Itinerary (Full Day)
This day trip from Quito can be made from Monday through Friday. Papallacta is located 67 kilometers (40 miles) east of the city of Quito, and the trip there takes about 1.5 hours. The itinerary can be decided by the individual traveler.
Details
Meet / Depart
Hotel of your choice in Quito, Ecuador.
Includes
Transportation
English Speaking Guide
Entrance to Hot Springs.
Not Included
Lunch and Spa
Anything not specified.
Activity Level
Easy
Highlights
Bird Watching Like all of Ecuador, Papallacta has a rich biodiversity. At the Papallacta Pass (4.200m), you will be able to observe Montana and Paramo species: with some luck you will observe the Andean Condor.
Hiking/Horseback Riding Lakes, small hills, rivers and a sponge paramo provide a beautiful scenery when hiking or horse back riding. There are several different trails of different lengths that can be enjoyed, most of them at an altitude of between 3300m and 3500m.
Termas de Papallacta Papallacta is located in an area between two Andean-Equatorial volcanoes (Cayambe and Antisana), and therefore its hydrothermal waters are very rich. Legend says that its healthy thermal waters emerging from deep geological layers where appreciated already by the Inca Royalty, more than 500 years ago!
Recommendations
Do not stay in the thermal baths more than fifteen minutes at a time.
The Cinnamon Trail
Papallacta is the entry to the Ecuadorian Amazon and is part of the Cinnamon Trail: the same route that Francisco de Orellana took in 1542 when he crossed the Andean mountain range in search of gold and other treasures. This lead to that he unexpectedly discovered the great Amazon River!
