Baños - Tungurahua - a green jewel
in the andes.
Baños is a small peaceful town, a three-hour drive
south of Quito. This quaint Andean town is surrounded by snowcapped
volcanoes and has wonderful healthy hot spring waters. For
years it has been the place to which Ecuadorians make pilgrimages
to honor the Virgen de Agua Santa (Our Lady of the Holy Water),
whose statue is housed in the basilica in the center of town.
This Virgin is credited with many miracles, including saving
the lives of travelers when a bridge over the Pastaza River
collapsed, and saving people from a fire in Guayaquil. The
walls of the basilica are hung with paintings depicting these
miracles.
In the last decade, Baños became an ecotourism destination.
Its pleasant sub tropical climate and its extraordinary landscape
and vegetation are very welcoming, especially after the chill
of the highlands. Baños is the “door” to
the oriental Amazon (
tropical
rain forest). Nature lovers and hikers discovered a unique
spot!
The city of Baños is located on the skirts of the Tungurahua
volcano at an altitude of 5,970 ft. The average temperature
is 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Taking the Pan-American Highway
south from Quito, you pass the cities of Latacunga and Ambato,
from where you take the road along the Pastaza River.
The impressive snowcapped volcanoes surrounding Baños
are the Tungurahua (16,500ft above the sea level), the Chimborazo
(20,700ft), the Altar (17,450 ft), and the Carihuairazo (16,470
ft).
At Baños there are hot-spring pools: El Salado, Piscinas
de la Virgen, and Santa Ana. Baños also offers bicycle,
motorcycle and horse rentals, as well as trekking, canyonning,
and rafting. Rafting is exciting as the river begins to widen
on its way toward the great Amazonas River.
Although Baños has a small population of about 20,000,
it has plenty tourist information, all you need in English.
There are maps in English, specialized guides and clear signs.
We recommend that you visit the Manto de la Novia, Machay
and the Pailón del Diablo falls. The latter has three
jumps and an amazing whirlpool at the bottom. It gets its
name (Devil’s Pot) because the rock behind the fall
is shaped as the profile of the devil. You can go to these
falls by bike or take a hike! Also visit the Virgen and Inés
María falls where you can take a refreshing swim in
the river surrounded by the tropical rain forest vegetation.
Four and a half miles from Baños is the Agoyán
fall where the Pastaza River takes a 40 meters leap. From
there you can continue to visit the Bascum, Chamana, and the
Nahuazo falls.
A beautiful road to drive or bike along is that between Baños
and Puyo, skirting the canyon of the Río Pastaza, surrounded
on all sides by steep mountains covered in cloud forest. The
mountains north of the road are on the edge of Los
Llanganates
National Park, and the mountains to the south of the road
are part of the Sangay National Park, World Natural Heritage
Site, and one of the most biologically diverse areas in the
world. These forests contain an exceptionally high diversity
of plants, many still unknown to science. A recent study here
of just one genus of orchid has turned up 14 new species.
Additionally, exotic animals such as monkeys, spectacle bears,
mountain tapirs and birds such as the cock-or-the-rock and
black and chestnut eagle can be found in these forests with
some luck and patience.
Close to the city, don’t miss the San Martín
Zoo, a small sample of the fauna of the region.
For even more adventurous tourists who wish to go to the Tungurahua
Volcano, or visit the National Parks of Sangay or Llanganatis,
you must hire a guide in the city who will arrange a trip
to explore the exotic and diverse flora and fauna of the Ecuadorian
tropical rain forest. These parks are amazing with unique
weather and vegetation still in process of being explored.
Their location within the Andes kept them unknown, a wonderful
secret. Many adventurers held that precisely because of the
inaccessibility to these areas, it is where the treasure of
the Incas was buried when the Spanish conquest took place.
It has not been found yet!
For adventure, relaxation, or an exciting bohemian nightlife,
Baños is a small jewel on the Andean plateau. You can
enjoy a delicious variety of foods, including French and Italian,
at great prices! You have accommodations ranging from the
very inexpensive (10 dollars a night) to the excellent services
and ambiance of the Hotel Luna Runtún, The Adventure
SPA (prices from$115 to $245 per night, including accommodation,
dinner and breakfast).
The inexpensive accommodations are clean and comfortable,
perfect for young adventure tourists.
The Tungurahua volcano is currently in eruption. To experience
the sounds, lights and emotions of a volcano eruption is a
unique experience. From Baños it is possible to arrange
trips that take the necessary precautions but allow one to
live this exciting experience closely.
For more information contact the
Chamber of Tourism of Baños
Ambato St. 531 & 16 de Diciembre
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