City: Ecuador
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The 10 Best Nature & Parks in Ecuador, Ecuador
Coordinates: 2°00′S 77°30′W / 2.000°S 77.500°W / -2.000; -77.500
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1. Cascada el Pailon (del Diablo)
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2,122 reviews
Follow the signs to Cascada el Pailon. Look for the colorful Hummingbird and colorful flags. Cascada el Pailón del Diablo is a spectacular natural wonder which lies on the edge of the cloud forest. At an impressive 265 feet, the thunderous waterfall emits high columns of swirling mist and showcases the untouched beauty of Ecuador. Awe-inspiring and breath-taking, the waterfall is named as one of the biggest single-drop waterfalls in Ecuador. However, there is more than just a waterfall! Brave the exciting & uniquely inclined suspension bridges, walk the beautiful riverside, explore the impressive flora and fauna and enjoy incredible up-close balconies! Only from Cascada el Pailon can the falls be seen up close from top to bottom. Come join us for our magical evening hours where nature and art unite in a beautiful light show! This colorful and interactive self-guided pathway will take you on a journey to see the waterfall in color.
Reviewed By global3adventure - Quito, Ecuador
One of the top highlights of both Banos & Ecuador is the Pailon del Diablo (Devil's Cauldron) Mother Nature's spectacular display of 3 thundering waterfalls where the Pastaza River cascades several hundred feet swirling into the rock basin. There are two entrances one from above and one from below. Wear sturdy footwear and a rain poncho as the steep steps, and paths are wet and slippery and filled with obstacles. Traversing the path into the Amazon you will encounter lush green flora, orchids, hummingbirds, and butterflies. You will cross several wooden suspension bridges, and crawl into caves behind the roaring falls. There are several balcony viewpoints along the way. The sheer height and power of the cascading water is breathtaking. Of course at the entrances there are a variety of vendors selling fruit, BBQ skewers, ice cream, & souvenirs.
2. El Cajas National Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2,364 reviews
Known for its more than 275 Andean lakes and many waterfalls, this national park is a popular destination for trout fishing, rugged hiking and camping.
Reviewed By Elias_Rovielo - Sao Caetano do Sul, Brazil
As this is my last Andean country, I seriously thought if this tour would be worthwhile, the time spent to see the Andes mountains, bush (park) and lakes. I'm glad I didn't hear my mind! The tour has incredible trails around a lagoon with birds and flowers, then we go further up the high mountains to see high altitude lagoons with the reflection of the sky in them, unique high altitude forests and a lot of history. 1) First pond and complete lap around it; 2) The highest top of the park; 3) Another lagoon with a walk in the only high altitude forest; 4) Restaurant with lunch included; This shared tour was contracted with the great travel agency, Deep Ecuador Travel (Cuenca) with the fantastic guide Andrés León.
3. Pro Bici
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 323 reviews
We offer excursions to Chimborazo and other snowpeaks, mountain lakes, thermal pools, rain and cloud forests and indigenous, historic and cultural sites that reveal unimagined natural and cultural wonders hidden to the common tourist.
Reviewed By AlexHesse1111
An all round amazing trip, cannot recommend enough! From the knowledge of the guides to the quality of the equipment. All the guides were extremely friendly and supportive throughout the 12 hour trip, tending to the needs and skill levels of each member of the group. They shared their vast comprehensive knowledge of the plants and different terrains we covered as well as explaining the history and spiritual aspects of Chimborazo. The bikes and safety equipment were all extremely well maintained and the advice given to deal with being at such high altitude was comprehensive and helpful!
4. Laguna Quilotoa
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,194 reviews
Reviewed By nowshiva - Lismore, Australia
We hired a car, from Quito. Much better than dealing with buses etc. The roads are really good. Signs are non-existent - have your maps on your phone to guide you. Also, a tip, download a map from Maps.me for offline use, of Quilotoa. Ok, so you arrive in the town, park, and then you have some choices. You can wander around a little, you can go down to the water - hire a kayak, or just hang out. Its a steep walk back up that hill, but I believe you may be able to hire a donkey to take you back up. We chose to hike around the crater. 11km. Its almost 4,000m, so be aware thats its really hard work. Worth carrying a cannister of oxygen, which you can buy in Quito for $30. The winds are REALLY strong. So you need something to cover your ears. Hiking we warmed up, but you need clothes at the ready. It took us 6 hours, with some breaks and lunch. Bring your food and water - nothing on the route. We took the advice and went counter clockwise. There some hills to climb - a lot, and one is up and up. The path is dusty, scrabble. Very narrow in places (like, 1m), with steep cliffs falling steeply away on either side. Not for the faint hearted! It was a fantastic experience. But extremely tiring - its like walking twice the distance at sea level. Worth doing, but be prepared for an intense time. The wind was very strong, the whole day. There are some choices - at times, you can go exactly up the ride. Other times, you can go around the sides of the hills, either on the outside or inside. We started at 10am. You wouldnt want to start much later than that, if you are going to do the whole loop. We met one guy who does it regularly, who claims he can do it in 4 hours, but thats serious power walking, and knowing what you are doing. The alternative is that you might walk for say 2 hours, and then retrace your steps. I am quite fit, but by the end, I felt a little dizzy. Very satsifying though.
