Seven women from Puerto Vallarta were rescued uninjured after getting lost while hiking on El Ceboruco volcano in Jala, Nayarit.
Seven women from Puerto Vallarta who planned a weekend hiking adventure on El Ceboruco volcano ended their outing with an escorted walk back to safety, after becoming disoriented on the mountain on Saturday, 22 November 2025. State rescue teams used the group’s phone location to track them down on the slopes above Jala, Nayarit, and guided them back to the lower area of the volcano without injuries.
According to state authorities, the women had been hiking along the trails near the volcano’s main stairway when they realized they no longer knew how to return to the established route. Surrounded by unfamiliar terrain and losing confidence in their sense of direction, they called for help and were able to send their real-time GPS location from a mobile phone. That simple step turned what could have become a prolonged search into a focused operation.
A wrong turn on an active volcano
Responding to the call, state firefighters and civil protection personnel began climbing the stairway that leads visitors up the flank of El Ceboruco. Using the coordinates sent from the hikers’ phone, teams worked their way along side paths until they made visual and verbal contact with the group.
Rescuers first checked that none of the women were injured or showing signs of dehydration or exposure. With everyone able to walk on their own, the operation shifted from search and rescue to a careful escort. The group was led back down toward the base of the volcano, where the terrain is wider and more clearly marked. From there, they continued their journey accompanied by relatives.
El Ceboruco rises above the Pueblo Mágico of Jala, about a two-hour drive inland from the outskirts of Puerto Vallarta. The active stratovolcano last erupted in the 19th century, but it still releases steam through fumaroles near the summit and along its slopes. Well-maintained roads and viewpoints have turned it into a popular day trip for visitors from the coast, who come for craters, lava fields and wide views back toward the Pacific.
Hiking routes on the volcano are generally considered moderate in difficulty, with a main road and stairway complemented by narrower footpaths that cut across old lava and loose volcanic sand. Under clear skies, the way up can feel straightforward. But as local guides often warn, changing light, fog, or simple fatigue can make side trails look like the main route, especially for groups without someone who knows the mountain well.
Puerto Vallarta hikers and a growing inland habit
These Puerto Vallarta hikers are part of a growing trend of residents and visitors who are looking inland for weekend plans, trading beach days for hikes in Nayarit’s interior. The appeal is obvious: cooler air, dramatic scenery and an “adventure” that still fits into a single day. Saturday’s incident shows how that shift is also putting more people in environments where basic mountain safety makes all the difference.
In this case, the group made several decisions that worked in their favor. They stayed together instead of splitting up to look for the trail. They called for help before nightfall, rather than waiting to see if they could “figure it out” on their own. And they used their phone’s location tools to give rescuers an exact point on the map, cutting down the time search teams had to spend sweeping the volcano’s upper slopes.
Even so, this is not the first rescue on El Ceboruco. In recent years, authorities have responded to other cases of hikers who lost the path while exploring the same volcano, including a widely reported operation in 2023 to locate two young women who had also gone off-route during a hike. Those previous incidents, together with Saturday’s rescue, underline how quickly a misjudged shortcut or an unfamiliar side track can turn a leisure walk into an emergency call.
After every such operation, officials repeat the same message: El Ceboruco is open to visitors, but it is still an active volcano in mountainous terrain. They urge hikers to wear proper footwear, carry enough water, pay attention to weather forecasts and, when possible, hire a local guide or join an organized group that knows the layout of the trails. Sharing your plans with family or friends before you set out, and keeping your phone charged, can also give rescuers a critical head start if something goes wrong.
For the seven women from Puerto Vallarta, the day ended with relief rather than tragedy. They returned to their families shaken but safe, and with a different understanding of the volcano they had come to see. El Ceboruco will remain a magnet for hikers from the coast, but their story is a reminder that even a “weekend volcano” demands respect, preparation and a willingness to ask for help before the mountain truly closes in.
