Pailon del Diablo Waterfall

The Pailon del Diablo drops about eighty metres into a narrow basalt gorge on the Pastaza river below Banos, and its appeal is not only the volume of water but the access built to it: steel and stone walkways and staircases lead down through the gorge to platforms directly beside the falls, one route squeezing through a rock passage that comes out behind the sheet of water, where the noise and spray are overwhelming. A suspension bridge crosses downstream for the wider view. There are two competing entrances on either bank with separate ticket booths and different viewpoints. The descent is steep and the return climb is long, and everyone comes back soaked.

What you actually see

• Walkways behind the falling water - the passage through the rock.
• Eighty metres into a basalt gorge - the drop on the Pastaza river.
• The suspension bridge downstream - the wider view of the whole fall.
• Spray and noise on the platforms - the close approach the walkways allow.

When to go

Year round; flow is heaviest in the wetter months. Two to three hours including the walk. Go early to avoid tour groups. Waterproof bags for cameras.

Honest expectations

The stairs are steep both ways and the return climb is hard work in humidity. Platforms are crowded at midday. You will get wet through. Two rival entrances confuse people about which ticket to buy.

Nearby

Banos is west; the waterfall road continues to Puyo.