Daniel the guide made the trip a special one. Passionate about birds, nature and conservation , Daniel shared information and knowledge about the sites during the drive from Quito , and on the Birding hike. At the hot-springs he made sure we were checked in properly and gave us a quick tour of the facilities. Throughout the day he made sure we were comfortable and that the pace was ok for us . I will also add he ia a very good and careful driver.

I’m a solo female traveler, just to sort that out. I had a brilliant day. We left early for the bird watching. My guide Daniel was fabulous & incredibly knowledgeable. We saw 24 species of birds including 8 species of hummingbirds (both male & female). The hot springs were great, I had a massage. I’d do this again in a heartbeat. Thank you!!

Daniel was a great tour guide. He’s a keen birder and his enthusiasm for the bird life was wonderful. The springs were wonderfully relaxing. Lie back in the warm waters and look up and see the stunning surrounds.

Christian was a great tour guide—knew lots about Quito as we drive through it. The Hot Springs were nicer than expected. If you have extra time, book a massage there. The spa area is world class.

Top notch guide. He knew where to take you, gave you tips on what to look for, informed you of the various plants and it’s medicinal value. Very educational tour.

We picked this tour as we wanted to visit Papallacta, but wanted to do so safely. It was a great choice!! Daniel was an excellent driver. Very safe and we felt looked after. He picked us up from our hotel at the time agreed, and gave us some interesting facts about Quito and Ecuador as we drove, was very interesting to find out more. His English was very good (which is great, as we don’t speak much Spanish, to our shame). Drive was just over an hour - up some beautiful mountains , the scenery is stunning. We did the spa first on a Saturday - although I think Daniel may vary this depending on business and the day. The spa - amazing. Price of entry is not included - it was about $25 each. We also paid an extra $50 each for a massage which was well worth it! We had a hot chocolate at the cafe too (lunch was available for those who want it). Surprising recommendation - try the hot chocolate with cheese!!! I did not expect to love it, but surprisingly tasty. We then went to the hummingbird reserve. Originally I wasn’t too fussed by this, not a big bird watcher - but it is amazing. Beautiful birds all around, a glimpse of the Amazon. It’s a great experience. Entry to this was included, so no extra cost. Daniel then drove us back to our hotel where he dropped us, around 3pm. Perfectly safe and reliable. Some tips - it can be rainy in the mountains for the bird reserve, it’s the edge of the rainforest, worth taking a waterproof with you (we didn’t, so couldn’t do the small hike at bird watching). Take some water, I didn’t see many opportunities to get any so would recommend taking some. Maybe take a plastic bag or something to store wet bathing suit after the spa! We didn’t think about this so ended up with a slightly wet bag. Brilliant day trip, well worth it.

We saw so many incredible birds in the beautiful preserve and hot springs: sword billed hummingbird, green jay, masked flowepiercer, collared Inca hummingbird, and many more. The guide, Christian, knew the area and the country inside and out. We learned so much and soaked in all the natural beauty. We’d definitely book again!

Daniel was very informative and a great guide! He accommodated our drop off location and went out of his way to make sure we had a great experience.

Terrific birding in the morning followed by relaxing time in the gorgeous hot springs. Hummingbirds galore and relatively few people at Papallacta!

Christian was great. He did a great job educating us about Ecuador. He shared personal as well as cultural values. Papallacta was absolutely fabulous and the bird sanctuary was a simple taste of nature. Saw several types of birds and many types of hummingbirds. The drive was not too long and fun to see the countryside.

Daniel was incredibly informative and knowledgeable. Seemed to really know his birds, including the English names. He also made special stops after I asked about a few specific birds. I would take a tour again with him in heartbeat!

Cristian shared with us the history and geographical information of Ecuador. He made sure that the tour met our expectations and beyond. We were luck to see the torrent ducklings. He was willing to drop us off at the old town for some chocolates at the end of the tour. A wonderful tour guide.

