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Pailón del Diablo: Ecuador's Most Powerful Waterfall

The Pailón del Diablo (Devil's Cauldron) — an 80-metre waterfall crashing into a narrow canyon on the Pastaza River — is Ecuador's most dramatic waterfall; the viewing platforms, the mist, and the sheer force of the water create an overwhelming natural spectacle

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1
Vattenfall Power
Pailón del Diablo receives all the water from the upper Pastaza river — the flow in high season is extraordinary; the waterfall 80 meters down a small canyon and the visible mist creates a permanent rainbow that is from the viewing platforms
2
Viewing Platform Network
A network of metal platforms and stairs descends the canyon to within 30 meters of the waterfall's base; the different platforms offer different perspectives — from the long view at the top to the immersive close-up at the bottom; the experience becomes progressively more intense at each level
3
The route of the waterfalls Context
Pailón is the most spectacular of the 7 waterfalls on the Ruta de las Cascadas; the other waterfalls - Agoyán, Manto de la Novia, Cabellera de la Virgen and others - are beautiful in their own right but Pailón is transcendent
4
Canyon Geology
Pastaza Canyon was cut by volcanic ash and lava from the Tungurahua combined with the erosive power of the river; the canyon walls of dark volcanic rock, the white water and the green cloud forest above create a color contrast of extraordinary drama
5
Zipline over the waterfall
A zip-line from the edge above Pailón allows crossing the canyon on a steel cable with the waterfall below; The zip-line crossing — drenched in mist, with the roar of the waterfall below — is one of Ecuador's most memorable adventure experiences
6
Evening illumination
Pailón del Diablo is lit up at night — the illuminated waterfall in the dark canyon, with the mist catching the light, is a completely different and equally beautiful sight from the daytime view; the combination of the illuminated falls and the stars above the canyon is extraordinary