January 13 – Banos, Pastaza River Gorge, Lahars, on to Lloa

This morning we started by wandering through the church in the square in Banos, it has pictures depicting disasters that have affected the area. Then it was down to the Pastaza River gorge, crossing on a cable car and rickety bridge, but had great views of the metamorphic rocks, columnar joints and waterfalls. After lunch we headed back up river stopping to examine a huge lahar deposit from the 2006 eruption of Tungarahua volcano.

The evening found us in the small town of Lloa on the flanks of Gua Gua Pachincha volcano at a beautifully restored farm house called L’Antigua.