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A two-day guided trek from Riobamba into the high Andean páramo to camp beneath Nevado El Altar and visit the striking Laguna Amarilla. Expect steep climbs, high-altitude weather, and vivid valley views.
A two-day guided trek from Riobamba into the high Andean páramo to camp beneath Nevado El Altar and visit the striking Laguna Amarilla. Expect steep climbs, high-altitude weather, and vivid valley views.
Dawn arrives hard and cold over the Collanes Valley; breath fogs before your face and the jagged silhouette of Nevado El Altar—Kapak Urku—cuts against a thin sky. On this two-day trek you move from cultivated highlands into open páramo where wind and weather shape every ridge. The trail climbs, then levels into a bowl of grasses and volcanic scree, ending at the startling yellow surface of Laguna Amarilla.
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Operated by Perfect Destiny · Penipe, Chimborazo
Dawn arrives hard and cold over the Collanes Valley; breath fogs before your face and the jagged silhouette of Nevado El Altar—Kapak Urku—cuts against a thin sky. On this two-day trek you move from cultivated highlands into open páramo where wind and weather shape every ridge. The trail climbs, then levels into a bowl of grasses and volcanic scree, ending at the startling yellow surface of Laguna Amarilla.
Geology here is direct: El Altar is a collapsed stratovolcano whose glaciers once carved cirques and left behind moraines that channel streams into glacial lagoons. The trek threads paramo vegetation—frailejón, grasses and hardy shrubs—habitat for species adapted to thin air. Culturally the slopes belong to communities around Penipe and Riobamba; Kichwa-speaking groups historically reverenced high peaks as powerful places and the routes still cross grazing grounds and centuries-old corrals.
Expect camping on volcanic soils, simple country meals, and steep, sometimes rocky ascents at 3,800–4,200 m elevation. Weather is changeable—sun, wind, rain and sudden cold—so earliness and pacing matter more than speed. Practical guidance: break your packs into manageable loads, use waterproof layers and a warm sleeping system, and plan for 6–8 hours of hiking split across two days. Guides arrange permits and logistics inside Sangay National Park; leave no trace, watch for altitude effects, and bring extra water and calories. The reward is clear air, big valley views and a lagoon whose color seems to dare you to look away.
challenging.
2 days.
Good cardiovascular fitness and prior multi-day trekking experience recommended; able to hike 6–8 hours with a loaded pack at altitude.
No technical mountaineering skills are required, but you should have experience on multi-day high-altitude hikes and be comfortable camping in basic conditions.
Trail sections and camps sit roughly between 3,600–4,200 meters; altitude effects are possible—acclimatize beforehand and inform guides of any health issues.
Yes; local guides provide 3-season tents, insulated mats, sleeping bags and simple country meals as listed in the tour inclusions.
Expect two main hiking segments of roughly 4–6 hours each day with steep pitches and uneven ground, so pacing is important.
Kapak Urku (El Altar) is a breached volcanic complex with glacial history and long-standing cultural significance to Kichwa communities around Penipe and Riobamba.
The route falls within Sangay National Park’s buffer; stick to established campsites, pack out all waste and avoid wood fires to protect fragile páramo soils.
Perfect Destiny operates guided outdoor trips and adventures with an emphasis on safety, stewardship, and memorable experiences.
Dawn arrives hard and cold over the Collanes Valley; breath fogs before your face and the jagged silhouette of Nevado El Altar—Kapak Urku—cuts against a thin sky. On this two-day trek you move from cultivated highlands into open páramo where wind and weather shape every ridge. The trail climbs, then levels into a bowl of grasses and volcanic scree, ending at the startling yellow surface of Laguna Amarilla.
Dawn arrives hard and cold over the Collanes Valley; breath fogs before your face and the jagged silhouette of Nevado El Altar—Kapak Urku—cuts against a thin sky. On this two-day trek you move from cultivated highlands into open páramo where wind and weather shape every ridge. The trail climbs, then levels into a bowl of grasses and volcanic scree, ending at the startling yellow surface of Laguna Amarilla.
Geology here is direct: El Altar is a collapsed stratovolcano whose glaciers once carved cirques and left behind moraines that channel streams into glacial lagoons. The trek threads paramo vegetation—frailejón, grasses and hardy shrubs—habitat for species adapted to thin air. Culturally the slopes belong to communities around Penipe and Riobamba; Kichwa-speaking groups historically reverenced high peaks as powerful places and the routes still cross grazing grounds and centuries-old corrals.
Expect camping on volcanic soils, simple country meals, and steep, sometimes rocky ascents at 3,800–4,200 m elevation. Weather is changeable—sun, wind, rain and sudden cold—so earliness and pacing matter more than speed. Practical guidance: break your packs into manageable loads, use waterproof layers and a warm sleeping system, and plan for 6–8 hours of hiking split across two days. Guides arrange permits and logistics inside Sangay National Park; leave no trace, watch for altitude effects, and bring extra water and calories. The reward is clear air, big valley views and a lagoon whose color seems to dare you to look away.