Riobamba Travel Guide

 
by BE001903
 
  •   Things to Do
    by BE001903
  •   Things to Do
    by BE001903
  •   Riobamba
    by calcaf38
  • Church in Riobamba
      Church in Riobamba
    by namastedc
  • View from the road outside Riobamba
      View from the road outside Riobamba
    by namastedc
 

Explore Riobamba

Things to Do  

Nariz del Diablo

Nariz del Diablo, Riobamba

 BE001903 Says:  When we were there in June 2008 we had tickets for the Nariz del Diablo. We decided not to go though as the train only drives a short trip to Palmyra. You can ride the train sitting on the roof again (it was forbidden for a while due to an accident ). But for this experience... 

Walk About Town

Walk About Town, Riobamba

 lemondrop Says:  The town of Riobamba is not loaded with must see sights by any means, but there are a few nice little parks and such. 

Admire the View of Mighty Chimborazo

Admire the View of Mighty Chimborazo, Riobamba

 lemondrop Says:  You can't escape this snowy monster 

TRAIN RIDE TO NARIZ DEL DIABLO

TRAIN RIDE TO NARIZ DEL DIABLO, Riobamba

 swesn Says:  From Riobamba, there is a train ride to the famous stretch of track called 'El Nariz del Diablo', or the Devil's Nose. The train departs early in the morning, at 7am, and as Riobamba is at quite a high altitude (my friend told me Riobamba is also known as Friobamba - 'frio'... 

Admire the Monuments by Night

Admire the Monuments by Night, Riobamba

 calcaf38 Says:  I was too late to enjoy the classic part of the town by daylight, but the monuments were well lit, and the night was very inviting. 

Interesting Architecture

Interesting Architecture, Riobamba

 calcaf38 Says:  The elegant early XX Century buildings have been given sorbet colors in the commercial part of the city. At twilight time, the town comes to life. 

Iglesia de San Antonio

Iglesia de San Antonio, Riobamba

 calcaf38 Says:  This handsome church appears to be very active. It is beautifully illuminated at night. 

The Views from Parque 21 de Abril

The Views from Parque 21 de Abril, Riobamba

 calcaf38 Says:  I arrived there a bit late, and the day was cloudy, but I could still distinguish the profiles of the surrounding volcanoes. 

Nariz del Diablo

Nariz del Diablo, Riobamba

 LizontheMove Says:  If you are in Riobamba, the only thing to do is the Nariz del Diablo train ride (sitting on the roof of course), and I think it was worth it. Buy your ticket ($15) the day before from the main station (but beware, it shuts at 4pm- then you have to get up super early to buy... 

Hotels  

Abraspungo

 1 Review and 48 Opinions  Hacienda Abraspungo is a bueatifully-restored farmhouse on the outskirts of Riobamba. Only a $3 cab... 

Montecarlo

 3 Reviews and 9 Opinions  The Montecarlo is by no means luxury, but perfectly fine if you're not too picky. The location is... 

Restaurants  

Pizzeria San Valentin: Where the Action(and Pizza) is

Pizzeria San Valentin: Where the Action(and Pizza) is, Riobamba

 lemondrop Says:  This is a very popular place and often fills up with happy customers. The menu is mostly pizzas(tasty) and mexican selections. Lots of music and beer drinking going on. Locals like to have birthday parties here too. The Veg-out Pizza 

Nightlife  

El Tentadero, San Valentin: Clubs on La Avenida

El Tentadero, San Valentin: Clubs on La Avenida, Riobamba

 SivanG Says:  El Tentadero- good mix of salsa, merengue, reggaeton (spanish hiphop), and some occasional American music. Good place, cover about $2-3, usually with free drinks.San Valentin- a ten second walk from El Tentadero, it's a good place to do some predancing drinking/ postdancing... 

Transportation  

BUS TO CUENCA FROM ALAUSI

BUS TO CUENCA FROM ALAUSI, Riobamba

 swesn Says:  If you take the train to Nariz del Diablo, you can hop off at Alausi on the way back after experiencing the famous switchbacks and catch a bus from there to Cuenca.In fact, there may be a guy selling bus tickets while you are on the roof of the train. I don't know about bus... 

