El Altar Trekking Baños: Yellow Lagoon & Collanes Valley

Two Days on Ecuador's Most Beautiful Snow Peak

You trek twelve kilometers through Collanes Valley on day one, sleep at the El Altar mountain refuge, and climb to Laguna Amarilla on day two to see glaciers hanging above the crater. Transport from Baños, certified guide, four meals, and lodging are included in the fixed price. Plan for early mornings and moderate physical effort. That's what gets you to the yellow lagoon and back before evening.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel and trek to El Altar refuge

• Depart from Baños at 07:00 am
• Arrive at Hacienda Rey Leche at 09:30 am
• Start walk at 10:00 am
• Have box lunch at 01:00 pm
• Arrive at El Altar refuge at 05:00 pm
• Dinner at 07:30 pm

Day 2: Visit yellow lagoon and return

• Refreshment at 05:00 am
• Start walk at 05:30 am
• Visit yellow lagoon at 08:00 am
• Return to El Altar refuge at 09:30 am
• Have box lunch at 12:00 pm
• Return to Hacienda Rey Leche at 01:00 pm
• Arrive and return to Baños at 05:00 pm

The experience

There's something that pulls at you when you realize you're about to walk into a volcano. Not down into it: into the glaciers and lagoons that sit inside the crater walls of El Altar, which the Kichwa people call Kapak Urku, the lord of the mountains. You leave Baños at seven in the morning, and after two and a half hours by car you're at Hacienda Rey Leche, where the actual walking starts. The first day is twelve kilometers through Collanes Valley, one of the most biodiverse places in the country, and you're moving toward the refuge where you'll sleep that night. It's not a casual stroll (you need moderate fitness, waterproof boots, and layers because the weather changes fast up there), but it's also not a technical climb. Your guide is certified, and they know the route and the mountain.

The second morning starts early, five o'clock, because you want to be at Laguna Amarilla, the yellow lagoon, when the light hits it right. That's when you see what the glaciers actually look like, hanging from the crater walls above the water. The walk back down takes you through the same valley, but you're seeing it in reverse, and somehow it feels different. You get a box lunch at the refuge before heading down, and then the drive back to Baños, arriving around five in the evening. The whole thing (the two nights in the mountain refuge, the meals, the guide, the transport from the city) is one price, one hundred seventy dollars per person. You don't have to figure out logistics or negotiate with drivers at the trailhead.

What stays with you isn't just the lagoons or the glaciers, though those are real. It's the rhythm of it: the early starts, the sound of the valley, the fact that you're sleeping inside a volcano and waking up to walk deeper into it. Bring waterproof clothing, a good backpack, a hat and gloves. The mountain is cold, and it rains. That's not a complaint. That's the thing that makes it feel true.

What’s included

Your two days include air-conditioned transport from Baños to Hacienda Rey Leche and back, a certified mountain guide for both days, lodging at the El Altar refuge in Collanes Valley, four box meals (lunch on day one, dinner, refreshment and lunch on day two), entrance to the Rey Leche farm, and photographs taken during the activity. Drinks and snacks beyond the included meals are your own cost.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00 and 09:00

AgesAdult (8 and older) · Under 8: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and German

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Special holiday offer. Best of Ecuador | Tour Operator - Explorjungle

Is this one for you?Right for hikers with moderate fitness who want to see glacial lagoons inside a volcano without arranging their own logistics. Expect early mornings, cold weather, and a full two days out. That's what puts you at the yellow lagoon and inside one of Ecuador's most beautiful mountains.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and German.

How fit do I need to be for El Altar?

Moderate fitness is required. The trek is twelve kilometers over two days with elevation gain, but it's not technical climbing. Waterproof boots and layers matter more than speed.

What's included in the price?

Transport from Baños, certified guide, mountain refuge lodging, four box meals, entrance to Hacienda Rey Leche, and photographs. Drinks and snacks beyond meals are extra.

When do we see the yellow lagoon?

On the second morning, around eight o'clock, after starting the walk at five-thirty. You return to the refuge by nine-thirty and head back down to Baños.

What should I pack?

Waterproof and warm clothing, waterproof boots, hat, gloves, a field backpack, water, sunscreen, a flashlight, and a first aid kit. The weather changes fast at altitude.

Is there a time limit on the trek?

No strict time limit, but the itinerary is fixed: you leave Baños at seven in the morning on day one and return by five in the evening on day two.

Can children do this trek?

Infants can go if they sit on an adult's lap during the car ride, but the twelve-kilometer trek requires moderate fitness. Check with the operator about younger children.

What if I have a heart condition?

This trek is not recommended for people with heart conditions due to altitude and physical exertion. Consult your doctor before booking.