Ecuador: Papallacta (Hot Springs)

After our return to Quito, we needed some rest. So we hired a driver to take us to Papallacta, which is about 2 hours away, where we visited the famous Aguas Termales (thermal baths). The drive was initially quite uncomfortable because our driver seemed to be about to fall asleep. When we addressed this, he vehemently denied it. But eventually, we arrived safely, thank goodness, and the driver could rest a bit until we returned from the baths.

The thermal baths are considered one of Ecuador's most beautiful wellness experiences. There are various pools with different depths and water temperatures, including some cold water pools. The hot water literally springs directly from the mountain. The facility is really quite nice, and the infrastructure is quite good, with lockers and dressing rooms and toilets at each pool.
Unfortunately, we didn't get to experience much of the supposedly fantastic location of the facility amidst the mountains because it was very foggy that day. But we were lucky in terms of visitor numbers. Since we were there on a Monday, there were only a few people and we had the swimming pools almost to ourselves.

We spent several hours in the thermal baths before heading back to Quito.