This is what we did today – click to see Cara’s video of the devils nose train ride
The plan was to take the train from Alausi through the mountains down to Silambe. Its a beautiful ride where the train descends nearly a vertical kilometre in height. Quite impressive given it was built at the turn of the 20th century. Our guide informed us that this makes it the most difficult train line in Ecuador.
Back in the day, when health and safety was something other countries did, the Devil’s Nose train ride was a steam powered affair where the passengers were allowed to sit on the roof of the train’s carriages. Lots of fun but just a tad dangerous, with a solid cliff wall on one side and a sheer drop on the other. These Ecuadoreans like their day trips to be edgy. Inevitably there was the odd fatality, and these days it’s indoor riding only much to Geoff’s disappointment.
We took the 11am train, the weather was sunny with blue skies on the way down. It did start to cloud over on the return journey but this just added to the variety.
The train spends 45 minutes winding down the hillside from Alausi, and you can often see the tracks below you where you’ll be riding soon. There are waterfalls and rivers and gorges, and vertigo inducing drops. The actual descent of the Devil’s Nose is incredible, as the train has to switchback on itself twice in order to get down the, once thought impassable, hillside.
The views are stunning but the photos explain it better than I can. In Silambe there are traditional dancers (bit dodgy), craft stalls, one man with a horse and one with a llama providing photo opportunities. This part is a bit touristy but the trip is spectacular and not to be missed.
Pirate Travels 