3-day Altar trek guided tour

Join a local certified guide on this 3-day trek around the Altar Volcano and the Collanes valley near Riobamba, in Ecuador

Andes

3 Days

All year

Description

The Altar is an Ecuadorian volcano with several rock and ice peaks. They form a mountain circle around an old caldera cone. Its right and left edges are part of the Collanes valley which is one of the most beautiful places of the Andes.

During this 3-day Altar trek, you will enter into that valley, crossing rivers and admiring a really beautiful landscape on the way. Then, we’ll continue hiking up and find the famous Yellow Lagoon, which lies inside the crater of the volcano. And if we keep walking along the shore of the lake you will see the most stunning snow-capped peaks of the Ecuadorian Andes, with glaciers hanging from the bowels of the mountains.

By the end of this trek we will return to the base camp where we will spend the night surrounded by this amazing and unforgettable scenery.

Please keep in mind it is a 3-day adventure. However, I can extend the program and offer you a tour of 5,6 o 7 days. Just ask me to organize your adventure according to your wishes.

I will be here waiting for your message so we can discuss and plan your next adventure through the Altar Trek. It will be a really nice experience!!!

Price includes

Accommodation included
Guiding fee
Transport during the trip
Permit and entrance fees
Porters

Itinerary

Day 1: Quito - Hacienda Releche

Departure from Quito through the Pan Americana highway crossing the cities of Macachi and Latacunga cities. Following the route we will pass through the city of Ambato, where there is the famous colossus and active Tungurahua Volcano. The journey continues towards the high valley of Urbina where you can see the mountains of Carihuairazo or the Chimborazo. Finally we will be near the city of Riobamba from where we’ll move towards the Hacienda Releche, located in one of the entrances of the Sangay National Park in the province of Chimborazo. From this place we’ll start the walk for 6 hours. The mules or horses will carry the heavy luggage so we can reach the huts located on one side of Collanes Valley.

Day 2: El Altar Volcano

After breakfast we will start the hike to the caldera Altar. You will have the opportunity to explore, discover and enjoy the breathtaking view of its steep peaks, edges and valleys. Nature is in all its splendor, specially once we are in the Yellow Lagoon, whose feet are born in the massif of the Altar. If the weather helps we may see the Chimborazo and walk an hour to reach the slopes of Fraile. The round trip will take 5-6 hours. In the afternoon, we will return to the same cabins of the first night.

Day 3: Collanes Valley - Quito

Before returning, we will have a last tour in the Collanes Valley to enjoy this beautiful place. Then, we will start walking down along the same route in direction to the Hacienda Releche. After 4-5 hours we will have lunch and drive back to Quito.

About the guide

E-S Latam Adventure Guides

5.0

(9)

Mountain Guide

Tomás and his team of IFMGA/UIMLA-certified mountain guides, leaders and rock climbing instructors (Alvaro, Juliana, Merlin, Rodrigo, Armin, Alfredo, and Camila) are some of the top outdoor adventure professionals in Latin America.

Whether you wish to climb some of the most stunning mountains in the Andes or discover the vibrant peaks of Central America, among other amazing options, you will find yourself in good hands with this lively team of professional local guides that will not only show you the top spots in Latin America for outdoor adventures but also, bring you closer to the colorful local cultures of the places that you visit with them.

Tomás will be your main point of contact during the booking process and will help you with all the questions you have in order to make sure you receive the best possible guiding service.

Pick one of the E-S Latam Adventure Guides' programs and start planning an unforgettable experience in the beautiful mountains of Latin America!

Languages

French | English

Certificates

AAGM | IFMGA

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What people are saying about E-S Latam Adventure Guides

Christopher

We wish we could have Simon as our guide on every trek we do. His mountaineering experience and extensive knowledge of the area was impressive and definitely enhanced the trek for us. On top of this, we got along great with Simon and appreciate his easy going personality and sense of humor. We will definitely request Simon as our guide for the next hike we do from El Chalten!

Jim

Thoroughly recommended. Daniel is an excellent guide and we had a great day out.

Chase

This was a fantastic mountaineering trip to Ecuador. The altitude was a bit of a challenge, but Ramiro did a great job with the acclimatization schedule leading up to the taller mountains. Overall, this was a challenging experience given the altitude of the climbs as well as the back-to-back climbing of four mountains. I would highly recommend this excursion for anyone who wants to experience a fantastic country/culture as well as someone who wants to gain some nice experience mountaineering!

Kally

Fredy Tipan is like a superhero of the outdoor world. He knows absolutely everyone, has climbed and guided in the most epic of locations all around the world, knows the mountains like old friends, and really loves what he does and who he does it for. Our trip was completely messed up after an issue with our airline tickets. We weren't going to be able to leave until a week after our planned departure which jeopardized our entire trek with Fredy. We didn't expect him to take any sort of responsibility in replanning as it was our mistake that caused the airline issue but he absolutely did. Within days he rearranged the entire trek so that we would be able to summit all our desired peaks without cutting the days down and without changing the cost. He is a class act and an incredible guide and I'd say my husband and I both consider him a friend as well. We will definitely be booking another trip with Fredy Tipan and recommend him to anyone looking for the real deal in outdoor Guides. Thank you, Fredy!

Amazing short but exciting climb to a summit with outstanding views. Perfect acclimatization peak for the bigger Ecuadorian volcanoes, with a cozy hut and a nice approach walk. Fredy was fantastic, thank you so much for this unforgettable experience!