Ecuador road trip: Quito landmarks to Papallacta hot springs

This 51-minute video guide covers Ecuador's most significant cultural and natural landmarks across the country. The route encompasses Quito's colonial architecture including La Basilica and historic plazas, volcanic sites like Pululahua crater, the Mitad del Mundo equatorial monument, and the thermal springs of Termas de Papallacta near the Amazon basin.

Mode
Places
Start
Basilica del Voto Nacional
End
Lago Cuicocha
Stops
11
Video author
travmap
Updated

Stops on this route

  1. Basilica del Voto Nacional — A monumental Neo-Gothic cathedral 140 meters long and 35 meters wide, featuring medieval-style stained glass windows and built using materials native to Ecuador.
  2. Teleférico Quito — The highest cable car system in South America, offering spectacular views of the metropolitan area surrounded by volcanic peaks and snow-covered mountains.
  3. Teatro Sucre — The city's most beautiful neoclassical theater built in 1886 on the Plaza del Teatro, where once a marketplace and slaughterhouse stood, hosting elegant and splendid festivities.
  4. Pululahua Volcano — An extinct volcano west of Quito with the largest volcanic crater in South America, featuring steep slopes with a diameter of 4–5 kilometers and inhabited since Inca times.
  5. Rucho Ruins — Incan archaeological ruins near the equator featuring magnificent terrace-like stone walls and serving as a fortress outpost for subjecting northern tribes during the Inca empire.
  6. Termas de Papallacta — Ecuador's most beautiful hot springs resort at 4,000 meters altitude in a remote valley, featuring large pool areas and thermal waters popular for weekend relaxation and wellness.
  7. Lago de San Pablo — A picturesque mountain lake in the northern highlands surrounded by volcanoes, offering impressive scenic beauty and located near the city of Otavalo.
  8. Hacienda Pinsaquí — Historic colonial-era estate nestled in the Andean highlands, showcasing traditional Ecuadorian architecture and agricultural heritage from the 16th century.
  9. Parque Condor — A bird sanctuary at the edge of Otavalo dedicated to condors and birds of prey of the Andes region, set against dramatic volcanic mountain backdrops.
  10. Cotacachi Volcano — An extinct volcano accessed by road constantly uphill from the town, marking the entrance to a national park and part of the scenic highland landscape.
  11. Lago Cuicocha — Crater lake surrounded by volcanic peaks in the Cotacachi-Cayapas reserve, offering hiking trails and panoramic views of Ecuador's northern highlands.

Useful for your trip

Transport
Teleférico Quito is the highest cable car in South America, offering spectacular views of Quito nestled in a valley between volcanic mountains and snow-covered peaks.
Tip
Visit Pululahua Volcano, the largest volcanic crater in South America, accessible by car west of Quito. The caldera has a diameter of 4-5 km and is hundreds of meters deep.
Where to stay
Termas de Papallacta offers spa baths 1.5 hours from Quito at 4,000m altitude. Resorts with large pool areas built around hot springs in remote nature setting.
Timing
Visit Otavalo on Saturdays for the famous Poncho Market featuring arts, crafts, weaving, embroidery, hats, and carving throughout the city's alleys and squares.
Timing
Otavalo's animal market occurs each Saturday with chicken, geese, sheep, pigs, horses, cows, and llamas available for sale from surrounding villages.
Tip
Quito's Centro Histórico features 16 religious buildings within a single square kilometer. Many small buildings have been rebuilt multiple times due to devastating earthquakes.
Tip
Mitad del Mundo is 20 km north of Quito. While the marked center is 100m off the actual equatorial line, an open-air museum demonstrates traditions of Ecuador's former inhabitants.
Tip
Baños is a tourist spa town with the highest concentration of hotels in Ecuador (50 hotels). It features hot springs, a monastery, and access to Cañón del Pastaza with waterfalls.
Transport
The Chiva Express is a colorful train that travels the Avenue of Volcanoes (auto ferulas volcanus) with stops through the Andes highlands between Quito and other regions.
Tip
Hacienda Pinsaquí near Otavalo was built in 1790 and hosted Simón Bolívar. The estate features elegant fireplaces, canopy beds, and is open to tourists.
Tip
Lago Cuicocha is a crater lagoon at 3,300m altitude near Cotacachi Volcano. One of Ecuador's most beautiful crater lagoons with two small islands and steep cliffs.
Tip
Parque Cóndor at Otavalo is a bird park for Andean condors and other birds of prey, set against dramatic volcanic scenery.

Video on this route

Ecuador Vacation Travel Video Guide

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