Pailón del Diablo: Waterfall Near Baños, Ecuador

10 Mar Pailón del Diablo: Waterfall Near Baños, Ecuador

Posted at 09:22h in Ecuador, South America by Alaina Thomas 0 Comments

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While there are many beautiful attractions in the country of Ecuador, the Pailón del Diablo waterfall is one you should not miss. It is located just down the road from the town of Baños. In other words, it is approximately four hours south of the capital city of Quito. Getting to the waterfall can be a bit tricky, especially since there are two different entrances. Keep reading below for all of the information you need to know for your visit.

Additionally, head just one country over to Peru for even more beautiful attractions. For example, you can spend an entire day exploring around Machu Picchu as well as hiking to Rainbow Mountain.

1) Location of Pailón del Diablo

Pailón del Diablo is a waterfall located in the town of Rio Verde, Ecuador. For reference, Rio Verde is just 25 minutes down the road from Baños de Agua Santa (more commonly known as Baños). Moreover, some people might even say this waterfall is located in the town of Baños just because that name is a bit more well-known.

The town of Rio Verde is located around four hours southeast of the capital city of Quito by car. The distance between them is approximately 130 miles (~208 kilometers). If you happen to stop in Quito, I recommend you add at least El Virgen del Panecillo and Basilica del Voto Nacional to your itinerary. Both attractions offer incredible views of the city.

New Entrance

Now, let me say that there are two different entrances to the waterfall. The entrance classified as the “new entrance” leads to the side of the waterfall with a view close to the top of the waterfall’s height. Head to section six “trail information” to learn about the trail length and difficulty.

Old Entrance

On the other hand, the entrance classified as the “old entrance” heads to the bottom of the waterfall. Head to section six “trail information” to learn about the trail length and difficulty.

Parking for Pailón del Diablo

There is a dedicated parking lot for the waterfall right beside the new entrance, so you should have no problem finding it. However, this is a popular tourist attraction. You might come across the problem of having to circle the lot a couple of times to find a spot on a beautiful weekend afternoon.

River running through Baños

2) Getting There

You have a fair amount of options concerning how to arrive at Pailón del Diablo. What option you choose truly depends on your budget, the amount of time you have, and what level of convenience you are after.

By Car – Pailón del Diablo

First, you can arrive at the waterfall by car. As I mentioned above, there is a dedicated parking lot.

If you do not own a car, you can easily rent one from the airport in Quito, as that is most likely the airport into which you will be flying. The drive from Quito to Rio Verde, which is the town that holds the waterfall, is approximately four hours.

This option will be one of the most expensive due to the fact you have to rent the car, possibly for multiple days. However, it will offer a high level of convenience as you can choose your route, schedule, etc.

If you do have a car, I would highly recommend that you also take the time to visit Mitad del Mundo (or the Middle of the World) located 45 minutes north of Quito. You will have the chance to stand on the equator or put one foot in the Northern Hemisphere and one foot in the Southern Hemisphere.

By Taxi

Second, you can hail a taxi to drive you to the waterfall entrance. A one-way taxi fare from the nearby town of Baños will cost around $10. However, be aware that some taxi drivers might try to charge you more. You can haggle with them a bit on the price.

I would highly recommend you stay in the town of Baños for a night or two during your visit to Ecuador, as the town boasts a variety of attractions and activities. For example, you can check out the Swing at the End of the World. If you do stay in Baños, you are nice and close to Rio Verde for a visit to Pailón del Diablo.

However, if you are staying in Quito you are not going to be able to find a taxi to take you all the way to Rio Verde. You will thus need to find your own way from Quito to Baños, whether that be by car, bus, tour, etc.

By Bus – Pailón del Diablo

Third, you can ride a bus. If you are coming from Baños, hop on the bus to Puyo for about $2. Just be sure to let the driver know you are headed to Pailón del Diablo so you can hop off there.

If you are coming from Quito, the route will be a bit longer and more complicated. You will need to make your way to the Quitumbe Bus Terminal in the south of the city. Then hop on the bus that goes to Baños. From Baños, you will then need to take the bus to Puyo as mentioned above. This option will cost you a little less than $10 for a one-way fare.

View of the river from close to the top of Pailón del Diablo

By Tour

Fourth, you can book a tour that includes a stop at the Pailón del Diablo waterfall. If you are staying in Quito during your time in Ecuador, this might be one of the best and most convenient options for you. However, it will also be the most expensive.

For example, there is a one day tour from Quito that visits the town of Baños, includes a ride in a cable car, and visits Pailón del Diablo. Additionally, there is a two day tour from Quito that explores a volcanic crater, includes a ride on a mule, and visits Pailón del Diablo. These tours can cost anywhere from $100 to $400 dollars per person.

