Pick-up 7:30 am from your hotel. Some 65 km (41 miles) East of Quito, the road brings us into the high elevation paramo (moorland)  at Papallacta, a very tundra-like habitat. On clear days the views of the surroundings and various volcanoes are breath-taking; a stop right up at the pass is one of the best spots from where to photograph the snow-capped Antisana Volcano as it towers over the mountains below. 
If weather allows from this point on we should start scanning the sky from time to time for the Andean Condor,  Variable Hawk,  Carunculated  Caracara  and Black-chested  Buzzard-Eagle that may soar overhead.
We’ll check stands of Polylepis woodland, endemic to the mid- and high-elevation regions of the tropical Andes. Some Polylepis grow well above normal tree line within grass and scrub associations at elevations over 4000 meters, making part of the fascinating landscape of the Andes.

Later on we’ll arrive to the best thermal water complex in Ecuador, from here on  it’s time to relax and absorb the benefits of this therapeutic waters. The richness of the hydro thermal waters in Papallacta is due its location: a volcanic complex with more than 3 million years of persistent activity called Chacana. The area consists of a large volcanic caldera 35 km north-south and 15 km east-west, including small volcanoes of very viscous lava called domes, and half a hundred tributaries of hot springs.  
The hot springs that feed Termas Papallacta arise from deep geological layers through fissures, up to the surface, loaded with minerals and potential for health benefits. The source temperature of the thermal baths varies between 30°C and 70°C (86°F and 158°F). At the pools the temperature ranges from 36°C to 38°C (97°F to 100.4°F).
​More than a destination, Papallacta is an integral holistic experience that will awaken  your senses and a chance for a deep connection with nature.