El Altar · Sangay National Park · Ecuador
The El Altar Trek
Ecuador's most spectacular hidden trek — a multi-day walk through cloud forest and páramo into the collapsed amphitheatre of El Altar, ending at a turquoise crater lake few travellers ever see.
Why El Altar is Ecuador's best-kept trek
El Altar — Capac Urcu, the 'mighty mountain' to the Puruhá people — is the collapsed remains of a once-enormous volcano. What's left is a horseshoe of jagged peaks curving around a hidden basin, with a glacier-fed turquoise lake, Laguna Amarilla, at its heart. It is, simply, one of the most beautiful places in the Andes — and one of the least visited.
You don't climb El Altar's peaks (they're serious technical objectives); you trek into its caldera. The route crosses the Collanes plain through Sangay National Park, a UNESCO wilderness of páramo, waterfalls and wild horses, to a viewpoint beneath the amphitheatre. It's a real multi-day trek — muddy, remote and unforgettable.
The honest word on mud and weather
El Altar sits in a wet corner of the Andes, and the Collanes trail is famous for mud — sometimes knee-deep. That's the price of how green and untouched it is. We go in the driest months (December–February), bring the right gear, and often use horses for the approach. Come expecting a wild, weather-dependent trek rather than a manicured trail, and you'll love it.
The climb, day by day
Your itinerary
The classic 3-day El Altar trek
Drive to Hacienda Releche near Penipe and trek (or ride horses) up the valley through cloud forest and páramo to the Collanes plain (~4,000 m). Camp or stay in the basic Collanes refuge.
A day hike up to Laguna Amarilla (~4,200 m), the turquoise crater lake cradled by El Altar's ring of peaks and hanging glaciers — with waterfalls and condors along the way. Return to Collanes for the night.
Retrace the route down to Releche through the páramo and forest, and drive back to Riobamba.
El Altar trek altitude
The trek runs between about 3,200 m and 4,200 m — high enough that a night or two at altitude beforehand (Quito or Riobamba) makes it far more enjoyable:
What's included
Included
- Local trekking guide for the full route
- Camping gear or Collanes refuge stay
- Horses for the approach (optional)
- Sangay National Park fees & private transport
- Meals on the trek
Not included
- International flights and city hotels
- Travel insurance (recommended)
- Personal hiking gear and rubber boots
- Guide gratuities
Gear & equipment
We arrange
- Local guide & route logistics
- Tents / refuge + camp kitchen
- Pack horses for the approach
- Park permits & transport
You bring
- Waterproof boots (rubber boots ideal)
- Full rain shell & warm layers
- Gaiters for the mud
- Daypack & 2 L water
- Headlamp & sun protection
Guides & safety
- Local Sangay-region trekking guides
- Small groups, remote-wilderness experienced
- Horse support for the approach & gear
- Weather-flexible itinerary (mud/rain dependent)
Before you climb
El Altar trek FAQ
How hard is the El Altar trek?
Moderate to challenging — not because of altitude extremes (it tops out around 4,200 m) but because of distance, remoteness and notoriously muddy trail conditions. Good fitness, waterproof boots and a willingness to get dirty are what you need. The reward is one of Ecuador's most stunning landscapes.
Can you climb El Altar?
El Altar's peaks (up to Capac Urcu at 5,319 m) are serious technical climbs for experienced mountaineers only. The vast majority of visitors do the multi-day TREK into the caldera to Laguna Amarilla, which needs no technical skills — just trekking fitness.
How many days is the El Altar trek?
We run it as a 3-day trek (in to Collanes, up to Laguna Amarilla, out). It can be shortened to a hard 2-day push or extended with more time exploring the caldera and surrounding lakes.
Where is El Altar?
El Altar lies in Sangay National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage wilderness in central Ecuador, accessed from Penipe near the city of Riobamba — a few hours south of Quito down the Avenue of the Volcanoes.
What is the best time to trek El Altar?
December to February is the driest and best window. El Altar is in a wet part of the Andes, so expect mud and changeable weather year-round — we plan around the clearest conditions for your dates.
Plan your ascent
Ready for Ecuador's hidden caldera?
Tell us your dates and fitness and we'll arrange the guide, the horses and the camp so you can trek into El Altar and stand beneath one of the Andes' great hidden amphitheatres.