There are very few cities that I have visited, where I immediately wanted to start planning a return trip. Banos, Ecuador is one of those cities. There is so much to do and the 2 days I spent there were not nearly enough. As you are planning your next trip, I ask you to consider exploring Banos: The adventure capital of Ecuador.
So here are some of the adventures were enjoyed in our short 2-day visit to Banos.
1) Swing at Casa del Arbol (and take your insta-worthy picture)
We took a 3 hour tour from Banos which was $3 per person and included a ride to La Casa del Arbol, as well as a larger swinging spot, and a chocolate shop. This tour is available at all the tour guide shops you will see around the city. There is seriously one of these shops on every street. We arrived at La Casa del Arbol right around sunset and paid the $1 admission per person. There were beautiful gardens, views of the nearby active volcano and incredible photo spots everywhere. This place is a must visit!
2. Giant Scary Swing
This swing is part of the tour mentioned above and costs an additional $10 per person. They harness you into the swing, but that does nothing to assuage the terror this swing causes. After the initial drop, you can just sit back and enjoy the gorgeous views over Banos.
3. Go Puenting (or jump off a scary bridge and swing around below it!)
You can walk across the street from the main bus station in town to get to this bridge. During daytime hours, there will be a man sitting there ready to harness you in after you pay your $20 fee. There is no waiver to sign or safety briefing, so jump at your own risk. My 12-year-old enjoyed this immensely, although if you don’t land right, it does give your back a good jolt.
4. White water rafting
White water rafting is another adventure that’s is worth a few hours of your precious time in Banos. You can book this at any tourist shop in town. Plan to pay $20-25 per person for a half day tour that includes bus transportation, wetsuits, helmets and shoes to use, as well as lunch at a local restaurant on the way back. The rafting takes place in the Pastaza River, which is a tributary of the Amazon. Our guide explained that this river does have pirahnas, as well as the candiru (the fish which supposedly swims up your bladder if you are peeing in the water) so we were grateful for the wetsuits and shoes to wear. The river is wild and fun with class 3-4 rapids and it definitely kept our hearts pumping fast.
5. Paragliding
This is definitely one of the more expensive adventures in Banos, but at $60-80 per person, it is still way cheaper than doing it in the USA. The entire excursion took about 5-6 hours, including 45 minutes of drive time each day to get to the spot where the wind is the best. Then we had to wait for a few hours on the mountain top for the wind to get stronger. Then we had 8 people who each took a 12-minute ride with the paraglider. This was a fun adventure and very memorable but be prepared for waiting in the freezing cold on the mountaintop. Warm clothes, snacks and drinks are a must.
My next visit to Banos will hopefully include more of the incredible adventures they have to offer including: waterfall rapelling, Ruta de las Cascadas by bike (waterfall tour), Via Ferrata ropes course and zip lines! Here is a tour company that a lot of people use: https://www.geotoursbanios.com/destinations/banos-de-agua-santa-ecuador
Check out some more of our adventures:
