(Hot) Showers

A quick shower is all you need!

In general, water on the Quilotoa Loop is a very scarce resource. Water comes from the high altitude paramo and is recollected into a big water tank above the villages from where it is channeled through pipes to most houses. The water system is fragile and leaks often occur in which case houses are left without water until the leak is found and repaired. In dry season when water levels in the tank are especially low, regular water cuts are common during specific hours each day during sometimes long periods of time. In case of regular water cuts, your accommodation will advise you the best time to take your shower.

Most accommodations will also have collected enough water in big tanks for you to wash your hands and flush the toilet.

Llullu Llama Mountain Lodge and the Black Sheep Inn are the only lodges on the Quilotoa Loop that have built their own water reservoirs to guarantee a hot shower at each time in the day, even during water cuts! These two accommodations also make use of dry composting toilets that do not use water at all and offer a hygienic solution in case there is no water, while at the same time preserving liters of water to be wasted in a regular toilet.

Most accommodations will offer a hot water shower, but due to general low water pressure it can often take several minutes to heat up, so be patient when taking your shower. Water is heated with gas tanks, so often when a shower is not heating up like it should, it’s just a question of informing staff to change the gas tank. Please take only quick showers – this way the villagers will not be affected by your visit and have enough water to use to irrigate their land!