How to Hike the Short and Lovely Papallacta Hot Springs Trail

Nestled in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador, just an hour from Quito, Papallacta is famous for the incredible hot springs resort. The short and lovely Papallacta hot springs trail (or Sendero de la Isla or Papallacta Island Trail) is the perfect way to stretch your legs before spending a few hours relaxing in the steamy waters.

Below you can find details on the hike. There are other hikes in the area, but this is the only hike in Papallacta that you can easily walk to.

See Complete Details on visiting the hot springs at Termas de Papallacta.

Quick Look at the Papallacta Hot Springs Trail (or Sendero de la Isla)

Distance: 1.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 300 feet
Difficulty: Easy

This hike starts right at the Termas de Papallacta Resort and follows the small stream uphill through a small forested area and fields. You can extend this hike by walking further up the road into the Cayambe Coca Ecological Reserve.

The hike can be done in 40 minutes.

How to Get to the Papallacta Hot Springs Trail

Most people hike the Papallacta hot springs trail from the Termas de Papallacta Resort. You can start the hike right from the resort and they charge a small fee which is used to improve and maintain the trail. It is also possible to walk up the road through the Hot Springs Resort towards the National Park.

Pass through the gate and up the road and you will see the start of the hike (see the image below).

To get to Papallacta, you can visit on a day trip from Quito. There are buses that run through Papallacta regularly or you can book a taxi or take a tour. Most of the tours visit the hot springs, so if you want more time to take the hike, you may want to arrange private transfer or stay overnight in Papallacta.

The ride from Quito to Papallacta takes about 1 hour.

Things to Know about Hiking the Papallacta Hot Springs Trail

Below you can find a few important things to know about hiking the Papallacta Hot Springs Trail (Sendero de la Isla).

Altitude

Papallacta is located at 10,827 feet of elevation. If you are coming from a lower elevation, you will likely feel the impact of the altitude. We had acclimated while hiking the Quilotoa Loop but had spent the last few days at a lower elevation in the Amazon rainforest and we all felt out of breath even on this short hike.

Where to Stay in Papallacta

If you are looking to spend more than a few hours in Papallacta, your best option is to spend the night. While the most obvious place to stay is at Termas de Papallacta but we stayed at Mammalacta Paramo Lodge right down the road and loved this fun and eclectic place.

Best Time of Year to Visit Papallacta

The daily temperature in Papallacta are fairly consistent through the year and range from 40-60 degrees F. The best time to visit in June – September during the dry season.

Details of Hiking the Papallacta Hot Springs Trail

Start the trail at the entrance gate off the road – there is a map here and the entire trail is very well marked. The path is mostly flat with a slight uphill. After a short walk the trail splits and you can take the trail to the left. There is a small path off to the left near here. When we hiked here there were llamas in the farm across the river from here so it’s worth taking this small side trail.

Continue up the trail staying in the left of the stream. The trail will pop down to the water a few times and back up into the woods. You will find an area with a picnic table and eventually come to a road. This is the end of the trail and you can follow the signs to loop back around and return to the start of the hike on the opposite side of the river. This part of the trail has a wooded platform out over the river to see one of the small waterfalls along this route. You will also cross multiple bridges along this trail.

The trail is very well maintained and in addition to good signage, you will also find signs with QR codes that give information about the flora and fauna along the hiking route.

Other Hikes near Papallacta

This is a short hike, so if you are looking for a longer hike in the area there are several other hikes right near Papallacta that area longer and more challenging. Check out the following hikes:

• La Milagrosa Waterfall and Paracocha Lagoon
• Laguna Parcacocha
• Papallacta Antennas