Lagunas de mojanda, Volcanic crater lakes in Imbabura, Ecuador

Lagunas de Mojanda comprises three mountain lakes nestled at about 3,720 meters (12,200 feet) elevation, surrounded by highland grasslands and native forests. Caricocha is the largest, while Yanacocha displays noticeably darker water and Huarmicocha supports distinct aquatic plant species.

Mojanda is an inactive stratovolcano in the Eastern Cordillera of the Andes. A caldera summit formed by a Plinian eruption about 200,000 years ago, which ended Mojanda's volcanic activity, now holds three crater lakes: Karikucha, Yanakucha and Warmikucha. The complex also includes Fuya Fuya, a second volcano whose partial collapse about 165,000 years ago created a large caldera to the west. In 2002 the area received protected park status.

The lakes' names are Kichwa: Karikucha means lake of the men, Yanakucha black lake, and Warmikucha lake of the women. The páramo grasslands around them, above the cloud forest, are regularly grazed by cattle, a use visitors can see on the slopes.

The crater lakes sit in the caldera of the inactive Mojanda stratovolcano, in the Eastern Cordillera of the Andes in northern Ecuador. The surrounding páramo grassland above the cloud forest is regularly grazed by cattle, so walkers share the trails with livestock. The altitude calls for acclimatization before hiking between the lakes.

Mojanda is a complex of two volcanoes that were active at the same time, with vents only 3 km apart. The other volcano, Fuya Fuya, partly collapsed about 165,000 years ago, opening a large caldera to the west in which a new cone and lava domes later rose.