Nambilla Cascadas
Nambilla Cascadas
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
308 reviews
Excellent
152
Very good
114
Average
34
Poor
4
Terrible
4
Matt A
Hermosa Beach, CA581 contributions
Jan 2022 • Solo
There are two ways you can go: right to one tallish waterfall, or left to pass seven small waterfalls. All the waterfalls are small, even the “tall one” - don’t expect to be blown away.
Each hike takes about 45 minutes each way.
This wasn’t amazing, just a fun day out hiking through the rainforest.
The best part is the cable car! It’s just a quick ride though.
I also saw an armadillo on the hike, that was cool.
Each hike takes about 45 minutes each way.
This wasn’t amazing, just a fun day out hiking through the rainforest.
The best part is the cable car! It’s just a quick ride though.
I also saw an armadillo on the hike, that was cool.
Written January 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Satanya
Spokane, WA187 contributions
Dec 2019 • Solo
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
Written January 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Randy P
Memphis, TN283 contributions
Oct 2017 • Couples
I may be a bit jaded, but this was a disappointment. It is an average waterfall with a fair amount of clutter around it. Add in a long downhill/uphill hike and I am not sure it is worth the effort.
Written January 16, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Barbara M
Yorktown Heights, NY88 contributions
We booked this in town in Mindo. We were told this was a relaxing endeavor, which is why we chose that over the ziplining, which we didn't trust for so little money. Looking back, we shouldnt have trusted the TARABITA folks either. We were told we could reach all the waterfalls (8 of them) by closing, so long as we left town by 2:30. It takes nearly a half hour on a dirt (rock) road to drive there and the road is very narrow and difficult for a little manual rental car to get up. We arrived at 3pm, thinking they closed at 5, but they don't tell you the last Tarabita pickup is at 4:30.
A few other warnings:
They do not tell you about the hiking until you pay the $5 and take the Tarabita across the valley. They actually don't call it hiking. They call it walking. It isn't. I love hiking, but had I known how incredibly steep it was and how little time we had, i would have chosen the ziplining, hands down.
Then they give you a map and say that it takes an hour and a half round-trip to see 7/8 waterfalls. This is a lie. We hiked for 45 minutes, saw 3 waterfalls, and turned around so as not to miss the last pickup. And we are in fairly decent shape because we go hiking every week back home.
It pours every day in Mindo at some point, we are told. We got caught in the rain and thankfully were mostly prepared in terms of boots and jackets, but other people weren't. Despite our hiking boots, my husband fell because of the severe mud, and hurt his ankle, making the last 15 minutes of the uphill hike pretty awful. When we kicked the cable to ask to be picked up, as we were told to do, no one came to get us for 10 minutes and it isn't that long a ride. We asked for ice for my husband's ankle and they didn't have even that.
To come back to that dirt rock road, it was really dangerous to drive back down in the mud, but we didn't want to wait for the rain to stop since it might've also been dark by then. So we braved it. Our poor little rental car took quite a beating. We had to take it slow for another reason. A cowboy was guiding his flock of cows back down the road and there was no way around them, so it took 45 minutes to get back down to town.
Given all the warnings, I can't highly recommend this activity. That said, if you know what you're getting, you're in good shape for the hiking, you have boots and rainwear and/or you have perfect weather and plenty of time, go and enjoy the waterfalls. But those are a lot of IFs.
A few other warnings:
They do not tell you about the hiking until you pay the $5 and take the Tarabita across the valley. They actually don't call it hiking. They call it walking. It isn't. I love hiking, but had I known how incredibly steep it was and how little time we had, i would have chosen the ziplining, hands down.
Then they give you a map and say that it takes an hour and a half round-trip to see 7/8 waterfalls. This is a lie. We hiked for 45 minutes, saw 3 waterfalls, and turned around so as not to miss the last pickup. And we are in fairly decent shape because we go hiking every week back home.
It pours every day in Mindo at some point, we are told. We got caught in the rain and thankfully were mostly prepared in terms of boots and jackets, but other people weren't. Despite our hiking boots, my husband fell because of the severe mud, and hurt his ankle, making the last 15 minutes of the uphill hike pretty awful. When we kicked the cable to ask to be picked up, as we were told to do, no one came to get us for 10 minutes and it isn't that long a ride. We asked for ice for my husband's ankle and they didn't have even that.
