Papallacta

Papallacta is a small village at an altitude of 3,300 metres in Napo Province, Ecuador. The village is located off the Eastern Cordilleras, on the road from Quito into the Amazon rainforest.

The drive from Quito to Papallacta passes through several towns and small villages before ascending to a pass at an elevation of over 4,000 meters, from where mountains and glaciers are visible. Descending from the peak to Papallacta, the ecosystem shifts from alpine to tropical jungle. Several hot springs are located in Papallacta.

Lake Papallacta and its surrounding watershed previously provided much of the drinking water for Quito . In 2003, landslides in the region and the close proximity of the water pipeline and oil pipeline from the Amazon rainforest led to an oil spill.