What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Banos, Ecuador.
Photo: Shad Meeg / Pexels
Banos sits below the Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador, known for thermal baths, waterfalls and outdoor activities. It's a compact town where you can walk between the main square, hot springs and lookout points, then head out on the Ruta de las Cascadas to see waterfalls like Pailón del Diablo and Manto de la Novia. The Casa del Árbol swing draws visitors for views over the valley. January and February bring the best weather for exploring the town and surrounding trails.
Plan on 2 to 3 days. That gives time to soak in the Termas de la Virgen, walk or cycle the waterfall route, and fit in a mirador or the Casa del Árbol swing without rushing.
Río Verde
This is the most powerful waterfall near Baños. It drops into a deep rocky gorge on the Pastaza River. A forest trail leads down to viewing platforms and suspension bridges, and a narrow path takes you right beside the falling water, so expect to get wet.
Baños to Río Verde
This road follows the Pastaza River canyon east from Baños toward the Amazon lowlands and passes a string of waterfalls. Many visitors rent a bike in town, ride downhill and stop at each fall. Most then take a truck or bus back up.
Runtún
This small treehouse sits high above Baños. Its rope swings fly out over a steep drop into the valley. On clear days you see Tungurahua volcano across the valley, but clouds often cover it, so check the sky before you go up.
Ruta de las Cascadas
This tall, thin waterfall pours down the far side of the Pastaza canyon. A tarabita (open cable car) crosses the gorge for a close view, and you can also walk a trail to the bottom.
Town centre
These public thermal pools are fed by volcanic springs and sit at the foot of the Cascada de la Virgen waterfall. The springs give the town its full name, Baños de Agua Santa. Locals and visitors use them, and the pools get crowded at busy times.
Town centre
This dark stone church is the main landmark in central Baños and a pilgrimage site for the Virgin of Agua Santa. Large paintings inside show miracles that people credit to her, often rescues from volcanic eruptions and accidents.
Above the town centre
A steep stepped path climbs from the edge of town to a statue of the Virgin. From there you look down over the rooftops of Baños and the river valley. It is a short, hard walk and a good way to get your bearings.
Above the town centre
A large white cross on the hillside marks this viewpoint, and you can see it from town. The uphill trail is steeper and longer than the Virgin viewpoint walk. Your reward is a wide view of Baños and, when the clouds lift, Tungurahua volcano.
Ruta de las Cascadas
This waterfall sits at the end of a forest trail off the waterfall road. Along the way you pass several smaller falls and a pool where some people swim. The walk is quieter and greener than the busier roadside stops.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best month: January | 21°C / 16°C | 29 days (239 mm) | 9.6 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| Best month: February | 22°C / 16°C | 27 days (203 mm) | 9.7 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| March | 22°C / 16°C | 29 days (204 mm) | 9.2 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| April | 21°C / 16°C | 27 days (192 mm) | 9.4 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| May | 21°C / 16°C | 29 days (234 mm) | 9.4 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| June | 20°C / 15°C | 28 days (302 mm) | 8.9 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| July | 20°C / 14°C | 29 days (301 mm) | 9.0 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| August | 20°C / 14°C | 26 days (212 mm) | 10.0 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| September | 21°C / 14°C | 23 days (124 mm) | 10.5 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| October | 22°C / 15°C | 26 days (169 mm) | 10.4 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| November | 22°C / 16°C | 26 days (175 mm) | 10.3 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| December | 22°C / 15°C | 30 days (236 mm) | 10.1 h/day | 7.0/10 |
Highs reach 21.2°C with 29 rain days and 239mm of rain, so showers are frequent. Score: 7, good.
Expect highs of 21.5°C, about 27 rain days and 203mm of rain. Score: 7, good.
Highs sit at 21.6°C with 29 rain days and 204mm of rain, one of the wettest-day counts of the year. Score: 7, good.
