Sangay volcano

                                                Sangay volcano (5300msnm) is the most southerly volcano and far from the Ecuadorian Andean mountain range. It is the most active volcano in Ecuador and raising it involves danger due to the continuous release of rocks. The intrepid guides recommend using a metal helmet to climb it. The best time is during December-March, which is the dry season of the region.
Sangay comes from Samkay, an indigenous term that means scare. The natives, however, witnessed violent explosions of this volcano, which they named this way, these explosions produced at least two boilers thousands of years ago and then the current building was erected. This turbulent past was confirmed by some geological studies of this volcano. At the top there are three large craters that erupt intermittently, there are also several cracks in this crater where volcanic lava usually flows. The central crater has a diameter of 100m and a depth of 50m to the northeast another crater with a diameter of 50m and a third to the west of the main crater. It is located in the eastern region 45 km southeast of Riobamba.
Hike: From the town of Alao there are approximately 12 hours of walking to the area called Yanayacu, from where it takes about 5 hours more to reach the area known as La Playa, from this place starts the ascent to the volcano, always in early morning hours.

                                        

                                                        From Riobamba to Alao ($ 1.5, 1.5 hours)
In Alao you can hire a guide.

To access the tropical lowlands it is necessary to go to Macas and get a guide. Do not try to access without a certified guide since the roads are precarious and it is very likely that the natives within the Reserve are bothered by unexpected visits.