Ruta de las cascadas
Ruta de las cascadas
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galadiel67
Chiavari, Italy3,794 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
Banos is a humid place and the Ruta de las Cascadas is a must :-). Best done by bike (there are countless places to rent bikes in the village), but not when the weather threatens rain. In fact, we preferred a half-day tour and, at least, we were indoors as much as possible while it rained more and more during the day. But water was the queen of the day. In fact, the Route allows you to touch the valley between Banos and Puyo, famous for its waterfalls, small, large, squat, elongated. The Manto de la Novia and the Pailon del Diablo are the most famous.
We did not return to Banos, but continued to Puyo by bus. If you travel along this road by public transport, as possible, remember that it is very busy. For this reason, the buses will often be full and will not stop to let you on, even if you are waiting for refugees under a small shelter while it is pouring rain.
We did not return to Banos, but continued to Puyo by bus. If you travel along this road by public transport, as possible, remember that it is very busy. For this reason, the buses will often be full and will not stop to let you on, even if you are waiting for refugees under a small shelter while it is pouring rain.

Written February 14, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Martine Billing
Lima, Peru20 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
Riding along the rainforest covered mountains, through tiny villages and passing beautiful waterfalls: this was a great activity!
We spent about 1 1/2 hours all the way from Baños to el Pailon del Diablo (the Devils Caldron), stopping to watch and photograph the breathtaking waterfalls along the way. It’s an easy ride with a slope downhill more or less all the way. I guess you’d spend about 30 minutes if you don’t stop. At the Devils Caldron there are busses waiting so you can bring your bike and skip the uphills getting back to Baños. Two of us went on the bus, while me and another friend biked back. It’s totally doable and we spent about 1 1/2 hours on the way back, but this time without stops.
I would though not recommend this route for travelers with children, elders, etc. You will be biking along the main road where cars and trucks will be passing you, sometimes quite fast and rather close. We mostly felt okay, but you should be cautious and take care. Parts of the way are bike/walking only, but you will have to share the road with cars most of the time. This is why I don’t give the experience a full rating.
The prices vary somewhat depending on who and where you rent from. It may be a good idea to pass by a couple of options and ask when you’re there. We had no problems renting that same day and did not make any reservations for this activity.
We were very happy none the less, and very much enjoyed this active way of seeing and exploring the Ecuadorian part of the Amazon. I would definitely do it again, and recommend it, keeping in mind the caution that should be taken.
We spent about 1 1/2 hours all the way from Baños to el Pailon del Diablo (the Devils Caldron), stopping to watch and photograph the breathtaking waterfalls along the way. It’s an easy ride with a slope downhill more or less all the way. I guess you’d spend about 30 minutes if you don’t stop. At the Devils Caldron there are busses waiting so you can bring your bike and skip the uphills getting back to Baños. Two of us went on the bus, while me and another friend biked back. It’s totally doable and we spent about 1 1/2 hours on the way back, but this time without stops.
I would though not recommend this route for travelers with children, elders, etc. You will be biking along the main road where cars and trucks will be passing you, sometimes quite fast and rather close. We mostly felt okay, but you should be cautious and take care. Parts of the way are bike/walking only, but you will have to share the road with cars most of the time. This is why I don’t give the experience a full rating.
The prices vary somewhat depending on who and where you rent from. It may be a good idea to pass by a couple of options and ask when you’re there. We had no problems renting that same day and did not make any reservations for this activity.
We were very happy none the less, and very much enjoyed this active way of seeing and exploring the Ecuadorian part of the Amazon. I would definitely do it again, and recommend it, keeping in mind the caution that should be taken.
Written January 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Liesel A
Provo, UT8 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
Views were incredible! Worth biking the whole route.
Pro tip: You can bike to the fifth waterfall (the only one where you can swim). Lots of people say you have to walk, but you just continue biking down the road past the Devil's Cauldron, makes it 100x better.
Pro tip: You can go up the left or the right side of Devil's Cauldron. There are two different entrances but they cost the same price. If you go up the right side you can stand underneath a part of the waterfall. This side is not wheelchair accessible--there are lots of stairs and a part where you have to climb/crawl underneath a rocky overhand.
If you go up the left side it is less stairs and you get less wet.
Pro tip: You can bike to the fifth waterfall (the only one where you can swim). Lots of people say you have to walk, but you just continue biking down the road past the Devil's Cauldron, makes it 100x better.
Pro tip: You can go up the left or the right side of Devil's Cauldron. There are two different entrances but they cost the same price. If you go up the right side you can stand underneath a part of the waterfall. This side is not wheelchair accessible--there are lots of stairs and a part where you have to climb/crawl underneath a rocky overhand.
