A while ago I started seeing pictures everywhere from this spectacular “Swing at the end of the world” in Ecuador. I found it on many lists of “places to visit before you die“, and posts of that sort. So naturally, I put it on my bucket list. Not knowing just how soon I would find myself in Ecuador swinging from it.
Some sites mentioned that it wasn’t really well advertised because of how dangerous it could be and whatnot. Well, I have two good news:
1) I found it
2) Is not as dangerous as they make it out to be
But the view is still pretty breathtaking, and the pictures turn out amazing.
What is it?
It all started with a geophysicist called Carlos Sanchez. He devoted himself to keep an eye on the active volcano Tungurahua in order to warn and protect his town of Baños. Since he was living all by himself studying the volcano, he decided to put up a swing hanging from the platform he used as a monitoring base. So this way his grandchildren would have somewhere to play when they came to visit him.
And of course, when people found out about the swing with a majestic view of an active volcano, it became an instant sensation.
How to get there?
This famous swing is located at Casa del Arbol in the city of Baños, Ecuador. Which is about a 3 hours drive from Quito. To actually get to the swing we purchased it as an activity with a small adventure agency in the center of Baños.
How much?
I don’t remember the exact amounts, but the drive there must have costed us around 5-8 USD. Then once you arrive at Casa del Arbol you have to pay 1-2 USD for entrance. So still pretty budget-friendly, like most activities are in Ecuador.
Is it dangerous?
Not at all. With the right photo angle is very easy to give the illusion that you are swinging right over a cliff. But in reality, you can see is a not-so-steep grass hill going down. So really, no one’s life is at risk. But I still love the drama that the name gives it. It definitely adds to the curiosity.
My experience
The day we got there was pretty cloudy and it even rained for a little while. So we did not get a clear view of the legendary Tungurahua. The wind helped us for a moment and cleared up the sky to let the sunshine through. But that’s life, sometimes you see active volcanoes in front of you, sometimes you don’t. Either way, with temperamental weather or not, the view was beautiful. I can imagine that on a good day the view must be spectacular!
But in case you are looking for a more adventurous swing, I would highly recommend its swing brother “The flight of the condor“. They are a few minutes away from each other so might as well, right?
Happy travels!
If you are heading to Ecuador, these might also interest you:
10 Things You Should Know Before Visiting Ecuador
5 Things You Need To Do While Visiting Quito, Ecuador