Mountain
Biking
If you want
to feel like
a child again,
with the warm
wind blowing
on your face
as you speed
down a long
hill on a
bike, then
this is the
place. From
Banos the
road down
down to Puyo
is a classic
bike ride
of about 70 km
[44 miles].
It descends
from 1,800 m
[6,000 ft]
to just under
1,000 m
[3,333 ft].
Though the
road is rough
in parts and
it's not all
downhill,
the effort
and aching
muscles are
rewarded by
stunning views
of the green
flanks of
the Andes
threaded with
silvery waterfalls
and dotted
with orchids
and bromeliads.
The road is
often under
repair, so
ask around
before committing
to renting
a bike. The
entire journey
through the
canyon of
the Rio Pastaza
to Puyo takes
about six
to eight hours,
but you can
do a shorter
version just
to Rio Verde,
about 20 km
[12 miles]
down from
Banos. From
Puyo,
or Rio Verde,
you can get
back up to
Banos on one
of the regular
buses with
your bike
strapped to
the roof.
There are
many places
to rent bikes
but check
carefully
- especially
the brakes,
tyres and
gears - before
deciding on
a bike. Prices
for a day's
rental start
at US$4*.
Horseback Riding
Similar precautions have to be taken with renting horses. A couple of old nags that a friend and I stupidly committed ourselves to before inspecting had open sores on their backs and were clearly unfit for riding, so we lost our deposit. We would have been better off try trying the horses at other hostals, which are well looked-after. They charge about US$10
* per half day, more if accompanied by a guide.
White-water Rafting
There are many
operators for
rafting trips
on the Pastaza
and Patate rivers.
With tonnes
of water and
thundering rapids
followed by
sudden stillness
and silence,
river trips
are a great
way of exploring
the
tropical
rainforest.
Languages courses
Banos is a small-enough
town to get
anywhere within
a few minutes
on foot. People
are generally
helpful and
even if you
can't speak
Spanish gesticulated
sign language
directions will
usually suffice.
This is a good
place to learn
Spanish, since
tuition and
living costs
are lower than
in the capital
and it's such
a pleasant place.
Tours
It's not easy to choose between tour operators if you want to do a jungle or climbing trip. Most of them are good but there are occasional reports of bad guides, poor food, and inferior equipment. Guides should have a license issued by
INEFAN [
The Ecuadorian Institute of Forestry, Natural Areas and Wildlife] while natural history guides should have a "Naturalista" credential issued by the Ministerio de Turismo. White-water rafting guides should be able to produce
AGAR certification, while climbing guides are certified by
ASEGUIM.
The price very
much depends
on who the guide
is on your trip.
Jungle trips
are about US$45
*
per day per
person and climbing
trips about
between US$55
*
and $80
*,
depending on
the size of
your group.
Prices do not
usually include
the national
park entrance
fee. It's a
good idea to
withhold half
the tour fee
until completion
of the trip.
Cimbing
the Tungurahua
volcano
|learn
more|›|
Although Tungurahua
has been climbed
with relative
safety for
several decades,
it was officially
closed in
October 1999
when the whole
town was evacuated
by Military
forces during
the red alert.
Many climbers
are still
tempted to
climb the
5,016m high
summit, but
unless the
volcanic activity
comes to a
complete standstill
it's not worth
the risk.
The tourist
information
centre inside
the bus station
has information
on the state
of the volcano.
If the volcano
does calm
down in the
future and
you're able
to brave the
ascent, always
take gloves,
torches, plenty
of food, ice-axes,
ropes, warm
clothing,
sleeping bags,
hiking boots
with crampons
and rubber
boots if it's
been very
wet for the
walk up to
the refuge
(Refugio).
Banos is still
the main entry
point to the
climb. The
volcano is
in Sangay
National Park,
and you'll
have to pay
an entrance
fee of $10*.
The
best months
to climb Tungurahua
are from December
to March for
the clearest
views.
To
the summit
On most tours
to the summit,
climbers depart
early in the
morning at
around 3 -
4am. The climb
to the top
takes 4 -
5 hours. The
last hour
of the climb
is through
snow and ice
with a severe
gradient requiring
ropes. Descending
to the refuge
takes only
around 90
minutes, followed
by a further
2 to 3 hours'
walk back
down to the
park entrance.
To
the refuge
'El refugio'
[3800m]
is around
4 hours ascent
from the park
entrance and
has two hostals.
The stone
building houses
40 people,
while the
smaller wooden
hostal is
slightly warmer.
Both have
electricity
but no heaters,
although there
are facitilies
for cooking
your food.
Don't forget
your sleeping
bag. To stay
costs about
$3*
per person.
*Prices
are approximate
Last
updated 10th
July 2006
| |Article contributed by Dominic Hamilton||| |
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