Forza Horizon 5 guide: Best ways to climb the volcano (La Gran Caldera)

Forza Horizon 5‘s virtual rendition of Mexico has some absolutely gorgeous features. But, undeniably, the most prominent locale on the whole map is the La Gran Caldera volcano. It’s hard to miss, considering that you can see its large stature from basically every corner of the map. Of course, the real beauty comes from not looking at it from a distance, but seeing the extremities of the map itself from the volcano’s peak. This guide will provide you with some suggestions for making a hasty climb up the volcano in Forza Horizon 5.

In truth, there are two official ways to go up the volcano: there are two sets of switchbacks on its eastern and western sides. The western side is unpaved, whereas the eastern side is fully paved. If you want to practice your drifting skills, then yes, either of these routes would be great. But, this is Forza Horizon, so these methods are a little bit too conventional for our needs. So, here’s how to get up to the top of La Gran Caldera the right way.

We can do this the easy way… Or the Horizon way!

Most of the eastern parts of the volcanoes body is covered in forested areas and large boulders. This coverage extends to a solid chunk of its northern surface too, and a small bit of its southern surface. So, your best bet is to approach the volcano from its western or southwestern side. Those good areas are highlighted in green below:

In terms of specific routes that I’ve used, one good one I’ve found is to drive directly north from the main Horizon Festival site. From there, go a little bit west to avoid the trees, and then scale the volcano with minimal obstacles. But, the most direct “unofficial” route is probably heading east from Horizon Baja. There’s a big, smooth off-road trail that flows straight into the Horizon Baja Circuit from the top of the volcano. So, you can use that to climb back up as well.

The right tool for the job

Unless you’re using the aforementioned circuit slope, the terrain can get pretty rough, even if there aren’t many obstacles in your way. Of course, the angle of the incline on your way up will also be pretty steep too. Thus, scaling the volcano quickly requires a high-powered offroader (at least a B class).

The absolute best machines are the A-S2 classes, since their high horsepower helps them brute force their way up the steep incline. If your vehicle has a lot of weight and/or a weaker engine, it’ll be hard to go directly up. Getting down, though? You can do that however you’d like as long as you’re brave enough.

No matter which path you decide to take from this guide, Forza Horizon 5 delivers on the views from the volcano once you reach the top.

To get the best photos while you’re up there, make sure to have a look at our photography guide for some tips.

For more information about Forza Horizon 5, be sure to keep looking at our Guides & Features hub.