Pailon del Diablo where Río Verde enters the gorge

Pailon del Diablo is an 80 m (262 ft) waterfall near Río Verde, east of Banos in Ecuador’s Tungurahua Province. Río Verde drops through a narrow gorge of volcanic rock before joining the Pastaza river system.

Pailon del Diablo: a waterfall compressed into volcanic rock

The waterfall is formed by the Río Verde, whose water falls through a confined rocky channel into a basin below. Its Spanish name, Pailon del Diablo, translates as “Devil’s Cauldron” and refers to the turbulent basin beneath the cascade. The falling water and dark rock create the site’s defining contrast: a bright vertical torrent enclosed by steep, shadowed walls.

The Río Verde parish describes Pailon del Diablo as a cascade of approximately 80 metres, with water descending through successive sections and forming a powerful whirlpool. Río Verde’s waterfall description The rock below the fall has forms associated with the devil’s face, linking the physical setting with the name used by visitors and local communities.

Río Verde, the Pastaza valley and the cloud forest

Pailon del Diablo lies beside the Baños–Puyo road, in the Río Verde parish east of Banos de Agua Santa. The route follows the valley of the Río Pastaza towards the Amazon Basin, passing from the Andean foothills into humid forest and deep ravines.

The waterfall’s watercourse is more specific than the broader valley around it. Río Verde forms the cascade, then continues downstream to join the Pastaza. This relationship places Pailon del Diablo within a larger drainage system linking the eastern Andes with the upper Amazon basin. The Río Verde setting Dense evergreen vegetation, mosses, ferns and steep rock walls surround the watercourse.

Trails, bridges and the approach to the falling water

The attraction is experienced through paths, stone steps, bridges and passages beside the gorge. The approach includes narrow sections near the rock and viewpoints positioned at different levels around the waterfall. A suspension bridge crosses the river near the falls, while another route includes the passage known as Grieta al Cielo.

Grieta al Cielo is a natural rock passage connected with the lower approach. The route continues towards balconies and steps close to the falling water, where spray reaches the surrounding rock. The paths do not remove the gorge’s character: the waterfall remains enclosed by vegetation, stone and moving water.

The site forms part of the Ruta de las Cascadas, the waterfall route extending east from Banos towards Puyo. The waterfall route near Banos Its identity rests on the meeting of a named river, a steep volcanic gorge and a built approach through the forest.

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

• Pailon del Diablo lies in Río Verde, east of Banos, beside the Baños–Puyo road. Buses, taxis, bicycles and private vehicles connect Banos with the Río Verde area.
• The approach includes stone steps, narrow rock passages, bridges and sloping paths. Grieta al Cielo leads through a natural cleft towards viewpoints near the waterfall.
• The official language is Spanish and the currency is the US dollar.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Pailon del Diablo

Where is Pailon del Diablo?

Pailon del Diablo is in the Río Verde parish of Tungurahua Province, east of Banos in central Ecuador. The waterfall stands beside the Baños–Puyo road.

What can visitors expect at the waterfall?

The approach includes paths, stone steps, bridges and rock passages. Viewpoints bring the route close to the falling water and its spray.

What makes Pailon del Diablo distinctive?

Río Verde falls about 80 metres through volcanic rock before joining the Pastaza system. The enclosed gorge, turbulent basin and forest vegetation define the site.

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