Pailon del Diablo, Banos: a carved stairway into Ecuador’s Andean gorge

Pailon del Diablo near Banos in Ecuador is a powerful Andean waterfall where stone stairways and walkways lead directly into a narrow gorge carved by fast brown water. Framed by dense, humid forest and the deep valley of the Río Pastaza, it offers a close view of a high volcanic?slope cascade that has become a landmark on the road between the mountains and the Amazon Basin.

Water dropping through an Andean gorge

Pailon del Diablo is a tall waterfall formed by the Río Verde river, a tributary of the wider Pastaza system that drains the eastern flank of the central Andes.Río Verde river The cascade falls tens of metres down a near-vertical rock face into a basin at the bottom of a gorge, where the water continues through boulders towards the Amazon lowlands.gorge at Rio Verde

The waterfall lies in the Río Verde parish east of Banos de Agua Santa in Tungurahua Province, along the Baños–Puyo road that runs towards the rainforest.near the town of Río Verde The Spanish name “Pailon del Diablo”, usually translated as “Devil’s Cauldron”, refers to the churning basin where the falling water meets the gorge floor.Devil’s Cauldron

Walkways, bridges and stairways around the falls

Access to Pailon del Diablo is organised around paths and stairways built into the steep valley, bringing visitors close to the moving water and the surrounding rock. From the entrance near the church in Río Verde, paths descend through vegetation towards viewpoints and platforms that look directly onto the waterfall and the gorge.entrance near the church

Several routes exist around the site, including approaches that use tunnels cut into the rock and stairways that reach close to the falling water so that the spray covers the steps. Suspension bridges over the valley offer a more distant perspective on the falls and the forested slopes, contrasting the confined gorge with the wider scenery of the Río Pastaza valley.two main entrances

Pailon del Diablo on the Ruta de las Cascadas

Pailon del Diablo stands on the Ruta de las Cascadas, the waterfall route that follows the valley east from Banos towards Puyo. The road and nearby tracks pass several smaller cascades before reaching the larger drop at Río Verde, making the site a natural focal point for journeys along this Andean corridor.route of the cascades

The town of Banos de Agua Santa itself lies on the flank of the Tungurahua volcano, with the Pastaza river cutting down towards the Amazon Basin.Baños de Agua Santa in Tungurahua Pailon del Diablo forms part of this broader volcanic and fluvial landscape: water running off the mountains meets steep rock, and the resulting gorge creates a confined space where human-made stairways and platforms can trace the lines of the valley walls.

Visiting Pailon del Diablo: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Pailon del Diablo lies east of Banos de Agua Santa in central Ecuador, along the Baños–Puyo road in the Río Verde parish, in the valley of the Río Pastaza.
• The paths around the waterfall include stairways with many steps, sections of tunnel through rock and walkways that pass close to the falling water, demanding sure footing.
• Several viewpoints stand at different levels on the valley side, linked by paths that can be wet from spray and require suitable footwear for uneven, sometimes slippery ground.
• The surroundings are humid, forested Andean foothills; weather can change quickly and cloud, mist and rain are all part of the landscape.
• The official language is Spanish and the currency is the US dollar.

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Frequently asked questions about Pailon del Diablo

Where is Pailon del Diablo located?

Pailon del Diablo is located in the Río Verde parish east of Banos de Agua Santa in Tungurahua Province, along the Baños–Puyo road in central Ecuador.

What can visitors expect on a visit?

Visitors find stairways, tunnels and walkways leading through humid forest to platforms and bridges that offer close and distant views of the waterfall and Andean gorge.

What makes Pailon del Diablo distinctive?

The combination of a tall Andean waterfall, a narrow rock gorge and constructed paths that let visitors approach the churning basin gives Pailon del Diablo its distinctive character.

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