Hiking in Papallacta

Hiking

By Christopher Sacco

Papallacta, located approximately 60 kilometers east of Quito, is best known for its magnificent volcanic hot springs. Nevertheless, there is a rewarding three-hour hike through páramo and patches of cloud forest just behind the Termas de Papallacta Resort.

Getting to Papallacta from Quito

Take the Via Interoceánica to Cumbaya and then follow the highway towards Baeza through the towns of Tumbaco and Pifo. All but the last few kilometers of the road have been paved, so the trip is smooth, allowing you to enjoy the beauty of the dramatic landscape along the two-hour ascent. To reach Papallacta on public transportation, take any bus going to Baeza, Tena, or Lago Agrio, and get off just before you reach the village (you will see a sign on the left for Termas de Papallacta).

If you are traveling by private car, turn onto an unpaved path before the town of Papallacta off of the highway from Quito – Baeza. There is a large sign and small bus stop. The road from the highway to the entrance to the hot springs is about 2 km. If you are taking public transportation, you will have to walk or hitchhike this stretch.

Getting to the Hiking Trail

You will find the public hot springs and an ample and safe parking area at the end of the road. On the hill just to the right of the entrance to the springs is a visitor information and environmental education center where you will have to pay a small entrance fee to access the trail.

Hiking in Papallacta

From the information/environmental education center, follow a well marked trail for about 10 minutes until you reach a wooden bridge that takes you onto a small island. Continue up the trail for a few minutes to a fork. Go right for about 15 minutes until the forks meet again at another bridge. Walk another 100 meters up to a dirt road and concrete bridge. Here you will see another gate. Go in and follow the trail until you reach a patch of cloud forest.

About 20 minutes from the gate, you will come to an intersection of trails. Take the trail that goes east and then north into the cloud forest. Continue north for about half an hour until you reach yet another intersection. Here you can either go left on the main trail or continue straight north on a secondary trail for about 40 minutes until you reach a waterfall tumbling down the east slope of the valley.

If you choose to go north in search of the waterfall, you will have to feel out the route as you go, which can be difficult because it’s not well trodden. The roundtrip takes about three hours.