Next time you find yourself on a trip to Ecuador with extra time to explore the area around Quito, put this one on your list: Hiking in the Reserva Ecológica Cayambe – Coca and relaxing in the Papallacta Hot Springs afterwards.
Ecuador is one of just a few Central and South American countries with páramo, a unique type of highlands nestled above the continuous forest line, yet below the permanent snow line. Due to geographical elements, the páramo in Ecuador is constantly humid, and there is continuous moisture in the form of rain, clouds, or fog.
Reserva Ecológica Cayambe Hike
The Reserva Ecológica Cayambe – Coca is found in the páramo just outside of Quito, and you can get there by car in just over an hour. Even if you don’t want to hike, this area is worth visiting to experience the páramo and take in the views for miles (on a clear day).
With a local guide, you can complete a 7.5 km (4.6 mi) one-way hike with arranged transportation on the other side to the hot springs, and this is what I recommend as a recipe for adventure and bliss.
Our hike was arranged by SurTrek, who organized transportation and led us through the hike, teaching us about the páramo and the birds and animals we saw along the way. Don’t take this 7 km hike lightly, even if you are in shape and can handle yourself at high elevations.
Because of the páramo, the ground is very wet and it rains often, which means there is almost guaranteed to be mud on the trail. You need rubber boots (ours were provided by SurTrek), and be sure to eat a meal ahead of time and bring snacks and water.
The entire hike takes between 4-5 hours. The elevation gain and loss isn’t drastic, but it all takes place at about 13,000 feet, so be sure you allow yourself time to breathe. When we went, it was significantly chilly at the start of the trail, which is at the top of a mountain, with gusts of cold wind. I recommend gloves and a hat, a rain jacket and long pants (and a camera!).
Along the way, you may be lucky enough to see deer, and you are sure to see several species of birds. The Andean Spectacled Bear (look them up, they are adorable) is especially rare, but they might make an appearance for you in this area as well. Ponds, marshes, and lakes dot the landscape in every direction (be sure to stay on the trail!), and the views change constantly.
If you’re lucky, you may be able to see the top of Antisana Volcano towards the end of the hike, a majestic, snow-capped peak in the distance.
All you really need to get through this hike is a good attitude, and with an enthusiastic guide and the beauty of Ecuador’s páramo, this isn’t too much to ask. The elevation and views alike will take your breath away, and hopefully you’ll arrive to the end completely fulfilled, and perhaps a bit exhausted.
Papallacta Hot Springs
After a demanding, half-day hike, letting your limbs and muscles relax in the pools of Papallacta Hot Springs is just what the body needs. Spend the rest of the afternoon/evening here or even stay the night (I promise you won’t want to leave). The Hotel Spa Termas de Papallacta has pools for the public as well as private pools for its guests, and you can have breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks at the restaurant and bar there.
The accommodations are cozy, cabin-style rooms with ensuite bathrooms, and most of them open right up to the private pools. They come with blankets and heaters for cool nights, complimentary drinking water, and robes you can wear to the pools.
The best part is that the private pools don’t close, so you can literally stay up all night in the hot springs, amidst the volcanoes, under the stars if you want to.
At the end of your perfect day trip (or overnight), you are still only an hour and a half from Quito, and about an hour from the airport. What better way to start or end your tour of Ecuador!