To come back to that dirt rock road, it was really dangerous to drive back down in the mud, but we didn't want to wait for the rain to stop since it might've also been dark by then. So we braved it. Our poor little rental car took quite a beating. We had to take it slow for another reason. A cowboy was guiding his flock of cows back down the road and there was no way around them, so it took 45 minutes to get back down to town.
Given all the warnings, I can't highly recommend this activity. That said, if you know what you're getting, you're in good shape for the hiking, you have boots and rainwear and/or you have perfect weather and plenty of time, go and enjoy the waterfalls. But those are a lot of IFs.
Written March 31, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lee M
Tampa, FL256 contributions
Jan 2018 • Solo
You have to get to the Quito Olefia-Norte Terminal Terrestre to get the $3.10 bus to Mindo. I took the Quito city buses, and you should be on your game or you'll pay in time because you need to get there early. A day trip is literally a 14 hour trip, but certainly an adventure. (Ever been in a jammed full Quito city bus? Worse than Guayaquil and possibly as bad as a big city in Japan or India!) ---- Then 2 1/2 hours on a beautiful bus ride into the rain forest mountains, different than I had seen in two weeks in the Andes. The little city (almost a village) is great and a sociological wonder for me. The taxi is going to cost you unless you want to walk 5km just to get to the cable car. $5 for the cable car, no cost back, bang the wires with a big stick to let them know you are still on the trail needing to get back, but they know the drill and in the mid-afternoon know you are coming back. Be nice to the taxi driver on the way there, make a deal, and he'll come back for lesser cost to take you back to Mindo (which my guy did and three pretty German girls got a huge break via my forethought). Don't walk the dirt road to the cable car, or I'll bet you'll be wiped out even if you're staying at a hostel in Mindo. When at other side ready for hike, turn left and you go down to apparently a series of smaller waterfalls toward the river, turn right and you go to Reina Cascada. That hike will be about 4.5km up and down all the way. Very cool. Mindo was a great little place and one of my favorite places during weeks in Ecuador even though I was only there for a few hours. Enjoy!
Written January 12, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
qbfly
Hamburg, Germany109 contributions
Apr 2017 • Couples
If you enjoy hiking and waterfalls this is the tour for you!
The tour starts with a transfer by a small open cable car/funicular similar to a zip line. You will have a great view of the top of the jungle!
Then you can hike to a number of waterfalls, seven in total I was told, but we did not see them all a one goes off in a different direction.
The others are beautiful to see and you may swim in them if you feel adventurous and enjoy the cool water.
I would recommend hiking shoes or sneakers as the path is steep and slippery in places. But if your used to the height it's well manageable and worth the effort.
Additionally to the waterfalls you may see kolibries, toucans and a lot of other birds.
The tour starts with a transfer by a small open cable car/funicular similar to a zip line. You will have a great view of the top of the jungle!
Then you can hike to a number of waterfalls, seven in total I was told, but we did not see them all a one goes off in a different direction.
The others are beautiful to see and you may swim in them if you feel adventurous and enjoy the cool water.
I would recommend hiking shoes or sneakers as the path is steep and slippery in places. But if your used to the height it's well manageable and worth the effort.
Additionally to the waterfalls you may see kolibries, toucans and a lot of other birds.
Written April 30, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Emmaemc
Dublin, Ireland560 contributions
Nov 2016 • Couples
We walked to the tarabita from Mindo town. It was about an hour and mostly uphill, it's along paved road and not challenging. You can also choose to get a taxi from the main square if you wish. The tarabita is quick and easy. It whizzes across the valley in 4-5 mins. From there you can hike left or right (or both, as we did). To the left is a trail that takes about 1 hour and leads you to one waterfall. It's a walk through jungle terrain, not difficult and has a clear path. The waterfall is nice but not overly impressive. You return via the same route, heading back towards the tarabita again.
From there you can follow the other route that takes you to 6 waterfalls. The walk is nice and follows another clear route. The waterfalls are pretty and pleasant.
