Canyoning in Baños Ecuador with Ivaga Tours
Once we determined we were going to Baños, we knew we were ready for some fun filled adrenaline adventures. As soon as you arrive into town, you notice the hundreds of agencies competing for your business. In reality, it can be a daunting task trying to figure out which agency to use and make sure you get a good level of service.
As we walked in and out from several agencies, we finally reached Ivaga Tours. We had done some homework and found that Ivaga Tours had very good reviews online. This was the number one agency and tour operator we were looking for in Baños. As soon as we walked in, you noticed the level of professionalism in the staff. We had the opportunity to sit down and discuss tour options with Jose. He took his time to explain the tours they offered and he understood what we were looking for. Jose gave us all the information we needed to make sure we made the right decision. Having the opportunity to sit down and talk to Jose about our travels was great. He is very passionate about traveling and offers top notch services for all his customers. His charisma, friendliness and enthusiasm convinced us to do a couple of tours with Ivaga: Canyoning. and Bike Rental.
Waterfalls, waterfalls and more waterfalls! This was honestly the highlight of our visit to Baños. It was a fun filled afternoon with Ivaga and our awesome guide Gabriel. The tour started with us meeting up at their office to receive our equipment for the afternoon. As soon as you walk into the office, you will see their “Grade A” level equipment. I have never worn a wet suit before, but I felt like I was about to swim with the sharks! It fit very well and I felt very comfortable to use this equipment for our canyoning trip. Ivaga Tours also offers you shoes so you can use during the tour. We made sure the equipment was the right size for us and we were off!
The drive was about 20 minutes and we reached our destination... Rio Blanco. As soon as we got off, we started suiting up for the adventure. I could not fail to notice the other company that also arrived at the same location. They were wearing what seemed to be a wind breaker and some water pants. The water was freezing and we were glad we had full wet suits to better enjoy the experience instead of worrying about how cold we would be. I felt like I was ready for anything with the equipment that was provided to us. We geared up and started to walk up towards the waterfall.
But first... Safety check! We could not say enough about the work Gabriel did as our guide. He was awesome! He gave us all the instructions we needed and made sure each one of us tried and felt comfortable using the rope and harness. Once we received the safety briefing, we were off. We walked uphill for about 15 minutes towards the first waterfall and the fun began! Gabriel was always the first one and made sure all safety aspects were covered before any of us went down the waterfall.
Wow! What a rush! We descended in 5 different waterfalls and they were all amazing. The height ranged from 8 meters to 25 meters But the one that takes the cake was waterfall number 4! The total height was about 25 meters and in my opinion the best one! My advice... don’t look down! It is along way down and the last thing you want is to panic. Once again, Gabriel was on top of his game. He was our biggest cheerleader and made sure we stayed motivated and on the right direction. About half way down the waterfall, you will be directed to stop and swing/move to your left. This is the best part! You will go right into the waterfall and finish the rest of the descent with water splashing all over your face and helmet!
Once you get down there... you will have a wow moment as you look up! Yes, you came from up there! Congrats! But... before you start walking down to the car, there is a slide waiting for you! It is about a 15 meter slide down a waterfall! Gabriel was the first one to go and showed us how to descent carefully. If you accidentally slide fast, don’t worry, he is down there to help you stop and make sure you arrive safe.
One of the best parts of this tour is that Gabriel has a GoPro with him and is taking pictures of all the action! But wait…there’s more, it’s all FREE of charge. Bring an SD card or a USB, they will load the pictures captured and you are off with the best memories of this canyoning trip!
Canyoning was definitely a rush and a thing we highly recommend to be done in Baños. Make sure you go with a reputable company and someone who will offer top notch service. For us, that was Ivaga Tours. The best of the best when it comes to Baños! Highly recommended!
*No, there was no money involved. This post was part of a collaboration with Ivaga Tours. All opinions and reviews are completely our own.
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