El Chorro del Giron — Attraction in Giron

If you are considering visiting the second waterfall, please do read my review in full or skip to the section marked "II CASCADA."

Bus from Cuenca to Giron: Ticket booth opens at 8, ticket cost $1.2, bus left at 8:3, arrived around 10 after a pleasant ride through the Andean countryside.

Giron to El Chorro: Hiked up from town, an hour and change through lots of beautiful earth and dogs of various dispositions. Could take a taxi but I like hoofin it. Arrived on foot just as a van full of gringas pulls up. They say they felt sorry for me having to hoof it, but I feel sorry for them, missing such a nice hike getting hauled up there like a bunch of decrepit paraplegics! Told me they paid some +$60 for the van ride, made me feel great about taking the bus for a buck. They were sweethearts, though. Judge not prematurely, ñaños.

I Cascada: Extranjeros pay $3, enjoy nice wooden walkways round the first waterfall, various lovely viewpoints and jungle trails, pictures don't do no justice. There are fun things like a chair swing over the fall, a zip line, a cycle, but it's Friday, and I reckon these things are only available on weekends. It's an incredibly beautiful environment here, even just this first cascade is well worth your visit if you really take your time and soak it in, misty shower and all. I have to laugh and shake my head when I see tourists pass through incredible sites like this en pocos minutos, snap a few sweet pics and say sayonara. ¡Usa los ojos, güey, y no tengas tanta prisa!

The surrounding economy appeared entirely abandoned to me, but perhaps it comes alive on weekends. I did find free, functional baños, but you'll have to MacGyver some toilet paper if you need it. I examined my surroundings and for gits and shiggles decided to utilize a roll of yellow "peligro" tape I found next door. Whatever you come up with, just remember to trash it not flush it.

II CASCADA: Now, ticket boy didn't have jack diddly to say about the difficulty of the route when I inquired, and the online reviews I'd read about the path to the second waterfall said cutesy things like "not for the faint of heart" / "it's kind of a difficult trail"—mira, it's not so much a trail as it is climbing una montaña, güey! You start at 9,000ft altitude and you'll be ascending another 3,000ft as well as traversing ~3 miles one-way. We're talking +45 degree inclines most of the route, over mud, loose rock, wet rock, and lots of caca de vaca. Note that none of my pictures show the slope, as at the time I was more concerned with being careful than with snapping sweet pics. I've climbed "intermediate" mountains in Yellowstone and Yosemite, but this climb was the most difficult and potentially treacherous one I've done, especially given I was completely alone out there—no one would have heard me cry for help, nor would anyone have seen my twisted limbs / mortal remains through the dense cloud forest fog. Several points along the way I debated tapping out, but boy howdy am I mighty glad I didn't.

Despite the challenge, this is an ineffably spectacular journey, a serious contender for Most Beautiful Place I've Ever Been. The landscape is lush and lovely, the cloud forest fog is eerily dreamy, and the quietude is absolutely sublime. Again, however fab the fotos, they don't do it no justice. You have to experience it yourself with every sense.

I didn't see much unique wildlife apart from a species of dark blue bird that sounded a lovely little alarm for me and one humongous tarantula I saw dart across the path in the jungle that leads up to the falls. I also found cows blocking my path at two points along the way, madres con calves who did not like me coming too close. "Must be Ecuadorian cows," I says, observing much the same disdainful ojo I often get from the humans around here. But then I caught a ride back to Giron with a couple local shepherds who couldn't have been nicer.

El Chorro is definitely worth your time, whether you take the number two challenge or not—by which I mean the mountain thing, not the...

Very fun place, our guide took us here on a day tour, I didn't expect it! I did the Rope Bridge (very scary!), bicycle rope, and the zip line (unfortunately it was raining and cloudy!). Plus some hiking on the slippery path, and of course seeing the waterfall. Would definitely recommend here especially for kids and for fun and...

Muy buena experiencia, la entrada esta en 2.50 adultos extranjeros 3.50, adicional los juegos extremos tienen un costo. Cuenta con senderismo tiene dos cascadas bien señalisadas rutas medias complicada para bajar al lado del chorro para personas adultas mayores o niños pequeños, del lo demás muy buena información alimentación el columpio nomas esta vez estaba deshabilitada.

Valor estimado para un adulto poder disfrutar de todos sus juegos extremos 30 dólares canoping, bicicletas aérea, caminata en puente colgante, cruce en cuerda no recuerdo el nombre del juego.

Si llega antes de las 8 no se encuentra fila ni mucho turista, adicional de cortesía brindan al final de la ruta un canelazo con y sin alcohol.

Alimentación primero preguntar por el menú supongo que los precios...