Activities in Baños
There are so many fun activities in Baños, it's hard to know where to start. There is something for everyone. Whether you want to do something adventurous and exciting or simply see a beautiful view and relax, you can do it here in Baños.
For those who want to relax, check out the hot springs, made possible by our friendly local volcano. Baños was named for these naturally hot, colored waters that are said to have curative properties! You can visit some as early as 4:30 AM and stay as late as 10 PM. For those looking for something a little different, Baños de Cajon is definitely worth trying! For $6 US, you have access to the swimming pool, Jacuzzi and sauna, and you can get facial treatments and massages there as well for an additional fee. A really incredible, unique experience is the Night Trip to the Volcano "Bellavista" (beautiful view). At 9 PM, the Chiva bus takes whoever wants to go to the bellavista where you can see some volcanic activity on good nights. Sit around the fire, watching the jugglers, and try "canelazo," a hot, Ecuadorian alcoholic drink. The whole trip costs $3 US.
For travelers who want to explore the beautiful nature in the area, there are tons of activities to choose from. You can do the beautiful Waterfall Road by bike ($5 US for the day, takes 4-5 hours), with ATV/quads ($8 US/hr, takes 3-4 hours), by motorcycle ($10 US/hr, takes 3-4 hours), or in two-person buggies ($10 US/hr, takes 3-4 hours), or you can choose to descend waterfalls using ropes and pulleys, called Canyoning. Most tour agencies will offer a series of three waterfalls of 8, 15, and 45 meters, and it costs about $25 US. This is gorgeous and fun, but be prepared to get wet! You can always Rent Quads/ATVs or Motorcycles and take a trip to the mountain in front of the volcano. It takes about 4 hours and consists of beautiful views and lots of fun. ATV's are rented for $8 US an hour and motorcycle's for $10 US an hour, and if you are part of a group, you will normally be provided with a guide for free.
Horseback Riding is a really nice way to interact with nature at a relaxing pace. Four hour trips give you plenty of time to explore the beautiful forests and mountains, and cost between $15-$25 US depending on how many people are going. Paragliding also offers a close interaction with nature with incredible views and scenery. At a half hour drive from Baños, Tandem offers trips for $60 US a person, and on good days you can see the volcano! You can go Rock Climbing ($25 US/person), visit the Zoo (there are two right next to each other), and take a Canopy Tour ($6 US/person right next to the zoo). The zoos are both worth a visit; you can easily spend a couple hours at each, and the scenery around them is incredible (hence the location of the canopy tour there!).
If you're up for some extreme encounters with nature, you can take a Jungle Tour. Prices start at $30 US/person per day, and vary depending on how many people are going and for how long. Most tours are between 1 and 5 days. Another adventurous activity is White Water Rafting along the Patate River or Pastaza River for $25 US for a half day and around $50 US for a full day of rafting, usually including a stop for snack or lunch along the river. Class 2-3 rapids are done on the Patate River and class 4-5 rapids can be done on the Pastaza River.
There are a number of Hiking trails you can take on your own that will let you get acquainted with the nature and give you some spectacular views. Popular trails go to Virgin or the Cross and back, or you can do both. Each takes around 2 hours to do on its own, and it takes about 4 hours to do both. There is also a great Bike Ride you can take from Luna Runtun. Take a car up the hill ($10 US) and then you can rent a bike ($5 US) and ride down the same road to where it connects with the Waterfall Road. You can also arrange Mountain Tours/Treks in and around the Baños area or even Study Spanish here in town.
For additional information, you can always ask the friendly staff at Hostal Transilvania who are more than happy to help you arrange any of these activities.
There are so many fun activities in Baños, it's hard to know where to start. There is something for everyone. Whether you want to do something adventurous and exciting or simply see a beautiful view and relax, you can do it here in Baños.
For those who want to relax, check out the hot springs, made possible by our friendly local volcano. Baños was named for these naturally hot, colored waters that are said to have curative properties! You can visit some as early as 4:30 AM and stay as late as 10 PM. For those looking for something a little different, Baños de Cajon is definitely worth trying! For $6 US, you have access to the swimming pool, Jacuzzi and sauna, and you can get facial treatments and massages there as well for an additional fee. A really incredible, unique experience is the Night Trip to the Volcano "Bellavista" (beautiful view). At 9 PM, the Chiva bus takes whoever wants to go to the bellavista where you can see some volcanic activity on good nights. Sit around the fire, watching the jugglers, and try "canelazo," a hot, Ecuadorian alcoholic drink. The whole trip costs $3 US.
For travelers who want to explore the beautiful nature in the area, there are tons of activities to choose from. You can do the beautiful Waterfall Road by bike ($5 US for the day, takes 4-5 hours), with ATV/quads ($8 US/hr, takes 3-4 hours), by motorcycle ($10 US/hr, takes 3-4 hours), or in two-person buggies ($10 US/hr, takes 3-4 hours), or you can choose to descend waterfalls using ropes and pulleys, called Canyoning. Most tour agencies will offer a series of three waterfalls of 8, 15, and 45 meters, and it costs about $25 US. This is gorgeous and fun, but be prepared to get wet! You can always Rent Quads/ATVs or Motorcycles and take a trip to the mountain in front of the volcano. It takes about 4 hours and consists of beautiful views and lots of fun. ATV's are rented for $8 US an hour and motorcycle's for $10 US an hour, and if you are part of a group, you will normally be provided with a guide for free.
Horseback Riding is a really nice way to interact with nature at a relaxing pace. Four hour trips give you plenty of time to explore the beautiful forests and mountains, and cost between $15-$25 US depending on how many people are going. Paragliding also offers a close interaction with nature with incredible views and scenery. At a half hour drive from Baños, Tandem offers trips for $60 US a person, and on good days you can see the volcano! You can go Rock Climbing ($25 US/person), visit the Zoo (there are two right next to each other), and take a Canopy Tour ($6 US/person right next to the zoo). The zoos are both worth a visit; you can easily spend a couple hours at each, and the scenery around them is incredible (hence the location of the canopy tour there!).
If you're up for some extreme encounters with nature, you can take a Jungle Tour. Prices start at $30 US/person per day, and vary depending on how many people are going and for how long. Most tours are between 1 and 5 days. Another adventurous activity is White Water Rafting along the Patate River or Pastaza River for $25 US for a half day and around $50 US for a full day of rafting, usually including a stop for snack or lunch along the river. Class 2-3 rapids are done on the Patate River and class 4-5 rapids can be done on the Pastaza River.
There are a number of Hiking trails you can take on your own that will let you get acquainted with the nature and give you some spectacular views. Popular trails go to Virgin or the Cross and back, or you can do both. Each takes around 2 hours to do on its own, and it takes about 4 hours to do both. There is also a great Bike Ride you can take from Luna Runtun. Take a car up the hill ($10 US) and then you can rent a bike ($5 US) and ride down the same road to where it connects with the Waterfall Road. You can also arrange Mountain Tours/Treks in and around the Baños area or even Study Spanish here in town.
For additional information, you can always ask the friendly staff at Hostal Transilvania who are more than happy to help you arrange any of these activities.