Exciting exploration of the San Salvador Volcano

San Salvador, the capital city of El Salvador, is famous for its “Volcán San Salvador”, also called San Salvador Volcano. This large stratovolcano dominates the western part of San Salvador. Ever since the 16th century this volcano has seen four major eruptions. The peculiarity of the volcano is that its slopes have spewed more lava than the crater itself. San Salvador has remained much vulnerable as the city is itself located on the volcano’s slopes. In the event of a major eruption the city may face disaster with huge loss of life. However, San Salvador has remained fortunate till date as the entire volcanic zone has so far remained quiet and geological activity is being closely monitored by the experts.

The San Salvador Volcano comprises of three major peaks – El Boquerón, Jabalí and Picacho. The El Boquerón peak is famous among them all and is home to a steep-walled crater. The two peaks – Jabalí and Picacho – are remnants of a 3.75 mile wide caldera dating back to nearly 50,000 years. When you explore El Boquerón peak, you will discover that it was originally much higher than the caldera’s rim. However, the lava flows have smoothened its appearance. Once its crater also included a small lake, but a miniature cone finally replaced it after the 1917 eruption. This is still viewed even today.

The El Boquerón National Park is currently home to the three peaks. The park was renovated in 2008. The park is easily accessible from downtown San Salvador and can be reached after a drive of 30 minutes. The park is just located outside of the town. The hike to the summit takes only 20 minutes. The El Boquerón National Park can be visited every day from 8 am to 5 pm. The admission fee is nominal. Senior citizens and children aged under eight are provided free entry.

The visitors are required to take some precautions while hiking the volcano and its peaks. Keep attentive and be always aware of your surroundings. The secluded paths in the El Boquerón National Park should be better avoided as assaults and robberies have been reported frequently. Always make it a point to travel in groups. Don’t carry any expensive belongings with you. The best thing is to hire a guide. They are quite affordable as well as extremely knowledgeable. The guide will not only keep your safety in mind, but they will also adequately inform you about the San Salvador Volcano and its surroundings. Do remember to bring layers of clothing. The average temperatures during the day can range between 64 to 72 degrees F, while at night it can be as low as 45 degrees F.