organiser’s base currency may differ (its fundraising guidance is in pounds), so check the figure in your own currency on the booking page before you pay.
Fundraising. The organiser asks runners to fundraise; its FAQ says: “This normally averages just over £1000 per Impact Runner”. You can pick a target that challenges and motivates you, and the organiser adds: “We do not set a minimum individual target”.
Race-only entry, for Guatemala citizens and residents. According to the organiser’s FAQ, if you are a citizen or resident of Guatemala, it opens race-only registrations in July/August. The FAQ does not say which year’s window applies to the March 2027 race, whether it is open now, or what race-only entry costs. If you live in Guatemala and only want to run, contact Impact Marathon.
Who SERES is
The organiser’s partner for the week is SERES, which the organiser describes as a female-founded, youth-led organisation that trains young Guatemalans and Salvadorans to lead on climate, food security, gender equality and community resilience. During the week, the organiser says, you spend time with SERES as it trains young people to lead climate, food and community projects in their own villages. Day 2 of the schedule is listed as Ulew Fuego with SERES.
Getting oriented
Pacaya is an active volcano, and the organiser’s course runs onto the ridge near its crater. Our Pacaya volcano page pulls the latest activity reading and links the official bulletin, so check it in the weeks before you travel. If you want to see the volcano before race week, our guide to Pacaya day hike tours compares the guided trips. Since the week starts in Antigua, our page on weekend trips from Antigua can help if you arrive early or stay on.
Other races on our calendar:
Sources
- Impact Marathon, Guatemala Impact Marathon 2027 product page (schedule, distances, inclusions, packages, FAQ and booking box), https://www.impactmarathon.com/products/guatemala-impact-marathon-2027 — read November 3, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Guatemala Impact Marathon 2027?
The organiser, Impact Marathon, lists race day as Day 6 of its week, 6 March 2027, which falls on a Saturday (organiser page, read November 3, 2026). The full week runs from 1 March 2027 (arrival in Antigua) to 7 March 2027 (homecoming), six nights in total.
What distances does the Guatemala Impact Marathon offer?
Three, per the organiser: 10km (named I ‘Finca’ That’s Enough, with a 600m climb), 21km (I ‘Lava’ This Race, 1,100m climb) and 42km (The Beast of Pacaya, 1,600m climb). The organiser says the course crosses old lava fields, climbs through coffee and pineapple farms and reaches the ridge near the Pacaya crater.
How hard is the Guatemala Impact Marathon?
The organiser publishes the climbing for each distance: 600m on the 10km, 1,100m on the 21km and 1,600m on the 42km, on a course over old lava fields and farm trails up to the ridge near the crater. The organiser page we read on November 3, 2026 did not show cut-off times that we found, so ask Impact Marathon before choosing a distance.
Can I enter the race only, without the full week?
The organiser’s FAQ says it opens race-only registrations in July/August for citizens or residents of Guatemala. The FAQ does not say which year’s July/August window applies to the 2027 race, whether it is open now, or what race-only entry costs, so check with Impact Marathon directly.
What is included in the Guatemala Impact Marathon package?
The organiser lists six nights of accommodation in Guatemala City, Antigua and at race camp; all in-country transport for the week; three meals a day, cooked locally; race entry and a bib for 10km, 21km or 42km; national park permits and Finca El Amate access; and experienced local guides, medics and race staff throughout the week. Flights, travel insurance, visa costs if required, and bolt-on trips such as Acatenango and Lake Atitlán are excluded.
How much do I need to fundraise for the Guatemala Impact Marathon?
The organiser’s FAQ says fundraising normally averages just over £1000 per Impact Runner, that you can choose a target that challenges and motivates you, and that it does not set a minimum individual target (read November 3, 2026).
