Casa del Árbol and the Swing at the End of the World

On the rim of a hill above Baños, at a treehouse monitoring station built to keep watch on Tungurahua, hangs a wooden swing suspended on two ropes over an extraordinary view. On clear days you can see the full volcanic cone above and the valley towns below; when the clouds part at the right moment, the swing genuinely seems to be hanging over the edge of the world.

The site is reached by a 45-minute walk uphill from town (or a short taxi ride to the trailhead). The treehouse and surrounding gardens belong to a private family who charge a small entry fee. The swing is popular and you may wait your turn; go early in the morning for the clearest views of Tungurahua before the cloud builds up. Multiple swings have been installed to manage the crowds, but the original remains the one everyone wants to photograph.

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A story
The swing was originally installed at the Casa del Árbol treehouse as a simple way for a lone volcano monitor to break the monotony of his observation shifts. A local photographer took a picture of someone swinging out over the volcanic valley and posted it online. Within months, it had gone viral, and the swing — renamed the "Swing at the End of the World" for marketing purposes — became one of Ecuador's most photographed experiences. The volcano monitor's hut is still there, still monitoring Tungurahua.