El Altar is an extinct volcano located on the western side of Sangay National Park in Ecuador, 170 km south of Quito. It is the most technically demanding climb in the country and features nine peaks over the 5,000 metre point, including Obispo, its highest summit at 5,319 metres. The mountain was named by the Spanish as it resembled two nuns and four friars listening to a bishop around a church altar. For the more daring, a hike to the Laguna Amarilla lake within its caldera offers magnificent views. Alternatively, visitors can take a leisurely trip to the Italian basecamp and take on the less strenuous paths nearby. It's considered the hardest climb in Ecuador due to its technical difficulty.