Termas de Papallacta

The Termas de Papallacta resort is the main attraction in the village and one of the best-run thermal complexes in Ecuador. A series of pools — eight in the main bathing area — range from comfortably warm to almost too hot to bear, with cold river-water plunge pools for contrast. The water is clear and lightly mineralised, with sulphur notes that remind you it is geothermal rather than merely heated.

The resort has two distinct sections: the public Balneario, where day visitors pay a modest entry fee and share the main pools, and the more upscale Spa section with private pools, massage treatments and better facilities. The hotel cabañas are comfortable if slightly overpriced. Weekends in Quito-holiday season fill the public pools to capacity — go early in the morning or on a weekday if you want to soak in peace. The setting is beautiful: pool edges run to the tree line, mist often drifts in from the forest, and on clear mornings you can see Antisana.

things to do sight
A story
The geothermal system under Papallacta is part of the volcanic arc that runs along Ecuador's Andes, fed by the same forces that built Antisana and the other volcanoes visible on clear days from the village. The water temperature in the springs reaches around 70°C at source — it must be cooled before entering the pools. The Cañar people, who lived here before the Spanish conquest, knew the springs and used them; the site has been a place of healing for longer than written records go.