As soon as I booked the tour, I was contacted immediately with the pickup details. Once I mentioned that our primary interest was in birding, they offered to pick us up early as birding is an early morning activity. So, instead of the usual 8:30AM pickup, they offered to come at 6:30AM. We were thrilled! And our guide Christian Pabon arrived well before 6:30AM in a very clean SUV. Christian is an excellent guide, very knowledgeable about everything Ecuador as well as birding. And top of that, a very nice guy. He is a very careful driver and my wife didn't get carsick at the back on the windy roads. We lucked out with a very clear day and were amazed to see the beautiful Cotopaxi as we were leaving Quito. Christian pulled over safely in couple of places to allow us to take photographs of the magnificent snow-capped Cotopaxi and we were lucky again in sighting the snow-packed Antisana volcano as well. We arrived at the Guango Lodge at 8:10AM, had coffee (it is included free with the entry fee that was already included in the tour cost). Very beautiful dining area and the hummingbirds here seem to even more fearless than other places. The lodge fitted us with long boots to deal with the muddy terrain for the bird watching hike. It is a very large reserve with well maintained paths (bring walking sticks if you have them, we had left ours at home). We walked and stopped to photograph birds for 3.5 hrs and walked about 4 Kms. We photographed and recorded 22 new birds for us which is a good day for us. Many tanagers, treecreepers, woodpeckers, hummingbirds, jay, cotinga, flowerpiercer, and a pair of Torrent ducks on the riverside. Christian took us to the Termas Papallacta Spa for lunch where we had a wonderful lunch together. The food and service was excellent. We were lucky to find a couples deep tissue massage slot on a busy Sunday without prior reservation ($58 per head). Since we had some time in between, we paid for the hot springs pools ($23 per head) to dipped into all the four pools. They looked packed, but you can find enough space to enjoy. The massage was one of the best we have ever had and our masseurs Milka and Rosa were excellent! After the massage, we stopped by the lake nearby on our way back to Quito and we spotted an Andean Gull nesting on top of a rock in the middle of the lake! Highly recommend the entire tour, Christian Pabon and Llamingo Tours.

Daniel is a terrific guide. His English is excellent and his knowledge of history, Ecuadorian current affairs, and nature is extensive. So many species of bird are living in the cloud forest reserve. Daniel stopped to show us the many types of orchid and bromeliads growing on the trees. He supplied binoculars which was very helpful. The hot springs are very clean and well maintained. We opted for the spa area and booked the best massages we’ve had in years. We did not bother with the less expensive and more crowded general pools. Thank you Daniel for a wonderful day. Tomorrow we return home fully relaxed and grateful.

Had a fun trip with Daniel! We learned a lot, and the area and wildlife are beautiful. Bring your sunglasses and suncreen for the spa!

This tour was a wonderful experience. Daniel, our guide, was so knowledgeable and personable! We learned a lot about the area, as well as about Ecuador in general, including its geography and history. Daniel helped us spy many beautiful hummingbirds in the Guango Reserve, but even just the walk through the cloud forest was beautiful. And the hot springs were of course lovely and relaxing. Very clean facility with beautiful landscaping. We wholeheartedly recommend this tour.

The ride from Quito provided great views. The hot springs were great and just what was needed after days of travel. Had a great massage as well. The facility was fantastic with a great restaurant. Our guide Daniel was knowledgeable and full of useful facts. Carla and I can’t say enough great things about Daniel - he ROCKS!

It was a relaxing way to end out vacation and our guide was a knowledgeable birder, but we weren't lucky enough to see many birds, besides hummingbirds.

Daniel, our guide, arrived promptly at our accommodation in a clean modern car. He was very knowledgeable about the birds in the areas that we visited and made adjustments to the itinerary to cater for our interests. We also enjoyed the stop at the bird sanctuary where there were facilities for refreshments. The time at the thermal springs was a relaxing break in the middle of a busy tour. Thank you Daniel for a great day.

Our guide, Daniel, was fantastic. He showed up on time to our hotel. He was friendly, experienced, knowledgeable, and courteous. The tour was most enjoyable and memorable tour. After an about 1.5 hours drive, we first stopped at the Guango Birdwatching Reserve. A low-key lodge that is next to the Papallacta River, about 150 ft. below. We hiked down to the river (we first put on rubber boots to protect our shoes. The boots were available at the lodge). During the short hike, Daniel provided ample description of the birds and plants along the way. We had some relaxing moments afterwards at the lodge with cookies and coffee. We then drove to the main attraction: the Papallacta hot springs. The complex was far above my expectations. It was well managed and organized. The six pools were clean, soothing, quiet with no loud noise. We had lunch in there: clean, well-prepared food at reasonable price. The site, overall, is on par with the Blue Lagoon in Iceland with about one fifth of the cost! It was a majestic and memorable tour.