Activities in Baños
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José & Two Dogs
Runs horse-riding tours. Horse rentals cost around US$5 per hour or around US$35 per day. Many half- or full-day trips start with a long jeep ride out of town, and the actual riding time is short. Inquire carefully to get what you want.
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Stay In Touch
For excellent one-hour, full-body massages ($25) and herbal facials ($20), make an appointment or drop in to Stay In Touch, owned by an Ecuadorian-American couple.
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Walking
Baños has some great hiking. The tourist office provides a crude but useful map showing some of the trails around town.
The walk down to Río Pastaza is easy and popular. Just behind the sugarcane stalls by the bus station, a short trail leads to the Puente San Francisco, the bridge that crosses the river. You can continue on trails up the other side as far as you want. Going south on Maldonado takes you to a path that climbs to Bellavista, where a white cross stands high over Baños. The path then continues to the settlement of Runtún, some two hours away. The views are outstanding. You can then loop around and back down to Baños, ending up at the southern end of JL Mera.…
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Jungle Trips
Loads of jungle trips from Baños are advertised, but not all guides are experienced.
Three- to seven-day jungle tours cost about around US$30 to around US$50 per person per day, depending on the destination (there is usually a three- or four-person minimum). Baños is always full of travellers and is a good town in which to organize a group if you are not already with one. Most trips now go through Quito. Check out Rainbow Expeditions (274 2957, 09-895 7786; rainbowexpeditions2005@hotmail.com; Alfaro at Martínez). Owned by Germán Shacay, a member of the Shuar indigenous community from the southern Oriente. It's an extremely well-run operation with interesting trips into s…
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Mountain Biking
Several companies rent out mountain bikes starting at about around US$5 per day, but check the equipment carefully as maintenance is sometimes poor. The most popular ride is the dramatic descent to Puyo, which is about 61km to the east on the edge of the Oriente. You pass the spectacular Pailón del Diablo waterfall on the way. There is a passport control at Mera, and again at Shell, so carry your documents.
From Puyo (or anytime before), you can simply take a bus back to Baños, putting your bike on the roof. Various other mountain-biking options are available, and the outfitters will be happy to tell you about them.
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Horse Riding
Horse rentals cost around US$5 per hour or around US$35 per day. Many half- or full-day trips start with a long jeep ride out of town, and the actual riding time is short. Inquire carefully to get what you want. Ángel Aldáz (274 0175; Montalvo & Mera) and José & Two Dogs (274 0746; josebalu_99@yahoo.com; cnr Maldonado & Martínez) are both good.
Christián, at Hostal Isla de Baños (fax 274 0609, 274 1511; islabanos@andinanet.net; Halflants 1-31), arranges guided horseback-riding trips that last a half day, a full day, or from two to nine days. Christián speaks English and German.
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Climbing & Hiking
Climbers are advised not to ascend the currently erupting Volcán Tungurahua (5016m). The refuge on that volcano has been destroyed - although some people still climb up to it, it is not recommended.
Climbs of Cotopaxi and Chimborazo can also be arranged. A reputable climbing outfitter is Expediciones Amazónicas. It has rental equipment and can arrange licensed guides. Rainforestur has rental equipment and licensed climbing guides, and can tailor your itinerary to include acclimatization. The going rate for climbs with a minimum of two people is around US$65 to around US$80 per person per day, plus park fees.
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Las Piscinas de La Virgen
The best-known baths in Baños are Las Piscinas de La Virgen, the only hot pools in town. Built as a community project in 1928, they are named for the Virgin María, who is said to have come here to dip her own feet. One bath is cold, another warm and a third reaches an intense 42°C (118°F). If you go early in the morning, it’ll just be you and a few old-timers. If you’re curious, ask the basket woman to show you the ojo del agua, where the water, heated by the volcano, gushes from the earth at a scorching 50°C (122°F).
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Tour Companies
Several companies around town, particularly around the intersection of Martínez and 16 de Diciembre, offer chiva tours (tours in traditional open-sided buses). They all charge around US$3 to around US$5 per person and are pretty damn goofy; you have to get in the spirit. Chivas also drive around town looking for people to pick up, so you could just jump on. Night tours to the volcano are not worth it unless volcanic activity is up.
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GeoTours
Long in the business, GeoTours offers half-day trips on the Río Patate for $30. Trips last four hours (only two hours are spent on the river) and a snack is included. Also available is a full-day trip to Río Pastaza for $100 that takes 10 hours, with four hours on the river, lunch included and complete gear provided. GeoTours also offers a three-day kayaking course ($150).
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Spa Garden El Refugio
The Spa Garden El Refugio, just outside of town, has such treatments as the baños de cajón, medicinal mud baths and, yes, even intestinal drainage, although you can always just go for a relaxing massage if you’re not game to have your colon cleansed.
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Ángel Aldáz
Runs horse-riding tours. Horse rentals cost around US$5 per hour or around US$35 per day. Many half- or full-day trips start with a long jeep ride out of town, and the actual riding time is short. Inquire carefully to get what you want.
reviewed
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Piscina El Salado
These hot pools are 2.5km out of town, and they’re usually less crowded. After simmering in the hot pool, masochists can jump into the ice-cold creek. Buses come out here ($0.20, 10 minutes), departing from the stop on Rocafuerte.
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Hostal Isla de Baños (Horse Riding)
Christián, at Hostal Isla de Baños, arranges guided horseback-riding trips that last a half day, a full day, or from two to nine days. Christián speaks English and German.
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Piscinas Las Modernas/Las Peñas
With a waterslide, a swing set, water toys and cool pools, Piscinas Las Modernas/Las Peñas is packed with families on the weekends and holidays.
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Vasco Tours
A recommended tour operator that runs jungle trips. It's a professionally run outfit whose guide and owner, Juan Medina, knows the business very well.
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Centro de Hidroterapia Gamboa
Centro de Hidroterapia Gamboa has an indoor lap pool, baños de cajón (steam boxes), hot tub, mud masks and massages.
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Expediciones Amazónicas
The recommended Expediciones Amazónicas leads culture and nature tours near Puyo and Lago Agrio for about $50 per day.
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Chakra
For one-hour Swedish, hot-stone and reflexology massages ($20), visit Carmen Sánchez at Chakra.
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International Spanish School for Foreigners
Offers one-on-one or small-group Spanish classes, which start at around US$5.
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Rainforestur
The recommended Rainforestur leads culture and nature tours near Puyo and Lago Agrio for about $50 per day.
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Rainbow Expeditions
Rainbow Expeditions is owned by Germán Shacay, a member of the Shuar indigenous community from the southern Oriente that offers culture-oriented trips into several areas of the Oriente including Shuar communities outside of Macas.
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