Termas de Papallacta, at roughly 3,300m elevation in the Ecuadorian Andes, is a hot springs resort on the edge of the Cayambe-Coca ecological reserve. It sits on the route between Quito and the Amazon lowlands, making it a common day trip or overnight stop from the capital. Visitors soak in several open-air pools in the cool air of the páramo highland grassland, with views of Antisana volcano on clear days. The contrast between the chilly high-altitude air and the hot pools is the springs' defining feature.
