Alausi is a small highland town in central Ecuador, about two hours by bus south of Riobamba, perched at the top of a steep descent into the lowlands. A statue of St Peter watches over the town from a hilltop, and the climate is often cold and cloudy, especially in the rainy season.
The reason most travellers come here is the Nariz del Diablo — the Devil's Nose — a famous section of Ecuador's railway line where the track zigzags back and forth down an impossibly steep mountainside. The train ride from Alausi descends and returns in about two hours, passing dramatic gorge scenery on the way. It is routinely listed as one of Ecuador's top tourist experiences.
Beyond the train, Alausi itself is a pleasant enough place for a wander — colonial streets, a Sunday market that draws indigenous communities down from the Chimborazo highlands, and the statue of San Pedro on the hill above town with panoramic views across the Chanchan valley. But there is not much to fill more than a few hours.