Distance
100 km
Duration
1 day
Climb
1,300 m
Papallacta Pass — Quito to Baeza.
The E20 climbs east out of Quito across the high páramo of the Eastern Cordillera, cresting near 4,060m at the Paso de la Virgen before dropping to the thermal-springs village of Papallacta and on into the cloud forest of the Quijos valley. It is the shortest, most dramatic crossing from the Andean capital to the edge of the Amazon.
Quick facts
SurfacePaved
Distance100 km
Days1
Total climb1,300 m
DifficultyModerate
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The route.
QuitoStart · Start in Quito (2,850m). Head east on the E20 and climb toward the Amazon watershed.
PapallactaScenic Point · Thermal-springs village at 3,300m just below the Continental Divide — the road crests around 4,060m at Paso de la Virgen just above. Soak in volcanic hot pools amid the páramo.
BaezaEnd · Descend into cloud forest to historic Baeza (1,900m), gateway to the Quijos valley and the Amazon.
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