Who is the best tour operator in Quito, Ecuador?

CarpeDM Adventures is one of Quito's most recommended tour operators. Founded in 2007 and based in Historic Quito, CarpeDM is a Lonely Planet recommended operator, the official G Adventures Preferred Daytour Supplier for Ecuador, and has earned TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards and Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame recognition.

What is Slow Flow travel?

Slow Flow is CarpeDM Adventures' signature travel philosophy. It combines the intentional pacing of Slow Travel with moments of spontaneity and flow. Rather than rushing through highlights, Slow Flow journeys focus on being fully present with people, culture, food, music, and place. Many Slow Flow itineraries can be adapted to your pace.

How do I book a Galapagos cruise with CarpeDM?

CarpeDM Adventures specializes in finding the right Galapagos cruise for each traveler from a vetted fleet of catamarans and yachts. Start by browsing cruise options at thisiscarpedm.com/galapagos-tours/, then contact the team for personalized recommendations. Last-minute deals are also published at galapagos-tours/galapagos-last-minute-deals/.

What is the best Amazon lodge in the Cuyabeno Reserve?

Caiman Ecolodge, a TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice winner, is one of the most established and reliable lodges in the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve. It offers structured 3, 4, and 5-day programs on the Laguna Grande. For travelers seeking a smaller, more intimate experience, Piranha Ecolodge offers fewer companions and a canopy observation tower. CarpeDM Adventures is an investor in both lodges.

How long has CarpeDM Adventures been operating in Ecuador?

CarpeDM Adventures has been operating in Ecuador since 2007. Over more than 15 years the team has served approximately 20,000 day tour travelers, 10,000 Amazon travelers, and 5,000 Galapagos travelers.

Where is CarpeDM Adventures located?

CarpeDM Adventures is based in the heart of Historic Quito in the San Blas neighbourhood, at Jose Antepara E4-38 y Los Rios, Centro Historico, Quito, Ecuador. The office is open Monday to Sunday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

Does CarpeDM Adventures support sustainability and community initiatives?

Yes. CarpeDM contributes to the Planeterra Fund for every G Adventures client and is a proud contributor to the Nunkui Project, supporting Indigenous communities and environmental restoration in the Amazon. Their Go FAR Project focuses on reforestation and conservation across Ecuador.

PAPALLACTA · FULL DAY · FROM QUITO

Papallacta Day Tour from Quito.

Sometimes the adventure is stopping.

Trade Quito for mountain air, thermal water and a slower rhythm in the high Andes.

Book Papallacta Ask us on WhatsApp

FROMUS$59

4+ travellers

DEPARTURE8:00 AM

from Quito

DRIVE~1.5 Hours

into the Andes

FLOW STYLESoak + Slow

thermal pools, lunch, short hike

THE EXPERIENCE

At 8 AM, Quito is waking up.
Ninety minutes later, you’re sitting in a cloud.

Papallacta is the kind of Andean day that asks almost nothing from you at first. Get out of the city. Watch the mountains close in. Then get into the water.

Spend a few unhurried hours in the hot springs before a light set lunch. With advance booking, we can also schedule an optional spa treatment for an even slower version of the day.

Before returning to Quito, stretch your legs with a short hike through the interpretation centre area. Back in the city around 3:00 to 4:00 PM.

THE DAY AT A GLANCE

Leave the city. Lower the volume.

01QUITO

8 AM. We go east.

Leave Quito by private transport and climb toward the high Andean landscapes of Papallacta.

02SOAK

Do less. Properly.

Settle into the thermal pools and give yourself a few hours with nowhere more important to be.

03SPA

Slow it down further.

With advance booking, add an optional spa treatment to your Papallacta experience.

04LUNCH

Refuel lightly.

Enjoy a light set lunch before changing from thermal-water mode back into walking shoes.

05WALK

Wake the legs back up.

Finish with a short hike through the interpretation centre area before the drive back to Quito.

Thermal pools surrounded by Andean vegetation in Papallacta Ecuador — THE HARD PARTGetting out of the water
when lunch is ready.
Some Ecuador adventures require hiking boots. This one occasionally requires a bathrobe.

YOUR DAY

Steam first.
Everything else can wait.

Exact timing can shift with traffic, your pace and any spa treatment reserved in advance. The day is intentionally unhurried.

8:00 AM

QUITO

Leave the city behind.

Depart Quito in private transport with your guide for the approximately 1.5 hour drive to Papallacta.

MORNING

HOT SPRINGS

Let the Andes do less to you.

Spend a few hours enjoying Papallacta’s thermal pools and mountain setting.