If you go up the left side it is less stairs and you get less wet.
Written October 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hannele J
5 contributions
Jan 2022 • Couples
My partner and I both bike a lot both for transportation and pleasure, but despite our experience found this route extremely unpleasant. It is along a very busy highway. Rather than taking in the beautiful views, we had to concentrate all our energy on either navigating bumpy cobblestones or staying between speeding cars on our left and steep drop offs on our right, all the more difficult on rusty bikes which veered wildly with every gust of wind. If you are going to bike this route, which I don’t recommend, please spend the extra money to rent a good bike.
Written January 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Matt A
Hermosa Beach, CA580 contributions
Jan 2022 • Solo
This is a fun half-dayish activity, although not as fun IMO as climbing Chimborazo or the jungle tour I did.
I rented a bike for $5 in town and rode it to the last waterfall then back to Banos.
Most of the waterfalls are across the canyon and are pretty but not spectacular. El Diablo, at the end, is the exception. There are zip lines, cable cars and other fun things along the route. At El Diablo there is a lot going on.
Riding the bike on the way out was downhill and fun. Yes, you share the road with the traffic but they all know you’re there. I never felt unsafe.
The way back was almost all uphill and was very difficult and not fun. There are trucks at El Diablo that will take you back to Banos, but they said they had to wait for 5 people to go back, or I could pay them $10. I didn’t feel like doing either.
Anyways, this was a fun outing, but given the difficulty of the ride back I wish I had just taken an open-air bus along the route like most people.
I rented a bike for $5 in town and rode it to the last waterfall then back to Banos.
Most of the waterfalls are across the canyon and are pretty but not spectacular. El Diablo, at the end, is the exception. There are zip lines, cable cars and other fun things along the route. At El Diablo there is a lot going on.
Riding the bike on the way out was downhill and fun. Yes, you share the road with the traffic but they all know you’re there. I never felt unsafe.
The way back was almost all uphill and was very difficult and not fun. There are trucks at El Diablo that will take you back to Banos, but they said they had to wait for 5 people to go back, or I could pay them $10. I didn’t feel like doing either.
Anyways, this was a fun outing, but given the difficulty of the ride back I wish I had just taken an open-air bus along the route like most people.
Written January 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Traveling_Doodle
Ecuador74 contributions
Feb 2020
I would do this every time I come to Baños! The falls are amazing. I wasn't brave enough to do the extreme options, but enjoyed watching others do them and riding the tarabitas across the rivers. The short $2 route to the Pailon del Diablo was the way to go and I think even a better view of and behind the falls. Highly recommend doing this trip with Chebas Tour - they are the ones with the two story open air bus. Definitely the way to go!
Written February 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helen S
1 contribution
Feb 2023 • Friends
Really a lot of cars on the highway and the paths is only following this road. There is no cycling lane. We tried it but stopped at the second waterfall because the road became to dangerous and unfortunately very polluted.
I would not recommend it with a bike and next time I would take the bus until the last waterfall and then enjoy it there.
We didn’t get to see the last one in the end :/
We hitch hiked back with our bikes in a pick up.
I would not recommend it with a bike and next time I would take the bus until the last waterfall and then enjoy it there.
We didn’t get to see the last one in the end :/
We hitch hiked back with our bikes in a pick up.
Written February 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cheryl G
149 contributions
Sep 2021
Went on a $5 party bus tour of Ruta de las Cascades. Fabulous drive through rainforest mountains and small villages while stopping to view and photograph the various waterfalls. While El Pailon was most impressive, the others were much smaller and sometimes hard to see.
Written September 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fred G
Milton, Canada571 contributions
Sep 2022
We were a group of sixteen travelers from Canada, and visited the El Diablo waterfall, or the Devil's Cauldron. Is is the province's largest waterfall at 160 feet. We hiked down, down, down across rope bridges, etc, until we arrived at the side of the waterfall. Incredible views there-climbing back up was fairly arduous, use the walking sticks provided at the beginning of the descent.
Written October 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert O
Rotterdam, The Netherlands6,602 contributions
Jan 2020
For me the best way to explore the gorge of the Pastaza river between Banos and Puyo was on foot. There is a trail called the Sendero de los Contrabandistas on the south side of the canyon. It is not well marked, but taking this route gives you an idea of nature and you avoid the tourist traps on the other side of the river.
