RouteBaños

Baños: Ecuador's Adventure Capital Under a Volcano

Baños de Agua Santa sits at 1,820m at the foot of the active Tungurahua volcano — the adventure sports capital of Ecuador; swinging off cliffs, white-water rafting, zip-lining, and the famous 'Route of the Waterfalls' all converge in this Andean town

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1
Swing at the End of the World
Columpio del fin del mundo (swing at the end of the world) — a swing mounted on the edge of the Casa del Árbol observatory above Baños — spans a void of 2,600 meters; swinging above the Tungurahua Valley, with the volcano smoking, is Ecuador's most dramatic single experience
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Tungurahua Volcano
Tungurahua (4,783 m) — the "black giant" — has had an active eruption since 1999; the glowing lava flows visible from Baños on clear nights, the smell of sulfur and the occasional ash fall make Tungurahua the world's most accessible active volcano experience
3
Waterfall road
Ruta de las Cascadas – a 17km descent by bike or chiva bus from Baños to Puyo – passes seven spectacular waterfalls including Pailón del Diablo; the route descends from the Andean cloud forest to the Amazon basin through dramatic canyon scenery
4
Rafting on Pastaza
Río Pastaza – fed by Tungurahua volcano snowmelt – offers grade III-IV rafting through the canyon below Baños; the combination of volcanic landscape, clear river water and technical rapids make it Ecuador's finest rafting river
5
Zip lining and hood
The canyon above Baños has several zip-line courses - the longest crosses the Pastaza River gorge at speed with the waterfall visible below; the combination of cable sports and the extraordinary scenery makes every zip-line flight photogenic
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Bungee Jumping (Bridge Jumping)
Bungee jumping — jumping from the San Martín Bridge attached to a bungee-like rope and swinging in the canyon below — is Baños' most adrenaline-intensive activity; the 45 meter jump over the Pastaza River, with the canyon walls on both sides, is not for the faint of heart