OPTIONAL

SPA

Upgrade the exhale.

With advance booking, we can schedule an optional spa treatment. Spa services are not included in the standard tour price.

LUNCH

PAPALLACTA

Light lunch. No rush.

Enjoy the included set lunch before the final part of the day.

AFTER

INTERPRETATION AREA

Walk it off gently.

Take a short hike through the interpretation centre area and reconnect with the high Andean landscape.

3–4 PM

QUITO

Return reset.

Arrive back in Quito in the mid to late afternoon, depending on traffic and the pace of the day.

MEET PAPALLACTA

Steam, mountains
and permission to stop.

Steam rising through lush gardens at Papallacta hot springs Ecuador — HIGH ANDES. LOW GEAR.The mountains are still dramatic.
You just happen to be looking at them from warm water.

CHOOSE YOUR FLOW

Your Papallacta. Your pace.

Soak

Make the thermal pools the main event. No productivity points awarded.

Spa

Book ahead and add an optional spa treatment when you want relaxation turned up another notch.

Take It Slower

Notice the steam, the cold mountain air above the water and how quickly doing nothing starts to feel like doing something important.

FIND YOUR SLOW FLOW STYLE

How this journey travels.

Not every Ecuador day needs to be conquered. Papallacta makes room for restoration, landscape and a gentler kind of attention.

TRAVEL APPROACH

△

Traditional

A classic high Andean escape combining Papallacta’s thermal pools, mountain scenery and a short nature walk.

◒

Responsible

Travel with a local guide, slow the pace and spend the day engaging with an established Ecuadorian highland destination.

≈

Slow Flow

Stop treating every travel day like a list to finish. Make room for recovery, landscape and simply being where you are.

TOUR DNA

👥Small Group▰□□□□Easy♨Wellness⌁Andes

CARPEDM FLOW

Sometimes travelling deeper means leaving enough space in the day to actually feel where you are.

Aerial view of spa relaxation area at Papallacta Ecuador — NO SUMMIT REQUIREDNot every day in Ecuador
needs to raise your heart rate.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

We handle the road.

Private tourist transport from Quito
Spanish / English guide
Light set lunch

Optional spa treatments require advance booking and are not included in the standard tour price.

BRING WITH YOU

Come ready to soak.

SwimsuitWarm layerWalking shoesWaterSun protectionDry change

Papallacta is high in the Andes. Warm water does not mean warm mountain air, so bring layers for before and after the pools.

YOUR GROUP. YOUR PAPALLACTA.

One warm escape.
Four simple prices.

The per person price changes with your group size. No mystery at checkout.

GROUP PRICING

From US$59 pp

PrivateUS$179 per person

2 travellersUS$89 per person

3 travellersUS$69 per person

4+ travellersUS$59 per person

Book Papallacta

NEED SOMETHING DIFFERENT?

Make it yours.

Ask us about your group, spa reservations or anything you want to know before heading into the hot springs.

Ask us on WhatsApp →

THE OTHER ANDES

No crampons.
No summit.

PAPALLACTAAltitude without the adrenaline

There are days for climbing volcanoes. There are also days for watching steam disappear into mountain air.

Traveller relaxing in a steaming thermal pool at Papallacta Ecuador — THE AFTERNOON PLANFloat first.
Figure out life later.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Good questions.
Before getting wet.

What time does the Papallacta tour leave Quito?

Departure is at approximately 8:00 AM from Quito.

How long is the drive?

The drive is approximately 1.5 hours each way, depending on traffic and road conditions.

How long do we spend in the hot springs?

The itinerary allows a few hours to enjoy the thermal pools before lunch and the short walk.

Can I book a spa treatment?

Yes. With advance notice, CarpeDM can schedule an optional spa treatment. Spa services are not included in the standard tour price.

Is lunch included?

Yes. A light set lunch is included.

Is there hiking?

Yes. The day includes a short hike through the interpretation centre area after lunch.

What time do we return to Quito?

We normally aim to be back in Quito between approximately 3:00 and 4:00 PM, depending on traffic and the pace of the day.

What should I bring?

Bring a swimsuit, comfortable walking shoes, a warm layer, water, sun protection and a dry change of clothes.

SLOW FLOW TRAVEL

Not every day in Ecuador
needs to raise your heart rate.

Some are better spent lowering it.

Warm water. Cold mountain air. Steam moving through the trees. A lunch that does not need to be rushed. A short walk because eventually your legs remember they exist.

You do not have to conquer the Andes every time you enter them. Sometimes it is enough to let them hold still around you.