Volcanoes.
One of nature's most powerful and destructive forces.
In this episode we’re going to take you as close as you can get to the most active
volcano in all of Mexico: El Volcán de Colima, neighbor to the prominent but inactive volcano,
El Nevado.
Come with us and learn some Spanish as we explore these incredible mountains.
We start our journey in Comala, Colima Mexico, one of the most beautiful Pueblos Magicos
in the country and our home-base as we travel through Mexico.
Here, two majestic volcanoes adorn the landscape: El Nevado, and El Volcán de Fuego de Colima.
The “snow-capped” and “fire” volcanoes respectively.
Stopping in Comala is a must if you’re on your way to get a closer look of El Volcán
de Fuego.
We left Comala and drove a half an hour to spend a few days at one of the closest communities
to the volcán.
This place is a called La María, where people from all over the world come to enjoy nature
and have an up-close view of the volcano.
La Maria is a park where you can find the basics to pass the time away from the city.
The nearest and one of the only restaurants around is just over a mile away down from
La Maria.
There you’ll find Doña Esther, life-long resident of La Becerrera and owner of “Doña
Esther’s Kitchen”.
She talked to us about the medidas de precaución they have to take when the volcano poses a threat.
Past La Maria a few miles, you’ll find La Yerbabuena, the closest community to the volcano.
The government has tried to evacuate this community permanently for years now because
of its dangerous proximity to the volcano, but some residents have refused to leave.
Mercedes, La María’s grounds keeper, told us what it is like to experience this natural phenomenon.
The next morning we got up early and headed toward the Fire Volcano to get a closer look.
We had a great time staying at La Maria, and our last night was spectacular.
We were lucky enough to be there during an actual eruption.
Granted, it wasn't anything devastating, but it was the perfect ending to our stay.
The area around La Yerbabuena gives you an incredible view of the fire volcano, but to
get an even better perspective of just how massive these natural formations are, you
have to go to the Parque Nacional Nevado de Colima.
We drove from Colima for about an hour to a town called Ciudad Guzmán, in the state
of Jalisco.
From Ciudad Guzmán, you will embark on a 12 mile drive up the snow-capped volcano through
very rough terrain.
I don’t think this car is going to make it!
I’m really reluctant...This road is the worst I’ve ever been on in Mexico!
Despite the rough terrain, we finally made it to the park.
This is incredible.
We made it.
Almost.
Not yet.
We’ve got a ways to go but the car made it.
I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long.
I’ve wanted to go to the top of this volcano right here ever since the first time I saw
it in real life and we’re so close!
This is my kind of adventure!
I’m just trying to figure out how...how are we gonna get there?
The snow-capped volcano is one of the highest mountains in the country standing at over
14,000 feet above sea level.
During the winter it is very common to see it covered in snow.
When El Nevado was active, it was so powerful that it could shoot massive rocks up to fifty
miles away.
So as we’re walking up the mountain we feel like it’s getting harder and harder to talk...to
speak.
It is.
We’re just walking, and sure there’s a little bit of an incline, but after...I don’t
know...20 meters it feels like “wow, were we just running or something?”
Are we that out of shape?
It’s hard to catch your breath because it feel like you just don’t get enough.
Ah... and we’re close to 4,000 meters above sea level, so that explains it.
The Parque Nacional Nevado de Colima
was established in 1936 to monitor the activity of the neighboring
Volcán de Fuego, and to allow for ecotourism.
If you are adventurous, you can hike up all by yourself but we recommend you go with a
guide or an experienced climber.
At these heights altitude sickness can take its toll, and the weather can change for the
worse rapidly.
Visiting the Parque Nacional Nevado de Colima was a dream come true for me.
I’ve been fascinated by the volcanos ever since I first visited May in Colima.
Looking at them always brings back fond memories.
Visiting Los Volcanes de Colima is a truly unforgettable experience.
The area around the volcanos is not very touristy, but there are a lot of things you can do there
So make sure you check it out.
Yeah, if you want to find out more details about our trip you can go to SpanishandGo.com
and read more about it.
If you like this video don't forget to like and subscribe for more Spanish and travel tips.
¡Nos vemos pronto! Thanks for watching!
¡Adios!