10 Best hot springs of South America

January 22, 2018 SouthAmerica

Unlike other websites that purport having knowledge about this topic, and there are many surfing the web. We are the only ones that have actually written the book on Andean Hot Springs, and we have mastered the geology that causes the hot springs. Most travel guides are not written by geologists, and yet geologists are the ones that most explore the Andes. We go everywhere and have technical knowledge and databases the other guidebook writers do not have idea about. We strongly contend that our compilation of hot springs is backed by more expertise than all other existing reports on the internet. And more than that, we are not here to sell you a travel package, air fare, or a spot advertisement for a hotel, this is about passion for the Andes, its geology, and maximizing enjoyment found in hot springs.

Geometricas, Chile

Geometricas, hidden in a ravine on the northeast flank of the active stratovolcano of Villarica, in southern Chile, takes the best hot spring position in all of South America. Seventeen stone lined irregularly shaped hot spring pools border the cold mountain stream and are connected by raised red-painted wooden walkways. The hot springs have no accommodation, and sits in a natural area free of buildings and crowds. This place is about the essence of hot springs, and does not require dressing up with spa facilities, bars, and other non-core services. Geometricas is the art of hot springs.

Los Pozones, Chile

Los Pozones have very hot clear crystalline water in rustic pools formed in the river terrace to the rushing Rio Liucura. The springs have a bit of a hike, and offers essentially zero services apart from small simple changing huts, but the soak in the wilderness forest does all that the mind and body needs. Los Pozones is located in southern Chile’s Lakes Region, to the east of the town of Pucόn. Many other hot spring venues are within an hour or two drive from here, making a visit to Los Pozones full of other nearby soaking opportunities. Los Pozones is the back to nature experience.

Termas de Coñaripe, Chile

A hot spring resort located in the Llonquen-Liquiñe Canyon. The two outdoor pools have temperatures ranging from 36 to 40 degrees Celsius. The scenery is pleasant; the facility of restaurant and hotel could use improvement. The food in the restaurant was surprisingly good. Termas de Coñaripe make the list also because of numerous other hot springs located along the same canyon, including Trafipan, Pellaifa, Liquiñe, Manquecura, Punulaf, Hipolito Muñoz, and Carranco. This entire rural area of southern Lakes Region in Chile makes for a slower pace exploration far away from the crowded main tourist draws in the country. Go explore hidden canyons in Chile and relax while doing it.

Santa Rosa de Cabal, Colombia

Santa Rosa de Cabal, Colombia’s most famous hot spring, lies south of the town of Manizales on the southern flank of the active volcano Nevado del Ruiz and national park. Several hot springs emerge in the region, but the hotel resort at Santa Rosa de Cabal is tastefully done, and located at the base of a very picturesque waterfall. Because of how popular these springs are it is best to not visit them on a weekend, and to have a reservation if staying at the hotel. Experiencing these hot springs for many in Colombia is a life goal.

Papallacta, Ecuador

This set of hot springs in the Cordillera Oriental, lying directly east of Quito, enjoys a high-mountain rain forest setting. The springs have been developed tastefully with numerous pools with Andean style earth-tone buildings for changing rooms. They have pools of all temperatures to satisfy one’s soaking needs. The mountain stream running through the complex provides contrasting icy waters. Next door is a nicely developed hotel with its own private hot springs and spa. Papallacta is Quechua for the town of the papa, or potato, but it is really more about the hot water.

Baños, Ecuador

The town of Baños sits at the base of the very active Tupungato Volcano, embodying a certain amount of risk visiting them. The town is small, and has plenty of restaurants and bars servicing the tourists coming to use the hot springs. The main hot spring has rather a simple facility, with three large pools, one of which we find actually too hot to spend any time in. The upper terrace pool is the most popular because it sits at the base of a vertical cliff with a high cascade falling right nearby where one is soaking. The scenery is spectacular, the springs are cheap to use, and the town is interesting. The volcano brooding over the canyon to the south provides occasional rumbles shaking the town and ash that can cover the place with little warning. These are the volcano bathes.

Termas de Cacheuta, Argentina

A canyon hot spring resort, located southwest of Mendoza, makes for a perfect detox break from going through the regions wine vineyards. We like the stone bordered rustic style terraced pools with xeriscaping. The hot spring temperature emerges at 61 degrees Celsius, and is piped to a variety of pools with different temperatures. The hot springs has been developed with a small hotel. The resort is only a 40-minute drive from the city center of Mendoza. Cacheuta – fine wine and hot springs.

Copahue hot springs, Argentina

Located in southern Argentina’s province of Neuquén, Copahue is a government run massive hot spring complex developed in a large geothermal field. Outside of the numerous treatment pools, the place is run as a medical facility, are sulfur rich lakes, fumaroles, and volcanic hosted hot spring sites. The closest small town is Loncopue. The mountain air provides those cold mornings that have the hot springs making billowing columns of steam. The hot spring complex is clearly related to the magmatism of the Volcan Capahue, demonstrating that geology is fun.

Colca hot springs lodge, Peru

The Colca hot springs are in the headwaters of the world famous very deep Colca Canyon in southern Peru. This nearly 3,300-meter deep canyon, well-known for soaring Andean condors, is essentially the Grand Canyon of South America (actually, the Grand Canyon is only 1,857 meters deep). The hot springs is located 1 kilometer west of the very small town of Yanque, which is accessed by a long drive from the city of Arequipa. The hotel-resort is upscale with rooms starting at US$150 a night, making use of the terrace hot springs an exclusive venue. If you soak long enough here you may see a condor flying overhead.

Baños del Inca, Peru

The Baños del Inca hot spring complex in northern Peru, at Cajamarca, is marked for its important historical context with use by the kings of the Inca Empire. The hot spring pools are in massive outdoor ponds bordered by raised stone walkways. The actual hot spring complex is housed in a massive building, and the soaking tubs are in windowless rooms that are less than inspiring. The nearby hot springs at the Laguna Seca hotel are more tastefully developed and enjoyable for a soak. It is a place to soak like a king.

The top ten hot springs we have listed were taken from some 300 hot springs that we cover in the book Hot Springs of the Andes. Many of these were picked for the general appeal to the widest audience. In truth, some of the out of the way, smaller and unknown hot springs actually provided a more fulfilling soaking experience, but require four-by-four travel, are remote, have no facilities, and either because of security concerns of difficult travel are not for everyone to attempt visiting. We do have a preference for natural hot springs over those that have been extensively developed. For those doing a lot of travel in South America, the hot springs scattered throughout the Andes adds yet another dimension of relaxation and scenery to other activities, and once one starts exploring the hot springs their pursuit alone can become the purpose for the travel.

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