The Antisana Ecological Reserve and Papallacta Hot Springs are two of Ecuador’s most extraordinary natural experiences — and this 1-day tour from Quito combines both into one seamless Andean adventure. In the morning, you’ll explore the wild, high-altitude páramo of the Antisana reserve, hike to glacial viewpoints, and watch for soaring Andean condors. In the afternoon, you’ll soak in the steaming mineral pools of Papallacta Hot Springs, surrounded by cloud forest at 10,800 ft.
Both destinations sit along the same eastern Andean corridor, just 40–60 miles from Quito. The Antisana Ecological Reserve in the morning, Papallacta Hot Springs in the afternoon — a perfect pairing of wilderness and relaxation that no single Quito day trip captures as fully.
What Makes This Combination So Special
The Antisana Ecological Reserve delivers raw high-altitude wilderness — volcanic peaks, open grasslands, soaring condors, and little volcano plants dotting the hillsides in vivid orange. Papallacta Hot Springs delivers the perfect counterpoint: steaming, mineral-rich thermal pools fed by volcanic geothermal heat.
The Antisana Volcano & Its Remarkable Ecosystem
Antisana Volcano is one of the most powerful and least-visited volcanoes in Ecuador. Standing at 18,714 feet (5,704 m), it is the fourth highest peak in the country and the defining feature of the Antisana Ecological Reserve. Its glaciated summit is rarely visible due to cloud cover, which adds to the mountain’s dramatic atmosphere.
The páramo surrounding Antisana Volcano is extraordinary in its biodiversity. The iconic chuquiragua — Ecuador’s national flower, nicknamed the little volcano plant — blooms in vivid orange throughout the Antisana páramo.
Papallacta Hot Springs Destination
Papallacta is Ecuador’s most celebrated thermal destination — and for good reason. Located in Papallacta, Napo Ecuador at approximately 10,800 feet (3,300 m) above sea level, the Termas de Papallacta complex is widely considered the finest Hot Springs Ecuador offers.
American travelers sometimes find this destination listed under alternative spellings — Papayacta and Pampallacta Ecuador are common misspellings of Papallacta that refer to the same destination. The official complex is the Hotel Termas de Papallacta, also known as Termas de Papallacta.
Unlike the hot springs in Baños Ecuador — which are closer to the city but more developed and crowded — Papallacta Hot Springs sit in genuine Andean cloud forest, offering a more secluded and scenically spectacular thermal bath experience.
