EL ALTAR VOLCANO

Expeditions to the extinct volcano El Altar (5,319 m) are offered in the region. It is located 45 km from Riobamba. Formed by many peaks, it is considered as one of the most beautiful of the country by the Quechua populations who had already nicknamed it "Sublime Mountain" before the arrival of the Spaniards. The settlers named it El Altar ("The Altar") because of the shape of its peaks, which reminds us of the altar of a church. Each of its peaks has a name that refers to the Catholic Church: the highest is the Obispo ("Bishop"), there are also the Tabernáculo ("Tabernacle"), los Frailes ("Monks"), the Monja Grande ("Great Nun"), the Monja Chica ("Young Nun"), etc. Wrapped in snow and ice, it shelters at the bottom of one of its craters a lagoon, laguna Amarilla. It is one of the lagoons of the lacustrine system of the Snowy Altar, it is located inside the crater of the snowy mountain at 4,150 meters above sea level, it is formed by the melting of the snowy mountain and takes on a yellow color due to the minerals that color it, hence its name "Laguna Amarilla". The formation is about 220 m to 250 m wide and 600 m long. The Rio Blanco has its source in this lagoon which reveals a unique landscape that we never tire of admiring. It is difficult to get there by your own means, as there is no public transport and no tourist infrastructure. It is therefore preferable to contact a guide.