Highs of 21.3°C with 27 rain days and 192mm of rain, slightly drier than the first quarter. Score: 7, good.
Highs around 21°C, 29 rain days and 234mm of rain, so rain gear is useful most days. Score: 7, good.
Highs drop to 20.1°C and rainfall rises to 302mm over 27.5 rain days, the wettest month by volume. Score: 7, good.
Highs stay cooler at 19.6°C with 301mm of rain over 29 rain days, tough weather since rain is heavy and frequent. Score: 7, good.
Highs recover to 20.2°C, rain days fall to 26 and rainfall drops to 212mm, with 10 sun hours a day. Score: 7, good.
Highs of 21.1°C with just 23 rain days and 124mm of rain, the driest month and 10.5 sun hours daily. Score: 7, good.
Highs of 21.5°C with 26 rain days and 169mm of rain, staying on the drier side with 10.4 sun hours. Score: 7, good.
Highs peak at 22°C, the warmest month, with 26 rain days and 175mm of rain. Score: 7, good.
Highs of 21.5°C but rain days climb back to 29.5 with 236mm of rain, a wetter close to the year. Score: 7, good.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit Ecuador →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
Good for first-timers, walkers, budget travellers
The flat grid of streets around the Basílica and the central park holds most cafés, tour agencies and bike-hire shops, so you can walk almost everywhere. It is the easiest base for booking day trips and catching buses. The drawback is street noise from traffic, church bells and late-night groups.
Good for nightlife, social travellers
This street on the edge of the centre has the town's main run of bars and live-music spots, plus plenty of cheap places to eat. Staying here means a short stumble home after a night out. Expect music and voices late into the night, especially at weekends.
Good for nature lovers, cyclists, families
This village lies along the Ruta de las Cascadas east of Baños, close to the Pailón del Diablo waterfall. It is green and quiet, and good for exploring the waterfall route without the return trip each day. Restaurants and shops are limited, so you rely on buses or taxis to reach town.
This is a chewy sugar-cane taffy pulled by hand on hooks outside shops along the main street. Vendors stretch it in the open air, and it's a classic Baños treat to watch being made and then eat still warm.
Fresh sugar-cane juice is pressed on old wooden mills you can see working in small stalls around town. Locals drink it cold, often mixed with lime, as a refreshing stop between walks.
This hearty hen soup with potatoes and herbs is a common breakfast or lunch dish in the markets. It's the kind of simple, warming meal locals eat before heading out to the thermal baths or trails.
Roasted guinea pig is a traditional Andean dish served whole, often with potatoes and corn. It shows up on menus around Baños as a specialty tied to the wider Ecuadorian highlands.
These are light, cheese-filled pastries fried until puffed up like a balloon, then dusted with sugar. They're a popular snack sold by street vendors and small cafes throughout the day.
Yes, August is good in Banos. Days reach 20.2°C with 10 sun hours, among the sunniest months of the year. Rain still falls on about 26 days, so showers are common, but with 212mm it's drier than the wettest months of June and July.
June and July are the wettest months in Banos. June brings 302mm of rain and July 301mm, both with around 27 to 29 rain days. Rain is spread through the year here, so no month is truly dry, but these two months see the heaviest totals.
January and February are the best months to visit Banos, according to the data. Both score 7 out of 10. January has 239mm of rain over 29 days, and February is slightly drier with 203mm over 27 days, with highs around 21.5°C in both months.
Plan on 2 to 3 days for the main sights. The Ruta de las Cascadas takes about half a day, Pailón del Diablo needs 2 to 3 hours, and Casa del Árbol another 2 to 3 hours. Add a morning for the Termas de la Virgen and a short stop at the Basílica, which takes under an hour.
Yes, Banos sees rain on most days all year. Rain days range from about 23 in September to nearly 30 in January, March and December. Monthly totals swing from 124mm in September, the driest month, up to 302mm in June, so some rain is likely whenever you visit.
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