Cerro El Pital

Cerro El Pital is the highest point in El Salvador at 2730 meters. It is in the country's western highlands.

Understand

Landscape

El Pital mount offers scenic views on the surrounding mountains (including in Guatemala and Honduras), and allows to see all the major volcanoes of El Salvador.

Flora and fauna

The flora is of course very different of what can be found in the lower areas of El Salvador. It seems much less tropical here, except for some could forests on the way to the top to El Pital.

Even at the dry season, grass stays green in El Pital.

Climate

Due to its elevation (~2700 m), El Pital is really fresh, in comparison to most locations in El Salvador. It nevers snows there, but rain can be chilly cold. Avoid the rainy season.

Get in

The road is steep to El Pital, but good enough to get to Rio Chiquito village with a basic car.

If you want to drive to the top of the mountain, you'll need a good 4x4 car.

Some camionetas drive tourists to El Pital. ~25USD/vehicle.

Fees and permits

The top of the mountain is located on a private land. Admission costs US$3/person, plus and extra for cars. The very top of the mountain is actually located in Honduras. Some Salvadorian soldiers block the way (theoretically), a few hundred meters from it.

Get around

Rio Chiquito Village is small, everything can be done by foot. The center of the village has good roads, but they quickly become tracks as soon as you get out of the center.

See

Resplendent quetzal

According to the locals, quetzals can be seen at the very top of the mountain.

Do

Hike from Rio Chiquito to the top (less than 2 hours one way).

Buy

A few tiendas can be found in Rio Chiquito. Prices are high.

Eat

Rio Chiquito offers a few comedors and some restaurants. Some restaurants can also be found at the top of the mountain, but they are not open every day.

Sleep

El Pital mount and Rio Chiquito Village offer plenty of accommodation options (most of which are overpriced), including hotels, cabañas, and campgrounds.

Lodging

• 1 Lecho de Flores (Hotel El Pital), Rio Chiquito (turn right when arriving in Rio Chiquito, it is located), ☏ +503 2359 0782. Offers nice cabañas in a lovely garden. They try to sell 50/70USD full packages (including accommodation, dinner, breakfast, and transportation/entrance to El Pital), but simple accommodation can be bargained for cheaper price. US$30. (updated Feb 2015)
• 2 Hostal Miramundo, ☏ +503 2219 6252, hostal.miramundo@gmail.com. Hostel & restaurant (updated Feb 2015)
• La Posada del Cielo, ☏ +503 2289 2843, info@hotellaposadadelcielo.com. US$56. (updated Feb 2015)

Camping

• 3 Camping and cabañas (In Rio Chuiquito village, on the right, just before the road to El Pital becomes steep.). Camping on the ground of a lovely couple of farmers. US$2/person. A 4-person tent can be rented for US$15. They also have 3 cabañas (US$25-40). US$4. (updated Feb 2015)
• Lecho de Flores, Almost at the top of El Pital, ☏ +503 7949 5871, contacto@elpitallechodeflores.com. US$5/person - tent rental: US$15/4 persons - they also have a cabaña, for US$50-60 (overpriced, but this is the only one at this elevation). 10$. (updated Feb 2015)

Stay safe

One of the really safe places in El Salvador.