The seven waterfalls along the road (Banos to Puyo) are sold as a product for tourists. I wonder if people realize that if they take a Chiva tour bus, they contribute to noise and air pollution. Locals in at least one village blocked to road once to protest the noisy illuminated party buses going through their village. If walking is not your thing there is a local (blue) bus on the same route as the Chiva buses, that stops at all the places of interest. Though I am a fanatic cyclist I would not recommend to cycle along the highway. It is not safe and the traffic is horrible. Especially the first tunnel east of Banos is dangerous. The tunnel is now illuminated, but the side of the road is slippery.
The seven waterfalls along the road (Banos to Puyo) are sold as a product for tourists. I wonder if people realize that if they take a Chiva tour bus, they contribute to noise and air pollution. Locals in at least one village blocked to road once to protest the noisy illuminated party buses going through their village. If walking is not your thing there is a local (blue) bus on the same route as the Chiva buses, that stops at all the places of interest. Though I am a fanatic cyclist I would not recommend to cycle along the highway. It is not safe and the traffic is horrible. Especially the first tunnel east of Banos is dangerous. The tunnel is now illuminated, but the side of the road is slippery.
Written February 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How much is the chiva bus roundtrip from the city to the Cascada Pailon de Diablo??
Written February 15, 2018
Between 4 dollars and 6 dollars
It depends were you buy the tickets I recommend to go with cheabas tour is a minibus with seats on the top of the mini bus
Written February 16, 2019
hola y como llegas a ese lugar "las palmas "
cuanto cuestan aprox ? es con guia ?
gracias
Written January 3, 2018
La ruta de las cascadas es en la ciudad de baños, que a su vez llegas en autobús q salen desde quito, las bicicletas las alquilas en el mismo pueblo y es una sola ruta bien señalizada, al final del tramo hay camiones q te cobran por cargar tu bicicleta y subirte de nuevo hasta la ciudad de baños y no hacer el tramite de regreso de subida, sin duda una excelente alternativa
Written January 3, 2018
Hola, voy a Quito desde Santiago de Chilea fines de junio por 8 dias (28/06 al 05/07) en avion, ida y vuelta. Quisiera conocer el Pailon del Diablo y la Casa en el árbol, que ruta podria hacer para optimizar el viaje, tengo planeado estar 1 noche en Quito y de ahi recorrer, gracias!
Written April 16, 2017
En Quito tienes varias cosas para visitar la Mitad el Mundo, La Ronda, el Centro y su arquitectura. Creo que una noche es poco, revisalo. Cerca de ahí está Otavalo es un Mercado al aire libre genial, sobretodo si te gusta la artesania. Yo fui a Baños desde San Miguel de Bolivar pasando por Ambato. Baños es imperdible, sí o sí, debes visitarlo. Lo demás dependerá de tus gustos. San Miguel es un pueblito en la Sierra, nada especial. Pero si quieres comprar cosas de cuero baratas debes ir a Quisapincha. Es una calle larga tipo Valle Hermoso en La Ligua. Ahora, saliendo desde Baños está Riobamba que dicen es la puerta al Amazonas en donde está el Diente del Diablo, un viaje en tren que para los pelos. Y Cuenca la ciudad blanca. Espero disfrutes tu viaje. Ecuador es maravilloso. Si te mareas con facilidad, lleva algo que te ayude. Las rutas son perfectas, pero siempre subes y bajas montañas. Siempre es en circulo.
Written April 17, 2017
Hola soy Lorena y viajo a baños desde Colombia y quiero saber si puedo ir en carro particular desde baños hasta el pailon del diablo.. Gracias por la información que me pueden guiar
Written April 3, 2017
Sí, se puede. Es cerca y el camino es pavimentado. Ahora si hablas de rentar un auto, no sé si hay oficinas en Baños que lo hagan.
Written April 3, 2017
Sii!! Saben estaba mal ! Primero
Es hacer Baños! Después Cuenca ! Planeo dormir una noche en quito, bajar a baños en bus ( hay directos!? Y q precios tienen?) y de baños ir a Cuenca ! ( cuantos buses y donde hay q tomar y q precios tienen?) y en Cuenca tmb quedarme una noche. Y de ahí como puedo hacer en bus para llegar a Lima ! Ese es el plan ! Aunque me habían dicho q es llegar a tumbes y de ahí tomar uno que se llama la cruz del sur q son los mejores ! Y ese es mi recorrido en Ecuador! Plisss ayuda !! Si saben de hostales u hoteles
Económicos bonitos y cuáles son las líneas de buses q hay q tomar en Ecuador se los agradecería !!!
