Papallacta Hot
Springs -
Ecuador Destinations
Papallacta
is famous for its hot springs and thermal pools and its beautiful
setting high in the hills. It's an easy
day trip from Quito, though you might want to stay longer if you intend
to go hiking in the area.
Papallacta
is at an altitude of over 3000m, so it can be very cold and is often
rainy or
misty. It makes an excellent base for hiking or trekking
(though the altitude may slow you up a bit),
with the bonus of a soak in the hot pools after a long day of walking
in the páramo (high grasslands). The weather can
be severe up on the páramo and mist can descend very
rapidly, so be sure to take suitable clothing, maps and a compass, or
better still, a local guide.
The
Papallacta
páramo is home to some fragments
of Polylepis forest - "paper trees", a fairly rare endemic species
growing far
higher up the mountains than almost any other kind of tree.
The Papallacta Pass, at over 4000m in altitude, is a good area to try
to spot the huge, endangered
Andean condor. Spectacled bears and tapirs also inhabit this
ecosystem, though you are unlikely to see either - they are both in
danger of extinction and cautious of humans.
Papallacta's
public baths, run by the parish council, are right in the middle of the
village. There are two large, hot pools and a tiny pool which
is
even hotter. Entrance costs $2. Further on from
the
village is the Termas Papallacta complex, which is privately run, more
luxurious and costs $7 to enter the basic pools or $18 for the spa
pools.
There's
a range
of accommodation on offer in the village and surrounding area, from
basic hostels at around $7 a night, hostels and hotels with private
bathrooms from around $15 or $20 (Hostal Corturpa right next
to
the public baths is bright and clean with friendly service), and
up to
luxury rooms at the Termas Papallacta for over $100. Even the
most
basic of hostels with shared bathrooms benefits from the
naturally-heated water, which is piped through the whole village to
businesses and private homes alike.
Other
than hot pools and places to stay, Papallacta has a few basic
restaurants and a few little corner shops, some of which sell
swimming costumes (though only in Ecuadorian sizes, i.e. not very
large).
There's a little travel agency which can help arrange tours
and
treks, and a project next to it is planting orchids for an educational
environmental exhibit.
Getting
to Papallacta on public transport: Buses from Quito
towards Baeza or Tena travel through Cumbayá, Tumbaco and
Pife along the Vía Interoceánica and over the
Papallacta Pass before gradually descending to pass the turn off to
Papallacta.
The journey will take a couple of hours from Quito. From
the junction, it is about a 3 minute walk to the village, with the
public baths and various hostels and restaurants. The only
reason you might need to take a taxi would be to go on to Termas
Papallacta, a privately-owned hot springs complex beyond the village.
Useful
Spanish & other Vocabulary for visiting Papallacta Hot Springs,
Ecuador:
Terno de baño: swimming costume
Piscina: pool
Terma: thermal pool or hot spring
Aguas termales: thermal waters
Páramo: high grassland
Oso Andino or "Oso de anteojos":
Andean bear or spectacled bear (the same species)
Danta: local name for
the tapir
