🌋VolcanoAtlas

Sabancaya

Peru's Relentlessly Active Andean Stratovolcano

Elevation

5,960 m

Last Eruption

2025 (ongoing since 2016)

Type

Stratovolcano(es)

Country

Peru

Location

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Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

  • Pyroclastic flows
  • Lava flows
  • Volcanic bombs and ballistics
  • Lahars and mudflows

Risk Level

Population at RiskLow
Infrastructure RiskHigh
Aviation RiskSignificant

Geological Composition & Structure

Rock Types

Primary
Unknown
Silica Content
Varied composition

Tectonic Setting

Unknown
Intraplate setting with hotspot or regional volcanic activity.

Age & Formation

Epoch
Unknown
Evidence
Unknown

Eruption Statistics & Analysis

MetricValueGlobal RankingSignificance
Total Recorded EruptionsUnknownLowModerately active volcano
Maximum VEIVEI UnknownMinorLocal impact potential
Recent Activity-20249990 years agoVery RecentCurrently active

Monitoring & Alert Status

Monitoring Networks

Global Volcanism Program
International eruption database

Current Status

Active
Recent volcanic activity detected. Continuous monitoring in place.

Authority Sources

Smithsonian GVP
Official volcano database

Related Volcanoes

All Peru Volcanoes
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Interesting Facts

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Sabancaya's name means 'tongue of fire' in Quechua, one of the oldest indigenous volcano names still in active use — it first appeared in written records around 1595 CE.

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The volcano has been erupting continuously since November 6, 2016, with daily vulcanian explosions producing ash plumes up to 4,000 m above the summit for over eight years.

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Sabancaya's ashfall during the 1990s accelerated glacier melting on adjacent Ampato, directly leading to the 1995 discovery of 'Juanita,' one of the best-preserved Inca mummies ever found.

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At 5,960 m (19,554 ft), Sabancaya is one of the highest currently erupting volcanoes in the world.

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The Michoacán-Guanajuato volcanic field in Mexico and Sabancaya share the distinction of having eruptions that each lasted approximately eight or more continuous years.

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Sabancaya sits in a saddle between two older, higher volcanoes — Ampato (6,288 m) and Hualca Hualca (6,025 m) — yet it is the only one of the three that has erupted in historical time.

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During peak activity, INGEMMET's monitoring station records 20–40 individual explosive events per day at Sabancaya's summit crater.

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The Colca Valley below Sabancaya is one of the deepest canyons in the world at over 3,400 m, and its pre-Inca agricultural terraces are still farmed by local Quechua communities.

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Sabancaya's persistent SO₂ emissions have been tracked by satellite instruments for years, contributing valuable data to global volcanic gas monitoring programs.

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Ashfall from Sabancaya has disrupted flights into Arequipa's Rodríguez Ballón International Airport on multiple occasions since 2016.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sabancaya currently erupting?
Yes, Sabancaya has been in a state of continuous eruption since November 6, 2016. The volcano produces daily vulcanian explosions, generating ash plumes that typically rise 1,500–4,000 m above the summit crater. INGEMMET and the Instituto Geofísico del Perú monitor the volcano around the clock using seismometers, infrasound sensors, and satellite remote sensing. The volcanic alert level has been maintained at orange (the second-highest level) for most of this eruption, with periodic elevations to red during intense explosive pulses. As of 2025, there are no indications that the eruption is waning.
How tall is Sabancaya?
Sabancaya stands 5,960 m (19,554 ft) above sea level, making it one of the highest actively erupting volcanoes on Earth. Despite its impressive elevation, it is actually the shortest of three volcanic peaks in its immediate group — neighboring Ampato reaches 6,288 m and Hualca Hualca stands at 6,025 m. Sabancaya occupies the saddle between these two older, glaciated edifices. Its summit elevation places it in the extreme high-altitude zone of the Peruvian Andes, well above the limit of permanent human habitation.
What is the connection between Sabancaya and the Juanita mummy?
Sabancaya's eruption in the 1990s deposited dark volcanic ash on the glaciers of neighboring Nevado Ampato. The darkened ice surface absorbed more solar radiation, accelerating melting and exposing the frozen remains of an Inca girl who had been sacrificed approximately 500 years earlier in a capacocha ritual. Anthropologist Johan Reinhard discovered the mummy — dubbed 'Juanita' or the 'Ice Maiden' — near Ampato's summit in September 1995. The remarkably preserved remains, clothing, and offerings are now exhibited at the Museo Santuarios Andinos in Arequipa, making Sabancaya an indirect catalyst for one of the most significant archaeological finds in Andean history.
Is it safe to visit the Colca Valley during Sabancaya's eruption?
The Colca Valley remains open to tourism during Sabancaya's eruption, though visitors should take precautions. The main tourist sites — including the Cruz del Condor viewpoint, Chivay, and the canyon trails — are generally outside the highest-risk zones. However, ashfall can occur in the valley depending on wind direction, potentially causing respiratory irritation and reducing visibility. Travelers should check current alert levels from INGEMMET before visiting, carry face masks or bandanas, and be prepared for possible flight disruptions to Arequipa. The dry season (May–October) typically offers the best conditions.
What type of volcano is Sabancaya?
Sabancaya is classified as a stratovolcano (also called a composite volcano), built from alternating layers of lava flows and pyroclastic deposits. It produces predominantly andesitic to dacitic magma, typical of subduction zone volcanoes along the Andean arc. Its current activity is characterized by vulcanian explosions — short, violent blasts that fragment a solidified or partially solidified lava plug in the summit crater, ejecting ash, gas, and ballistic blocks. This eruption style is common among intermediate-composition stratovolcanoes worldwide.
Why does Sabancaya erupt so frequently?
Sabancaya's persistent activity reflects its position above the Central Andean subduction zone, where the Nazca Plate descends beneath the South American Plate at approximately 6–7 cm per year. This continuous subduction generates a steady supply of magma. The volcano's relatively open conduit system allows gas-rich magma to reach the surface frequently rather than building up to catastrophic pressure. The current eruption represents a sustained degassing cycle, where magma rises, partially solidifies, is fragmented by gas pressure (vulcanian explosions), and the process repeats. This cycle can persist for years or even decades.
What are the main hazards from Sabancaya?
Sabancaya poses several volcanic hazards. Ashfall is the most widespread, regularly impacting agricultural communities in the Colca Valley and occasionally disrupting aviation. Pyroclastic flows — fast-moving currents of hot gas and rock — could reach the valley if explosive intensity escalates significantly. Lahars (volcanic mudflows) are a serious concern because Sabancaya's volcanic heat accelerates glacier melt on adjacent Ampato and Hualca Hualca, producing water that can mobilize loose volcanic material into destructive flows. Ballistic projectiles from explosions pose immediate danger within several kilometers of the crater.