3 Days in SA’s Adventure Capital - BañosWe’ll say it again – Ecuador is SO much more than the Galapagos! Baños de Agua Santa is known as the “gateway to the Amazon“ AND South America’s Adventure Capital— you’ll find epic waterfalls, white-water rafting, hang gliding, and endless adrenaline rushes. Only 3 hours from the capital city…AuthorsSquirrelMustTravel
DestinationsBaños de Agua SantaItinerary

STAY

Hotel Monte Selva
Super central and clean — an ideal spot to base yourself for all the experiences.
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Day 1

Bicycle Rental for Pailón del Diablo Waterfall
After a quick breakfast of street-side empanadas, pick up a bike for a morning adventure. This was a steal— only $10 for an all-day bike rental, and it includes a helmet and bike lock (for when you want to stop and explore waterfalls)!
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RUTA DE LAS CASCADAS
Along with your bike rental you’ll receive a map outlining the ‘Route of the Waterfalls. It felt like a treasure hunt! We loved this exhilarating 5-mile downhill bike ride— you’ll pass the most incredible road-side waterfalls. TIP: the return ride is uphill, but not to worry— at the end of the route you’ll find trucks to take you and your bike back into town, for just a couple of dollars.
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El Pailon Grieta al Cielo
A great stop for coffee or lunch, with an insane view of the waterfall.
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CASCADA EL PAILÓN
This is the last stop on the ‘Route of the waterfalls’, and this famous location, known as the “Devil’s Cauldron” is not to be missed. TIP: there are 2 entrances—select the lower entrance to experience the epic waterfall staircase and crawl below the rushing falls.
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El Pailón del Diablo
TIP to snap this shot: continue exploring under the waterfall, and you’ll see this view of the giant staircase!
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Termas Antiguas de la Virgen
After catching a ride back to town, and returning the bike, pick up our swimsuit and walk to the towns super central thermal baths. Prices are inexpensive—roughly $4 to access three large outdoor pools. And yes, you can view a waterfall while rejuvenating in the pools!
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Sativa Studio Cafe
One of our favorite restaurants in all of Ecuador—we returned twice. We still talk about the happy hour mojitos, veggie nachos, and lasagna 😋. Casual and eclectic with kitties lounging. BONUS: All the veggies are fresh from there garden!
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Day 2

La Casa del Arbol
Arrive as soon as it opens to miss the crowds and enjoy all to yourself. This is a fun mini adventure park in the mountains above Baños —and only a $1 entrance fee! While you can take a tour, we opted for a taxi to arrive early and enjoy at our own pace. Taxi was a standard rate— $10 one-way. After playing in the park and enjoying empenadas and a smoothie at the restaurant, we stepped outside and quickly located a taxi that took us back to town.
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El Refugio Spa Garden
Baños is well known for its healing volcanic thermal waters, and we wanted to treat ourselves to a spa afternoon. The entrance was approximately $20/person, and we thought that this pristine spa with numerous indoor pools and a cold plunge was well worth it. TIP: We spent an hour walking to the spa, but on hindsight, we would have opted for a $3 taxi.
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El Bosque Encantado
Be sure to spend some time exploring the charming town square and eclectic shops sprinkled throughout Baños. While in downtown, you’ll find numerous kiosks selling tickets for the nearby ‘Enchanted Forest’. We finally gave in and walked to this Park prior to dinner. While it’s a must for kids (complete with a mini Hogwarts, Hobbiton, and magical lands), we had actually had a ton of fun exploring in child-like wonder. We also felt that it was well worth the $4 entrance fee. This is fun add-on if you have 1-2 hours to spare!
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Swiss Bistro Baños
A yummy dinner treat! You may want to make reservations.
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Day 3 - Choose Your Adventure!

Adventure and Fun River Rafting in Baños Ecuador
This is what we selected, and the rapids were absolutely wild! Such a fun day-trip.
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Trip Highlight
This tour was a blast!
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Tour to the Amazon for one day
We were lucky to have more time in Baños so we also opted for a full day trip to experience the Amazon. The waterfalls in Puyo are incredible, and we recommend including a day or even an overnight trek to the Amazon, if you have the time.
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5-Hour Small-Group Horseback Riding Experience in Baños
This would be fun if you love horseback riding!
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Pappardelle Rostorante Pizzaria
The perfect way to end a day full of adventure 🍕. And while it’s not Ecuadorian, it sure hit the spot, and is super central.
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