Information
Landmark: Cascada de Baños (Baños Waterfall)City: Banos
Country: Ecuador
Continent: South America
Cascada de Baños (Baños Waterfall), Banos, Ecuador, South America
Overview
The Cascada de Baños-also called the Baños Waterfall or Cascada de la Virgen-tumbles in a white rush at the heart of Baños de Agua Santa, a favorite getaway in Ecuador’s Tungurahua province.The waterfall crashes into a misty pool, drawing visitors from miles around with its breathtaking beauty and deep cultural roots.Highlights of Cascada de Baños 1, where cool mist clings to your skin.The Cascada de Baños sits only minutes from the heart of Baños de Agua Santa, so visitors can stroll over and hear the rush of its water in no time.It sits at the base of the Tungurahua Volcano, where rushing water spills into the Río Pastaza and deepens the scene’s raw, dramatic beauty.Just beside the waterfall, there’s a favorite lookout where you can watch the water crash and glitter as it falls down the cliffs.A viewing bridge stretches over the waterfall, where you can feel the mist on your face and take in the view from a whole new angle.Number two.The Cascada de Baños plunges roughly 80 meters-about 262 feet-sending a roaring curtain of water into the pool below.From October to April, when heavy rains swell the river, the waterfall surges with force, its roar echoing off the slick, mossy rocks.The Río Pastaza, born high in the misty Andes, feeds it as it winds down toward the wide, green sweep of the Amazon Basin.Three.Virgin Waterfall, or Cascada de la Virgen, takes its name from the tiny white chapel at its base, built in honor of the Virgin Mary.Locals often make the trip to this chapel, treating it as a place of pilgrimage, sometimes leaving flowers at its worn stone steps.Mist from the waterfall drifts through the air, cool against your skin, wrapping the place in a quiet, almost sacred feeling.What to Do at Cascada de Baños 1 - from feeling the cool mist on your face to exploring the trails nearby.Along the path to the waterfall, you’ll find several lookout spots where the falls roar in the distance and the green valley stretches wide beneath you.Visitors can snap photos of the roaring waterfall, its mist cooling the air, and the dense green foliage wrapped around it.The waterfall’s cool mist often bends the sunlight into a faint rainbow, perfect for a quick, stunning snapshot.Number two.Stop by the Chapel of the Virgin, tucked near the base of the waterfall where the air smells of mist and moss.Locals and travelers alike step inside this small church to pay their respects, the scent of old wood lingering in the air, and it remains a cornerstone of the region’s cultural and spiritual life.Three.The waterfall sits in a lush tropical setting, where winding trails lead you through orchids, soft green moss, and towering trees, their leaves whispering in the breeze.If you’re feeling adventurous, follow the Route of the Waterfalls, a winding path where spray from dozens of falls cools your face.Number four sat there, small and sharp, like a mark scratched into a wooden desk.Around the waterfall, you’ll find plenty of thrills-bungee jumping from a narrow bridge, canyoning down slick rock faces, and rafting the roaring Río Pastaza.You can hop on a tarabita cable car for a sweeping view of the falls, watching the water crash into the mist below.The best time to visit is during the dry season, from May to September, when the skies turn crisp blue and the roads stay open for exploring nearby areas.From October to April, the rainy season swells the falls to their strongest, sending a heavy roar through the air, though the trails can turn slick underfoot.Just a short drive from Baños, the Pailón del Diablo-known as the Devil’s Cauldron-thunders down with such force that mist hangs in the air, making it one of the region’s most famous waterfalls.Casa del Árbol, home to the famous “swing at the end of the world,” lets you soar above green valleys with the snow-dusted peak of Tungurahua Volcano filling the horizon.Thermal Hot Springs – Soak in the region’s famous mineral waters, from the steamy pools of Termas de la Virgen to the quiet warmth of Termas El Salado, and let the heat melt your stress away.Ruta de las Cascadas is a winding, scenic drive through the Baños area, dotted with waterfalls you can stop and explore-some spilling in silver ribbons right beside the road.If you’re in Baños de Agua Santa, don’t miss the Cascada de Baños-a breathtaking waterfall that sends cool mist drifting through the air.Come for the sweeping mountain views, the quiet reverence inside the Virgin chapel, or the rush of nearby trails and rivers-this waterfall captures the town’s heart and its wild beauty.
