Aguas Hediondas

If you have a few hours to kill or happen to be suffering from rheumatisms or poor circulation, you may want to go for a quick visit to Aguas Hediondas, outside the village of Tufiño, a pretty half-hour drive from Tulcán. This small hot springs complex of “stinking waters”, so called because of the strong rotting-egg smell of the sulfur-rich waters, is made of three milky-white pools which supposedly cure the above ailments. In fact, the complex itself is a little run-down, with broken tiles and grim changing rooms, but wallowing outside in 35-degrees water while looking up at the surrounding mountains is not an unpleasant experience altogether. There also is a 45-minute path (“sendero frailejón”) which takes you through the páramo vegetation, including the curious frailejón tree, not unlike a leafy pineapple on a stick.

Location:
6km past Tufiño

Tulcán, Ecuador

Spa/Hot Springs Types:
Hot springs

Getting There
Take a Cooperativa TransNorte bus from the corner of Roberto Sierra and Rafael Arellano ($0.40, 35 minutes, every hour) to the village of Tufiño. There, unless you have your own 4x4 or want to hike 6km along the dirt road, hire a camioneta for $6-10.

Travel Tips: It is possible to camp on the grounds

Price Description: Entrance $1

Relative price: Budget

Days Closed:open daily

Travel Skills: None

Currencies accepted
US dollar

By Andrea Davoust

Created: 19 Mar 2009

Updated: 23 Mar 2009

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