Papallacta

Papallacta sits on the pass where the road from Quito crosses the Andes and begins its drop towards the Amazon, and at three thousand three hundred metres it is cold, often wrapped in cloud, and full of hot water. Volcanic springs feed a series of pools, from the polished spa complex at the top of the village with terraced pools at different temperatures looking up at the páramo, to simpler and cheaper public baths further down. Sitting in forty-degree water in near-freezing mountain air with steam pouring off the surface is the whole point, and on a clear evening the Antisana volcano appears above the valley. The surrounding Cayambe-Coca reserve has walking trails through páramo and polylepis, and the road onwards drops spectacularly into cloud forest, so it works as a stop on the way east as well as a destination.

What you actually see

• The thermal pools - terraced hot pools at varying temperatures in cold mountain air.
• Antisana - the volcano visible above the valley on a clear evening.
• Cayambe-Coca trails - páramo and paper-bark walks from the reserve entrance.
• The road east - the dramatic descent from the pass towards the Amazon.

When to go

Year-round, as the water is the attraction rather than the weather, and cold or misty days arguably make it better. Weekdays are far quieter than weekends, when Quito empties into the pools. Evening bathing under steam is the most atmospheric.

Honest expectations

The altitude catches people who come straight up from Quito and then sit in hot water, which can make dizziness worse; take it gently and drink water. Weekends and holidays are crowded, particularly at the cheaper public pools. The village itself is a strip of hotels and eateries with little charm. Clouds hide the volcano more often than not.

Nearby

Quito is ninety minutes west; the road east descends towards Baeza and the Amazon.