"Banos - lower altitude, hot springs and volcanos" Baños by jujub

Banos is about 3 1/2 hours away from Quito, on the public bus. The lower altitude, hot springs, volcanos, and saint apparitions, make this town a pleasant place to spend a few days. We hopped on the express bus from Quito to Banos for under USD$4.00 per person. At first, we purchased the tickets for one bus company, but as the time for the bus departure approached and the bus was nowhere in sight, the counter person was kind enough to put us on a different company bus which was leaving on time. Shady, yes, but, as long as we got to the right place without being scammed, we didn't really care much.

The bus ride is a little unnerving -- the goal of the bus is to fill up as much as it can and to drive as fast as it can without killing pedestrians or passengers. Having said that, the road is hilly and narrow, and a dramamine will not hurt if you have issues with motion sickness.

Upon arriving in Banos, we walked to our hotel -- the map said 100 meters, so we walked. When you're carrying luggage, 100 meters is a b*tch of a walk. Still, wanting to save money, we complained as we walked.

What we did in Banos: attempted to see the lava of Tungurahua volcano at night (cloudy - bad luck), horse riding, and some all-terrain-vehicle (ATV) exploring. We had a great time in Banos, and if we had more time, we would have gone rafting as well. :)

Enjoy the pictures!