El Altar

At 5,319m, this jagged remnant of an exploded volcano is Ecuador's fifth highest peak. It is absurdly dramatic, a horseshoe of 9 snowy wildly broken peaks some 3 km across, replete with spires and crags and sporting a severe lake in the crater in the middle. It is said that, pre-explosion, El Altar would have been the highest peak in Ecuador. From the lake you can hear the creaking of the high glaciers.

It is very wet here, June and July are the rainiest. The short 'good' season runs from late November to early February.

The 25km, 3 day hike to the lake at some 4,200m and back is one of Ecuador's walking glories. You are advised to have 1 guide per 3 people.

The trail starts from the small village of Candellaria, which is accessible by bus from Riobamba. After a short walk you come to Hacienda Releche. It is possible to spend the night here or in the hacienda's refuge, closer to the mountain.

The hike starts off muddy, as it is heavily used by horses. The first day's hike is a long slog up the side of the valley containing Candellaria, then up a side valley from which, you will be able to glimpse El Altar, to the refuge on the Collanes plain. Between 5 and 7 hours by foot or 3 hours on horseback. The refuge can be cold. Mattresses are provided, as are pillows, but these are often cold and damp. There is a kitchen available for a fee, which has a gas stove, cooking utensils, and hot water.

The next day is a 4/5-hour round trip to Lago Amarillo, the crater lake. The climb, starts off as a gentle walk up the valley, but becomes a very steep climb. The valley can be very wet. It will take at least 2 hours to reach the crater rim. The views of the crater and its lake are truly outstanding. It is surrounded by glaciers and cliffs, and the water is dull yellow from sulphur and other minerals. The return trip is quicker, and if you hurry can get back to the plain refuge from the rim in 1.5 hours. If you only want to spend 1 night, you will need to use horses. Although some sites say that you will pass a ranger's station on the way to El Altar and will have to pay the $10 park entrance fee, this is outdated, no fee was collected as of July 2010.

This is tough walking in remote mountains with uncertain weather, where altitude can cause real problems. Come fully prepared, including proper acclimatization.

Have a look at TripAdvisor - there are tens of millions of reviews, so you may get good, current views on guides, places to hike and places to stay.

Ecuador Climbing and Hiking Guide - Viva has a worthwhile section on this area. Find relevant books by using our Amazon search function:

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For more information and photos, including detailed practical information and some warnings, see our Sangay NP walk page.