As Always, by Bus

As Always, by Bus, Riobamba

 calcaf38 Says:  I was told, in Pelileo (near Patate), to wait for a bus to Riobamba. But all the buses from Baños that stopped in Pelileo were going to Ambato. So I hopped on a bus to Ambato, and asked to be let off at the Paso Lateral, some kind of transfer point where you can get a bus to... 

Local Customs  

the Indigenos are not on exhibit for tourists...

the Indigenos are not on exhibit for tourists..., Riobamba

 jglsongs Says:  One thing that I did see in the small towns and markets of Ecuador - tourists seeing the indigenous people (mainly the women with their distinct hats and clothes) and snapping pictures of them as if they were in a wax museum.These are people - locals - you are their guest.... 

What to Pack  

Damn, it gets cold

Damn, it gets cold, Riobamba

 SivanG Says:   Sweaters! Lots of them. I brought 2 sweatshirts and lots of longsleeved shirts- I was in a constant state of being frozen. I recommend several sweatshirts and lots of fleece, a good hat, scarves, etc. for nighttime. During the day its usually nice but at night I was cold. 

Cold and rain gear

Cold and rain gear, Riobamba

 wildcanary Says:   You will want to go to the more remote places. Make sure to bring good gore tex rain gear, excellent hiking shoes. Remember that you are at altitude. The moment the sun goes down it is very cold. Do not spoil your trip. Be prepared and enjoy. Bring everything that you... 

Off The Beaten Path  

La Nariz del Diablo - Loco'motive

La Nariz del Diablo - Loco'motive, Riobamba

 cybergenic Says:  Devils Nose VidThe train departs very early from Riobamba (7.30am from memory) for this famous train journey to Alausi, called La Nariz del Diablo because of one section where the train has to get down a virtually sheer cliff face, which is supposed to resemble a nose.The... 

Visit the Town of Guano

Visit the Town of Guano, Riobamba

 namastedc Says:  Guano is a little town about 30 minutes away from Riobamba. If you are in Riobamba for the train ride, Guano is a nice side trip you can do in a morning.Guano is known for two products - sisel carpets and leather products. You will have to shop around to find quality in... 

Favorites  

Watch the people...:-)

Watch the people...:-), Riobamba

 Schmudi Says:

Nice town in the Andes Mountains

Nice town in the Andes Mountains, Riobamba

 metteks Says:  Although my visit to and my memories of Riobamba is influenced by the fact that I had my camera stolen on the bus, I still liked the town. I liked it even more, when I found a place to buy a new camera. The town has some nice plazas and impressive buildings and churches. 

The Place

Plan a Riobamba vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Riobamba locals

Experience Riobamba
  •   40 Tips and Reviews
  •  152 Photos
  Share your Travels  
Map of Riobamba
 

The People

4 Members Live Here
 
Our Members Say
 profile photo

 An extraordinary trip in the mountains of the Andes.If you want to see more - go to my travelogues. 

4 members live in Riobamba

 

Questions and Answers

claurenarnold profile photo

Q:  i am planning on going on the nariz del diablo trip with my sister on the 24th of december, but i am not sure if it would make... 

onebadcat profile photo

A: Did the trip today and was less than impressed! Not sure if you really want to come all the way from Quito just for this? We left the station at 6:40 (ahead of... 

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Top Riobamba Writers

1

One Night in Rio... bamba that is

calcaf38 profile photo

 Conventional wisdom states that Riobamba is a dreary town where one has to spend one night in order to catch the famous train early the following day. My experience was quite the opposite. I am glad... 

2

Riobamba

jglsongs profile photo

 ...and the gateway to the high sierra, Riobamba is often shadowed by nearby BaƱos, but it's a good home base for exploring the area. (It's more than just the Nariz del Diablo train station) 

3

Riobamba - a quiet town in the Andes

namastedc profile photo

 Riobamba is a nice place to stop for a night if you find yourself traveling through the Ecuadorian Andes. The town isn't as compact as Ambato, and not as big as Cuenca. Sure, there is less to do,...... 

4

Riobamba

metteks profile photo

 I've got some interesting experiences in Riobamba. I'd love to share with you the 2 tips I've written, the 3 photos uploaded, and 0 travelogues I've created. 

5

Riobamba: Your Base in the Chimborazo Province

lemondrop profile photo

 I've got some interesting experiences in Riobamba. I'd love to share with you the 4 tips I've written, the 25 photos uploaded, and 2 travelogues I've created. 

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