5. Cotopaxi National Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 631 reviews
Named for the highest active volcano in the world (5,897 meters), this national park is dedicated to protecting llama and other animals such as bears, wolves, puma and deer.
Reviewed By dslatts - Hinsdale, United States
We visited Quito for a few days prior to heading to Galapagos. One day Trip was to Cotopaxi National Park to hike up to the Refugio and glacier. We organized the trip with Lincoln Guaman from other Trip Advisor reviews. Lincoln did an outstanding job organizing the day hike for six of us. He helped us adjust to the altitude and climb higher than we imagined. It was a wonderful way to see the countryside around Quito along with seeing the wild horses who live at the base of the volcano.. Cotopaxi is magnificent. We wished we had more time to do more trips with Lincoln. Highly recommend using his services. He can be contacted at [email protected].
6. Darwin Island
7. Parque Historico Guayaquil
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,664 reviews
It includes 8 hectares divided in three zones: Wild Life, Traditions and Urban - architectural, where the nature, rural and urban aspects are brought together in one concept: encouraging the environment preservation, rescue and promotion of our customs.
Reviewed By erikastanton2012 - San Diego, United States
Parque Histórico was a great place to visit, beautiful combination of history and nature, the staff and food was wonderful, weekends provide shows and demonstrations of culture, we saw cacao, coffee and banana trees, beautiful flowers and animals (rescue animals ) It is a small but it is worth it !
8. Darwin & Wolf Islands
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 50 reviews
Wolf and Darwin Islands, sometimes called Wenman and Culpepper, are two eroded volcanos located on a volcanic ridge.
Reviewed By J5694RXleer
My wife and I dove here in September 2020 on a 7-day liveaboard named the Humboldt Explorer. Darwin and Wolf Islands offer some of the best diving money can buy. While the wildlife sightings can certainly change from dive to dive, we saw whale sharks on nearly every dive at Darwin, hundreds of hammerheads, dolphins, sea lions, and a staggering abundance of fish. I myself am a marine biologist in the Caribbean and my wife is a SCUBA instructor, so we've spent quite a lot of time in the water...these were some of the most memorable and remarkable dives we've done. If you're a diver, I cannot recommend diving here enough. The amount of life and beauty of these places is incredible. That being said, this diving isn't for the beginner diver. Expect variable currents, thermoclines, variable visibility, and potentially rough conditions during pickup/dropoff. As for the Humboldt Explorer, their operation was top notch. I believe this was the first charter they've run since March 2020, due to COVID. Our guides, Jorge and Daniel were absolutely fantastic, bilingual and extremely knowledgeable about the wildlife. The panga drivers were incredibly talented and some of the most competent boat drivers I've ever encountered. The rest of the crew and chefs were also fantastic, friendly, and helpful. We felt very safe with regard to COVID and to overall safety during dives and time on the boat. Honestly, we were expecting that there would probably be a couple hiccups along the way, being the first charter they've run since March due to COVID, but there wasn't a single one. Simply, Humboldt Explorer is top notch operation that made it possible for us to have some of the best dives in our lives. I want to especially thank Jennifer, Jorge's wife, who helped us tremendously in order to get us to the Galapagos so we could do the charter. She helped set up/provide information to get the required COVID tests in Guayaquil prior to traveling from there to the Galapagos. Her recommendations for places to stay, things to do, and just her overall kindness truly made our trip possible. It would have been far more difficult for us to visit the Galapagos as smoothly as we did, with the COVID requirements/restrictions/closures, without her help. You saved our trip. A profound thank you!
9. Paz de las Aves Bird Refuge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 239 reviews
One of the best place for birdwatching and photography in Mindo, Ecuador. Here you can see 5 species of Antpittas, antthrus, Wood-quail, tanagers, quetzal and others, be part of our family Refugio Paz
Reviewed By Lsuch302 - Manhattan Beach, United States
We stayed for one night. This is a small, family run place that is a challenge to find but completely worth it. The lodge is on the side of a mountain with hummingbird feeders and a bird viewing platform. Even in the rain you can spot birds all day long. We had the suite with bathroom, very simple but exactly what you'd expect in a remote lodge like this. The food was also simple but very good, and the owners and guides were very friendly. The best part are the tours. We went out on several bird-watching tours. Not being birders, we were fascinated by not only the birds, but also the serious bird watchers. It was so much fun to observe the birders observing the birds. That aside, we were impressed by how many birds we saw, and how our guides were extremely knowledgeable about the birds and able to spot and find them. We saw the Cock Of The Rock, Antpittas, Tanagers, Toucans, Hummingbirds, and so many other types of birds, and went on some fun hikes and muddy drives, making for an adventurous and fun experience. There are day trips that bring visitors up to the lodge, so it can get busy when they arrive, but if you stay at the lodge, you have it all to yourself most of the day.
10. Nambilla Cascadas
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 302 reviews
Reviewed By Satanyah - Spokane, United States
Beautiful area to take a 1.5-2 hour hike. At the waterfall there is a changing room to switch to your swimming suit. I saw a toucan on the hike out. The cable car ride was a beautiful view
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