Chingo, Stratovolcano on the Guatemala–El Salvador border

Chingo is a stratovolcano at the border between Guatemala and El Salvador, rising symmetrically to 1,775 meters (5,823 feet) above sea level. The oval crater at its summit opens toward the western side.

Two presidential meetings took place near the volcano. In late 1873 Rufino Barrios of Guatemala and Santiago González of El Salvador agreed there to invade Honduras and overthrow President Céleo Arias; Guatemalan and Salvadoran forces took Comayagua in January 1874. In February 1876 Barrios met Andrés Valle, who then sent troops to help Ponciano Leiva, bringing the two countries to war.

The summit monument marks the Guatemala–El Salvador border, and the vegetation near the crater is kept cut back to keep the dividing line visible. The volcano lies in the municipalities of Atescatempa and Jerez in Jutiapa, Guatemala, and Chalchuapa in Santa Ana, El Salvador. The name Chingo was long applied to the whole hill as Cerro Chingo.

Access requires hiking through trails, as no paved roads reach the summit of this border landmark. Visitors should prepare for walking in natural terrain and be ready for varying trail conditions.

Multiple young lava flows extend from flank fissures on the northern and western sides of the volcano, showing signs of recent geological activity. These fresh formations reveal that the volcano remains geologically active.