From there you can follow the other route that takes you to 6 waterfalls. The walk is nice and follows another clear route. The waterfalls are pretty and pleasant.
Written December 27, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Farizan R
New Westminster, Canada69 contributions
Jul 2018 • Friends
This is the place to go if you want a shot of natural adrenaline. The main attraction of this waterfall is the 12 m plunge on top of a metal board to the rushing water below. If that’s not for you, they also have a very fun slide next to it. It took me and my friends 30 - 45 minutes of hiking between the entrance and the main waterfall (Cascada Nambilla). There are many beautiful sceneries along the way which made our experience a truly wonderful and memorable experience to have. We paid around $3.00 for entry and an additional $8.00 for taxi to get here. The price that we paid was a steal, considering the things that we have experienced.
Written July 3, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alison Wonderland
Kent, UK259 contributions
Nov 2017 • Solo
I had the most beautiful day here trekking the forest and selection of waterfalls. The first trek takes one hour but its the most quiet of all the waterfalls so its a must visit. The other waterfalls are closer together and can get a little crowded but you honestly don't care because you are on one of the most beautiful places on earth. You feel like you have stepped back in time to Jurassic park. One of the few places on earth unspoilt by humans! This is an epic trip and the cable car ride over is amazing too.
I actually lost my wallet here while I was travelling alone and someone not only found it and kept it safe but they also made sure I got everything back.
I actually lost my wallet here while I was travelling alone and someone not only found it and kept it safe but they also made sure I got everything back.
Written January 19, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Taylor Y
14 contributions
Feb 2016 • Friends
Most parks in Ecuador are free, but like most things in Mindo, this costs money ($3 to go on the cable car). It was also very far away from Mindo (about 2 hours walking to the entrance or $10 in a taxi). When you get there, there are many waterfalls to see and you can do a short route and turn around after seeing the first or second waterfall, or you can keep going all the way around. Overall it was very beautiful and a relatively easy hike with a path.
Written March 28, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Buenas noches. Quisiera saber si los recorridos de las cascadas están disponibles todos los días de la semana o únicamente fin de semana. Gracias.
Written May 30, 2019
¿Cuanto se tarda desde Quito?¿Es facil el acceso hasta la entrada a las Cascadas?
Written July 2, 2018
Hola Álvaro. Mundo queda a más o menos una hora y media de Quito. De Lindo a la garantía por la que cruzas a las cascadas son unos 10 minutos. Hasta ahí puedes llegar en tu propio carro, o también hay camionetas que te llevan por muy poco. Una vez que cruzas en la tarabita ya es otra cosa. El camino peatonal es angosto, con bastante vegetación, en algunos tramos algo lodoso y muy exigente para los que no tenemos un buen estado físico. Sin embargo Vi muchos niños pequeños hacerlo sin ningún problema. Meterse a la segunda cascada es una recompensa por demás gratificante.
Written July 3, 2018
Danna N
Manabi Province, Ecuador
hola fernanda disculpa cuanto tiempo y dinero gastas para llegar a la tarabita te agradeceria mucha tu respuesta
Written March 8, 2018
We are going in April and I am terrified of heights. I would not be able to go on that cable car without having a heart attack. Is there a way to hike to the waterfalls without taking the cable car? I have been reading reviews, but it was kind of unclear. Thanks for any help
Written January 3, 2017
Yes, there is a path. A little hidden and the people selling the tickets for the Tarabita are not eager to point it out. Instead of walking Right to the ticket office, look LEFT and the path is just along the edge of a wall - a little snack shop borders it.
Written January 6, 2017
Approximately how many hours would one recommend setting aside to hike the waterfalls? I am going to be adventurous and take a bus (not an organized tour) from Quito in the morning. I wanted to do ziplining in the morning and was wondering if I'd have time to do the waterfalls in the afternoon before catching a bus back to Quito in the late afternoon/early evening?
Written August 20, 2016
Yea you'd definitely have time. We did the same. Did the 10 canopy zip-line then went to the waterfalls. We did only do to the first big waterfall though, because we didn't wake up until late (wake up early that was our mistake) Give yourself at least two hours if you want to see more than just the first one. Also, last bus from Mindo to Quito leaves at 5 pm. We had to run to make it.
Written August 20, 2016
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