Written February 17, 2017
Te puedo hablar de Baños. Nosotros viajamos Quito-Ambato porque nuestros amigos viven ahí y luego Ambato-Baños. Los buses hacia Baños son básicos, de ruta diaria, no turisticos o bonitos como tu quieres, pero descentes. En Quito hay dos Terminales de Buses Quitumbe que va al centro y sur de Ecuador y Carcelén que va al norte del país. La infraestructura es buena y puedes encontrar bonitos y a un precio razonable. Ya no recuerdo el precio, pero en general no es caro viajar en bus por Ecuador. En Baños alojamos en La Petite Auberge sin tener reserva. Nos guiamos por las sugerencias de Lonely Planet. Pasamos a ver uno antes y seguimos en busca de la sugerencia. Nos gustó porque es una posada linda y el precio era razonable. Pero, en general, hay variedad de acuerdo al presupuesto y gusto. Baños es precioso. Tienes que hacer la Ruta de las Cascadas (US6 el tour en bus) que te lleva por las tarabitas (carritos que cruzan el rio) y termina con el Pailón del Diablo y en donde, además, puedes hacer canopy. el más largo de America 1 Km. (US15)visitar la Casa en Arbol (US4) te llevan, te esperan y te traen de regreso y a la piscina termal que hay en la ciudad. No las Termas de la Virgen. Otra donde el agua es caliente y no va tanta gente. Buen viajes.. Ecuador es encantador.
Written February 17, 2017
Hola ! Viajeros !! Saben? Viajo a finales de Marzo a Colombia pero la idea es ir bajando hasta Perú! Entonces llegaría a tumbes para visitar el cementerio, bajo a quito y ahí me quedo una noche ! Al
Día siguiente la idea es seguir a Cuenca tmb solo una noche, pero aquí pregunto puedes dormir en Cuenca e ir a baños? O es forzoso ir y estar una noche en baños? ... y de ahí q Ruta es la
Q debo de seguir para irme enfilando hacia la frontera con Perú !??
Written February 16, 2017
Hola cómo está? si viaja a Quito, puedes visitar primero Baños para hacer la ruta de las cascadas, de Quito a Baños está a tres horas en coche propio, la rutas de las cascadas se hace en dos a tres horas si querés conocer bien puedes quedarte a dormir en Baños, sales de Baños, Ambato. De Ambato coge la vía Riobamba a Cuenca, si van con tiempo puedes conocer Riobamba, pasas por Collta, Guamote si tienes tiempo puedes coger el tren hacia Alausi, y continua así Chunchi, Azogues, Cuenca . en Azogues encuentra las ruinas de Ingapirca. Se hospedan al siguiente día pueden continuar el viaje . De Cuenca hasta Machala, si tiene tiempo pueden visitar las playas en puerto Bolívar, en Jambeli pasas por diferentes cantones llegas Santa Rosa , Arenilla hasta Haquilla es la fronteras con Perú, paso de frontera y continua hasta Tumbes . Si viajas con coche propio , pero si vas en bus, toma el bus que diga Baños desde el terminal terrestre Quitumbe llegas a Baños. aprovecha el tiempo, toma la Chiva que te hacen la ruta de las cascadas el precio es económico. Puedes hacer diferentes actividades. coge el bus de Baños a Riobamba en Riobamba coge el bus a Cuenca de la ciudad de Cuenca puedes tomar un bus directo a Huaquillas .Las carreteras están muy bien, Ecuador es muy hermoso .
Written February 16, 2017
Hola, en breve haré para en baños. la excursión de las cascadas incluye el pailon del diablo??? es todo en el mismo día??
Muchas gracias amigos
Written February 3, 2017
Casi para entrar al Paulina cobran, no recuerdo bien cuánto pero es poco. Y si, es por el mismo camino
Written February 3, 2017
hola marcela recuerdas cuenta cuesta el tour en chiva?
Written January 9, 2017
Hola, buenos días. Voy a Baños en Febrero pero solo disponfo de 1 dia entero y una tarde. Quería saber si la ruta de las cascadas se puede hacer en auto ypara bajar al pailon del diablo se lo puede hacer caminando previamente estacionando el auto antes. Cuanto tiempo me tomará hacer el Pailon?
Muchas gracias por la info que me puedan dar.
Written December 30, 2016
Hola, la ruta si se puede hacer en auto, y en casi todos los miradores de las cascadas hay buen lugar para parquear, incluso en el pailon, el tiempo de bajada al pailon no recuerdo muy bien pero es más oenos una hora, es un plan recomendadisimo.
Written December 31, 2016
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