Things to do in Central Highlands
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Casa Hood
Named for owner Ray Hood, a long-standing gringo in residence, this excellent café has nourishing breakfasts, a $2 almuerzo (set lunch) and a menu of Thai, Mexican and Middle Eastern dishes. The Casa is a welcoming place to eat, exchange books, meet with friends, chill solito (alone), and even take yoga classes.
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Expediciones Julio Verne
Expediciones Julio Verne is a respected Ecuadorian-Dutch-owned, full-service operator offering affordable, two-day summit trips to Chimborazo and other peaks, as well as to the Oriente and Galápagos. The company arranges guided hikes, rents out climbing and hiking gear and offers clear information without pressuring customers. It also offers downhill mountain biking on Chimborazo (their routes are good for kids about ten years and up) and tons of interesting tours in the region.
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Merazonia Foundation
For folks who have some time and a love of animals, the Merazonia Foundation, a refuge for injured rainforest animals just outside of Mera, offers volunteer opportunities with their projects rescuing and protecting birds, mammals and other creatures. They have facilities with composting toilets and hot showers.
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El Paisano
Despite the bright florescent lighting and faint smell of paint (it doubles as the owner's art studio), El Paisano serves up some of the most nurturing veggie food in town. Try the wholesome veggie surprise known as 'Concierto en A major from Belegum de su Secreto,' one of several oddly named dishes.
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El Rey del Burrito
‘The King of the Burrito’ serves large burritos, tacos and enchiladas with super spicy salsa (ole! ). There must be a vegetarian in the house, because they have wonderful options for herbivores. Service is friendly and the atmosphere is enlivened by some cool murals.
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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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Delicias del Paso
This cafeteria has all its tasty quiches and cakes in the display out front, and you can order them to go right from the street.
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Guitarras Guevara
For more than 50 years, Jacinto Guevara has been hand-making guitars. Pick one up for anywhere from $75 to $300.
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Rico Pan
This is the place to go if you need an early breakfast, plus it sells some of the best bread in town.
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Baths
Baños means 'baths,' which is precisely what the town is famous for, and precisely what you should get into at least once while you're here. Most of them are fed by thermal springs burbling from the base of the active Volcán Tungurahua. The water in the pools is constantly being recycled and only looks murky because of its mineral content, which is touted for its restorative and healthful properties. Chlorates, sulfates and magnesium are among the principal chemicals found in the baths.
There are four municipal baths. Three are in Baños (only one is hot), and the fourth is out of town. All have changing rooms and clothing storage. Towels are available for rent, but gene…
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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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Riobamba Market
The Saturday market transforms Riobamba into a hive of commercial activity, when thousands of people from surrounding villages come to barter, buy and sell. They flood into town by truck, cart, donkey and foot, unloading impossibly giant loads and spreading out their wares along the streets northeast of Parque de la Concepción.
Every plaza in the city fills with vendors. Needless to say, it's a colorful affair, though it's tourist appeal lies in people watching and gadget-spotting more than in buying. The only place with handicrafts is Parque de la Concepción (Orozco & Colón).
As you're walking around, keep your eyes peeled for locally made shigras. Also look out for ba…
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Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Agua Santa
Within the town itself, the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Agua Santa is dedicated to the Virgin of the Holy Water (the same one with a shrine over by the waterfall). This illustrious lady is credited with several local miracles. Inside the church, paintings depict her wonders with explanations in Spanish along the lines of: ‘On January 30, 1904, Señor X fell off his horse as he was crossing the Río Pastaza bridge. As he fell 70m to the torrents below, he yelled “Holy Mother of the Holy Water” and was miraculously saved!’ Other paintings show people being spared from exploding volcanoes, burning hotels and other misfortunes. The Virgin is particularly good at warding off…
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Museo de Arte Religioso
Inside the beautifully restored, 16th-century convent of the Conceptas nuns, Riobamba’s Museo de Arte Religioso houses one of the country’s finest collections of 17th- and 18th-century religious art. Once upon a time, many upper-class girls were sent to this convent for confined education within its walls. The museum shows the nuns’ bleak cells and even the scourges they used to ‘punish’ themselves. The museum’s signature piece is a priceless, meter-tall monstrance inlaid with more than 1500 precious stones including emeralds, pearls, diamonds, rubies, amethysts and aquamarines. Made of solid gold with a solid silver base, it weighs over 360kg (making it incredibly diff…
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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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Volcano Watching
For a while, the attraction of watching the erupting Volcán Tungurahua practically dwarfed the town's baths. Although not as dramatic as it was, the volcano still puffs smoke and ash and seeing it is an unforgettable experience. The crater cannot be seen from the town itself. You have to walk either to Runtún, to the northern edge of town, near the Puente San Francisco, or to other spots outside town.
The tourist office provides free maps that pinpoint the best places. Tour companies offer night tours that are totally worthless unless the volcano is more active than it was in 2005 and 2006. Find out first.
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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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Mountain Climbing & Mountain Biking
Riobamba is an excellent base for climbing Chimborazo (and many other nearby peaks) and is home to several of Ecuador's top mountain guides. For more information on climbing Chimborazo, and always keep in mind that there is no guarantee you'll reach the summit. Two-day summit trips include guides, climbing gear, transportation and meals. Rates rarely include park entrance fees.
Downhill descents from the refuge on Chimborazo - an exhilarating way to take in the views - are very popular.
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Veloz Coronado Expeditions
A pioneer in Ecuadorian mountaineering, and owner of Veloz Coronado Expeditions, Enrique Veloz is practically a historical personage in Ecuador. He and his sons are both certified with ASEGUIM (Asociación Ecuatoriana de Guias de Montaña; Ecuadorian Mountain Guides Association), and Veloz himself has climbed Chimborazo more than 500 times. They have high standards for safety, climb most of the peaks in the central sierra, and also offer mountain-climbing courses.
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La Piscina de La Virgen
This is the best-known bath in Baños, the only hot pools in town. There are three altogether: one is cold, another is warm and a third reaches nearly 48°C (118°F), making it a truly scalding experience. The best time to hit the pools is in the early morning when there are fewer people. 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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