Introduction:
This is an excellent way to see a cross section of Ecuador’s ecosystems in one day: the first part of the trip starts high up in the páramo – the Ecuadorian equivalent of the arctic tundra – and ends in low montane cloud forest at the edge of the Amazon basin. Once we reach our first destination, we throw our bikes on the jeep’s roof and drive back up the pass to the Papallacta hot springs for a soothing swim in the natural thermal pools. If the day is clear, views of Antisana Volcano will bedazzle. After lunch we drive over the Papallacta pass at 4200m and remount our iron horses for the two thousand meter (over 6000ft.) whiz downward to Tumbaco valley just outside of Quito.

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