Cerro del León, Stratovolcano in El Loa Province, Antofagasta Region, Chile.

Cerro del León is a stratovolcano in El Loa Province, Antofagasta Region, built from andesitic lava flows in three stages. It has a diameter of 6 kilometres, and two nested craters of 260–270 metres across sit on its summit. Glacial erosion has left moraines down to 5,200 metres on its north-northwest flanks.

Cerro del León was built in three stages from andesitic–dacitic lava flows, the first eruptions in the west and east, later ones to the northwest and southeast, with dacites and andesites forming the bulk of the edifice. Glaciers left moraines down to 5,200 m, formed during the last glaciation 15,000–11,000 years ago, and glacial effects are noticeable on the north-northwest flanks.

The summit holds an Inca sacred site, showing how indigenous peoples considered this mountain spiritually important long before modern times. Visitors walking to the top can still see traces of this religious use, which shaped how people understood the landscape.

The best access point is from the city of Calama, which offers multiple trekking routes up the mountainside. Plan your visit during dry months when weather is more stable and conditions safer for climbing.

This mountain aligns linearly with Paniri and Toconce volcanoes, stretching across the Chilean Central Volcanic Zone. This arrangement reveals the geological forces that shaped the region and offers insight into how the Andes' volcanic structure is organized.