Ecuador Travel

Devil's Nose

Devil's Nose

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Overview

Ecuador has an unusual attraction that is recommended to most visitors in the form of a train ride. But this is no ordinary train journey. This is a train ride on La Nariz del Diablo, or, the “Devil’s Nose”. The hill through which the train’s rails descend is known by this name. The hill is almost vertical and it was a tremendous obstacle to overcome during the building of the railway.

When the train is running, the journey starts in Riobamba. Heading south, the train passes through beautiful farmlands and interesting traditional villages before its arrival at Alausi. At Alausi, the train begins to descend. Just passing Alausi, is the “Devil’s Nose” itself. It is sometimes though not always possible to sit on the top of the train carriages to get better views of the countryside and of the train itself passing through each of the switchbacks on its descent.

The hill is at a gradient of one in 18, and the train journey descends from 2346 down to 1860 meters above sea level, as it traverses backward and forward through the zigzags that make up the Devil’s Nose trip. Sometimes the route is too complicated for the train and it will derail from the tracks. In this instance, the engineers usually manage to get things underway again relatively quickly. This is ingenious, in the same way that the building of the train line also was. These days, Quito is no longer connected to Guayaquil by rail and this train ride serves as an opportunity for tourism, which should not be missed.

Following a trip on the train, passengers usually stay and visit Alausi or travel back to Riobamba. This town is quiet and laid back with not much going on. However, travelers may enjoy being the only tourist in town on days when the train is not running. In addition to this, there is a statue of St Peter which is found at the outskirts of the town and overshadows the town itself. Near this statue there is a hill which provides spectacular views of the town and its surroundings. Hiking up to this statue provides the visitor with viewpoints that are not to be missed. In addition to this, Alausi is the point from which hikers will usually pick up transportation to Achupallas, the starting point of the famous Inca Trail to Ingapirca hike, heading to the most important Inca ruins in Ecuador.

Travelers should not expect a variety of accommodations in the town of Alausi. There are a few small hotels. The restaurants that exist here all serve Ecuadorian food, and there are some bars. There is also a bank and some small stores.

The Devil's Nose railway is currently undergoing an extensive overhaul. There is rebuilding of the railway and work on the steam locomotives and stations. The process started in 2009 and the whole project will last for two years. The Devil’s Nose route will be available once again on February 1, 2011. And its route will take place from Tuesday to Sunday at 7AM, 11AM and 3PM, including holidays. Please,call 1800 TRENES or (02)399-2100 ext. 1161 for more information.

Highlights

Switchbacks – the switchbacks on the Devil’s Nose take the train from the top of a steep hill down to the bottom. The locomotive heads forwards and backwards down the incline. Travelers should be sure to take their cameras to get lots of photos of this unusual journey.

Andean countryside – The route from Riobamba to Alausi and onwards through the Devil’s Nose part of the train ride is spectacularly beautiful, passing through vast areas of desolate and remote countryside, in addition to sections that are made up largely of farmland. The views vary along the way, so visitors should be sure to keep looking.

Traditional villages and lifestyles – along the Devil’s Nose train ride, travelers can enjoy viewing traditional villages and rural life as it has been lived for many centuries. Visitors can see local people farming and going about their daily business. In many cases, children will run alongside the train, hoping for some sweets to be dropped for them.

Alausi – this little town at both the beginning and the end of the actual Devil’s Nose portion of the ride is a typical town in the Ecuadorian Central Andes highlands. The pace of life here is slow and relatively peaceful, especially on non-train days, allowing visitors the opportunity to wander and get a good feel for how people here live today. Alausi is the point of connection between the Coast and the Sierra. The town maintains its architecture from the 19th century in its historical downtown which includes houses with decorative balconies. It is preferable to visit the town on a Sunday due to the fact that a fair takes place here on that day.

Riobamba – located at the very start of the train journey that ultimately ends up at the Devil’s Nose, Riobamba is worth spending a couple of hours wandering around. Here it is possible to visit interesting churches and small museums before embarking on the train journey. Many travelers stay overnight in this town, the night before their train journey which starts early in the morning.

Chimborazo – looming high above much of the countryside in this area is Chimborazo, Ecuador’s highest mountain and the closest point to the sun on the earth, given its proximity to the Equator and towering height. This snow capped giant can be visited the day before taking the train. It is possible to get up to the refuge and wander around admiring the views or stay overnight in very pleasant hosterias in the area. Llamas and alpacas are in residence in this area.

Getting There

To get there, travelers should first head to the Quitumbe bus terminal to the south of Quito. This is accessible either by taking a taxi directly to the terminal, a journey of half an hour at a cost of $10 or so, or alternatively taking the Trolebus to its final stop and alighting for the terminal. The cost of this route is $0.25. Allow an hour on the Trole.

From the southern terminal, a bus can be taken in the direction of Riobamba or Alausí. This is four or five hours south of Quito (to Riobamba) or five or six hours south of Quito (to Alausi). The bus will head there via Latacunga and Ambato before arriving in Riobamba. The bus will sometimes head onward to Alausi. The journey will cost approximately $5-8. Sometimes passengers will need to change buses in Riobamba to continue the on-bound journey to Alausí, if they prefer to start the train trip in this sleepy town.