By Biking – Pailón del Diablo

Fifth, you can opt for some more physical activity and bike from Baños to Rio Verde. I guess you can also bike from Quito to Rio Verde, but be prepared for a loonnnnggg trip.

You can rent bikes from the town of Baños for about $5 a day. Then head down the famous Ruta de las Cascadas. This route runs from Baños to Puyo, but you can stop at Rio Verde if you want to end with Pailón del Diablo. The best part? You will get to see many waterfalls along the way.

Moreover, the road from Baños to Pailón del Diablo is mainly flat or downhill. Therefore, your legs will not be destroyed by the end of your biking trip. If you want to avoid the uphill portion on the way back, just hop on the bus to return to Baños.

Up-close view of the river in Baños

3) Opening Hours and Entrance Fee

The opening hours for Pailón del Diablo vary a bit based on the day of the week. It is open on Mondays through Thursdays from 9:00am to 10:30pm. However, the weekends have slightly longer hours as it is open on Fridays through Sundays from 8:00am to 11:00pm.

The entrance fee for the waterfall is $2 per person. This is a small fee to pay to visit such a beautiful attraction in my opinion. However, please be aware that there are two different entrances to the waterfall. (I will go into more detail about that in section six.) Each entrance will charge you the $2 fee. Therefore, you will have to pay the $2 fee twice if you choose to visit both the old and the new entrance.

Possibly the best view of Pailón del Diablo

4) Best Time to Visit

When is the best time to view Pailón del Diablo? Well, just about anytime! Ecuador receives a lot of rain, so the waterfall is always flowing. That being said, the waterfall will be at its strongest right after a rainstorm.

If you would like to avoid some crowds, then try not to visit on a weekend afternoon. Instead, try to plan a visit for a weekday morning.

How Much Time Do I Need to Visit Pailón del Diablo?

How much time you should plan for in your itinerary to visit Pailón del Diablo depends on which entrance you choose. I will go over more details about the two entrances in the sixth section below but will provide a bit of information here as well.

If you choose the new entrance, then plan for 45 minutes to one hour. The trail to the waterfall will be approximately 20 minutes round trip, and then of course you need time to explore and snap some pictures.

If you choose the old entrance, then plan for an hour and a half. The trail to the base of the waterfall will be approximately one hour round trip, and you need to add some buffer time for exploring and pictures.

Looking down at the river below from the top of the falls

5) Background

The name Pailón del Diablo translates to Devil’s Cauldron in English. You might be wondering how the waterfall received such a name. Well, there are two main reasons. First, legend holds that you can see the face of the devil in the rock formations at the bottom of the waterfall. I did not see it while I was there, but be sure to take a look for yourself. Second, the waterfall flows into a gorge. The waterfall was thus appropriately named Devil’s Cauldron or Pailón del Diablo.

The waterfall stands at approximately 262 feet (~80 meters) tall. It is located on the Ruta de las Cascadas. This route runs from Baños to Puyo, though Pailón del Diablo is the most impressive waterfall along the way.

Amenities by Pailón del Diablo

When visiting the waterfall, there are a few additional amenities nearby. For example, you can find bathrooms as well as an array of restaurants and shops. Stop by one of the restaurants for a bite to eat. Then head to some of the shops to pick up some souvenirs for friends and family.

The tippy top of Pailón del Diablo

6) Trail Information: New Vs. Old

As I mentioned previously, there are two entrances to the waterfall. You are welcome to visit both while you are in the area, but be aware they differ in terms of difficulty as well as the view offered. To put it simply, the new entrance leads to a side/top view while the old entrance leads to a bottom view of Pailón del Diablo.

Additionally, please keep in mind that Pailón del Diablo is a powerful waterfall and you are likely to get wet, no matter which trail you choose.

New Entrance Trail

The new entrance trail is 0.6 miles (~one kilometer) out and back with approximately 125 feet (~38 meters) in elevation gain. An average hiker can complete the trail in around 20 minutes. This is the easier trail, so keep that in mind.

While hiking along the trail, you will cross two suspension bridges. They are pretty cool if you have not crossed one before, and they also offer nice picture opportunities. At the end of the trail you will be rewarded with a view of the waterfall from the side, pretty close to the top.

One pretty cool thing about this trail is that you have the opportunity to stand underneath a portion of the waterfall. Yes, along the trail you might get a bit wet just due to the spray of the falls. However, there is also a place or two near the end of the trail where you can stand directly under a stream of water coming from the falls. Do not worry, though, for these streams do not hold the full force of the waterfall. They instead are a bit smaller streams on the edges of the waterfall.

