Hello Steemians!
Today I want to tell you about the time I visited the famed Swing at the End of the World located in the hills surrounding Tungurahua volcano just outside Baños de Agua Santa in Ecuador. The site is called Casa del Arbol and it contains a small treehouse for seismologists to view Tungurahua and keep track of it's activity. Someone along the way noticed that the tree was atop a steep slope and had the great idea to attach a swing to one of the branches so you could swing out over the canyon and enjoy the view. It has since become a major tourist attraction in Baños and there are loads of ways to get there and experience it for yourself.
Getting There
There are a few ways to get up to the swing like taxis and buses but I am a glutton for punishment and try to travel as cheap as possible so I decided to make the hike up. Everyone told me it was about a 3 hour hike but only a couple kilometers so I figured I would give it a shot after breakfast my first day there. I quickly understood why they said 3 hours for such a short distance,the trail is steep. It starts out with steep stairs up to a religious statue and then continues by trail up past all the various farms until you reach the entrance to the swing. It was amazing to me all the different types of farm they had up in the mountains, massive greenhouses growing fruit and acres of corn fields.
Taking a Ride
It took me the better part of two hours to reach the gate to Casa del Arbol but I made it and the place seemed deserted. The cost was $1USD to enter but I have heard they have raised that to $2 since I was there which is still a fair price. When I walked in I was greeted by a large rolling hill of grass and 80m away was the tree with the swings so I headed right over. There was only two other people there and they were taking lots of pictures so I bought a coffee from the only vendor and sat to rest and wait my turn. When they finished I asked if they would take some pictures and they said of course and off I went! It was pretty much what I expected, just a normal swing over a steep hill, but the views you got were amazing and I loved it all.
Ok so I know the title maybe sounds a bit like clickbait but reading titles like that is what made me get there so I figured I would continue the tradition. The swing is not on the edge of a volcano like some would lead you to believe but Tungurahua is active and the last eruption was in 2014 so the potential is there. Honestly, it's not too different from all the other swings I have been on in my life but the view was amazing and the whole idea behind it is just awesome so if you are ever in Ecuador, check it out. Thanks for reading!