When I visited, I entered through the new entrance and hiked along this trail. I have to say, the view from the end of the trail is quite spectacular. You feel so close to the falls that you could just reach out and touch them. Additionally, you can look down and see the water raging into the gorge below. Moreover, I loved crossing the suspension bridges. Not only are they beautiful, but they are also fun.

Old Entrance Trail

The old entrance trail is 1.3 miles (~2.1 kilometers) out and back with approximately 450 feet (~137 meters) in elevation gain. An average hiker can complete the trail in around one hour. Keep in mind that this trail is a bit more difficult than the one from the new entrance.

Along the trail you will cross over one suspension bridge and pass a couple of viewpoints. However, the end of the trail is located at the bottom of the waterfall where you are rewarded with stunning views. Additionally, the final portion of the trail is so small that you will have to crawl on all fours to access it. While it is quite tight, it allows you to get directly under a portion of the waterfall.

You will get wet along various portions of the trail due to mist spraying out from the falls. However, please be prepared to get absolutely soaking wet if you want to adventure into the crawl space underneath the falls.

Standing underneath of the falls and getting drenched

7) Recommended Items to Bring

No matter whether you are planning on visiting the waterfall through the new entrance or the old entrance, there are a few items you will want to bring along. Spoiler alert: you will get wet while visiting Pailón del Diablo.

1. Water bottle: I always, always recommend bringing a water bottle with you when you plan on hiking. Even though both the new entrance and the old entrance hikes are fairly short, there are a fair amount of steps required to reach the waterfall. Consider a reusable water bottle to reduce plastic waste.

2. Waterproof phone case: Due to the fact mist sprays out from the falls, you might want to invest in a waterproof phone case. If you want to bring your phone along so you can snap some pictures, this case will offer you the protection to do so. The waterproof case is especially important if you venture inside of the crawl space at the end of the old entrance trail or stand under the falls at the end of the new entrance trail.

Hygiene

3. Sunscreen: Trust me, the sun in Ecuador can be incredibly strong even if the temperature outside is not too hot. This is especially true in Quito where the elevation of the city is 9,350 feet (~2,850 meters). The town of Baños sits a bit lower at 5,970 feet (~1,820 meters). Nevertheless, you can still easily get a sunburn on a sunny day if you have fair skin. Therefore, you should put on some sunscreen before visiting Pailón del Diablo.

4. Bug spray: The beautiful, lush greenery and waterfalls benefit from all of the rain and humidity in Ecuador, but so do the bugs. That being said, it is always a good idea to carry around some bug spray while traveling around Ecuador in case you need it. On the other hand, you can opt for mosquito repellent bracelets.

Apparel

5. Hiking shoes or rain boots: The trails to Pailón del Diablo from the new entrance as well as the old entrance are fairly wet. The mist from the waterfall will spray the trail, thus making it a bit slippery. That being said, hiking shoes are a good option if you want to be provided with more traction while hiking. On the other hand, the trails will be wet and water might leak through your shoes. To avoid that from happening, you can opt for a pair of rain boots.

6. Waterproof jacket: I have mentioned this a couple of times before, but I will again to really emphasize it. You will get wet while visiting Pailón del Diablo. Mist will be spraying off from the waterfall constantly, getting the path as well as yourself wet. Additionally, you can choose to venture really close to the waterfall and even stand under small portions of it. You will definitely appreciate a waterproof jacket in those scenarios.

Pailón del Diablo in all its glory

8) Additional Attractions in Baños

The town of Baños is only a 25 minute drive down the road from the town of Rio Verde, which is where Pailón del Diablo is located. Baños holds a variety of adventure activities, so be sure to check them out while you are in the area. I would recommend spending a night in Baños while you are in Ecuador to truly take advantage of all of the surrounding attractions.

To really get your adrenaline pumping, you can book a canyoning tour where you cascade down a variety of waterfalls. Additionally, you can book a white water rafting tour through the Pastaza River. The river holds Class III to Class IV rapids. For reference, Class V rapids are the largest. Another option is a rock climbing tour on basalt rock columns formed by the Tungurahua volcano. You can also book a paragliding tour through the stunning scenery of Baños.

However, maybe you want an adventurous activity that is a little less adrenaline-producing? Baños has options for that as well! You can book a tour of the waterfalls of Baños. Additionally, you can head to La Casa del Árbol to check out the Swing at the End of the World.

Whitewater rafting in Baños

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Head over to Peru to visit one of the seven wonders of the world: Making the Most of Machu Picchu in Peru.

While in Peru, be sure to visit the mountain of colors: Hiking and Horseback Riding to Rainbow Mountain in Peru.

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10 Mar Pailón del Diablo: Waterfall Near Baños, Ecuador

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