Ultimate Cajas National Park Full-Day Adventure with Local Expert
Description
Embark on an exclusive small-group hiking adventure in Cajas National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its breathtaking landscapes and rich biodiversity. Begin your journey at the continental divide, where waters flow toward both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, offering a unique geographical perspective. Proceed to the Toreadora Refuge, situated amidst the park's highlands, and traverse trails that wind through a mesmerizing tapestry of glacial lakes and the rare Polylepis Forest, home to some of the world's highest-altitude tree species. Conclude your exploration in the serene Llaviuco montane forest, immersing yourself in its tranquil beauty during a second invigorating hike. This meticulously crafted tour provides an unparalleled opportunity to experience the diverse ecosystems of Cajas National Park, ensuring an unforgettable adventure for nature enthusiasts and hikers alike.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We start our tour with hotel pick ups in Cuenca. We drive for about an hour to Toreadora refuge from where we will take a hike in the highlands through the moorland ecosystem of wetlands and lakes to get to the unique forest of Polylepis trees. These are the highest growing trees in the world and are native to South America. The park includes approximately 768 lakes in an area of 70,533 acres. It is one of the most important water sources in Cuenca and Ecuador. It has gained international prominence in several categories: Wetland of International Importance in 2002 by RAMSAR, Area of International Importance for the Conservation of Birds by IBA in 2003, and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2013.
Afterward, we will explore the Llaviuco Cloud Forest where you will be able to appreciate the contrast of the park on our 1.5 hour hike. If we are lucky we might see Tucans. After a full-day adventure, we drive back to Cuenca. We will stop at a local restaurant for lunch. The specialty is trout!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required to operate shared tours. We reserve the right to cancel the tour if there are not at least 2 participants.
- Bookings made 48 hours prior the tour are subject to guide availability.
- Please contact us at info@cuencabestours.com or WhatsApp +593-987-796-896 within 24 hours notice to reconfirm the tour and pick-up time.
- Vegetarian/Vegan/Gluten-Free/Lactose-Free options are available, please advise at time of booking if required.
- For 1 to 6 passengers, a bilingual guide will also be the driver. For more than 6 passengers, a driver and a bilingual guide will be provided. Max group size 15 passengers.
- Shared Tours hotel pickups commence prior to this time, you must contact the local service provider to verify your exact pickup time.
- Comfortable walking shoes and sun protection are recommended.
Reviews(24)
Mosses is awesome tour guide. Knowledgeable, personal, and a good conversationalist. Having lived and worked in New York for 14 years; is English is very good
We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed your time with Mosses. His knowledge, warm personality, and engaging conversations truly help create memorable experiences for our guests. ✨🌎 Team Cuenca Bestours
We had a wonderful time hiking in Cajas National Park. Xavier was our guide and he was fantastic! Xavier always gave us options and asked what we preferred. He went at our pace and had lots of interesting information about wildlife, plants, nearby trails and the area in general.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! 🌿 We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your hike in Cajas National Park and that Xavier made the experience so memorable. His knowledge, flexibility, and thoughtful guidance truly help guests connect with the beauty of the park. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with him. 🏞️✨ Team Cuenca Bestours
The hike in Las Cajas was fantastic! There were 3 other young ladies on the hike with us. We were guided by Winston. He paced the hike just right, took us to trails that were challenging and got us to excellent views. The lunch was good. The potato soup was delicious. The trout was just ok. A little bland. The warm drinks were good.
We're so glad you enjoyed the stunning hike in Las Cajas and that Winston provided the right balance of challenge and breathtaking views. It’s great to hear you liked the potato soup and warm drinks—thanks also for the honest feedback on the trout; we’ll be sure to pass it along to the restaurant. 🌄 Cuenca Bestours Team
Amazing place and amazing guide, Wilson. So friendly and fun. And we went to a wonderful healthy local restaurant for lunch after.
We're thrilled to hear you had an amazing time and that Wilson made your experience both fun and memorable. We're also glad you enjoyed the local restaurant—nothing like a delicious, healthy meal to complete the day! 🌟 Cuenca Bestours Tours
The views were fantastic! The guide was great and told us about all the plants we passed as well as the animals we would have seen and those we didn’t have the chance to see. I recommend this tour to all!
Merci beaucoup pour votre recommandation et votre retour positif ! Nous sommes ravis que vous ayez apprécié les vues magnifiques et les explications de notre guide sur la flore et la faune. Ce fut un plaisir de vous accueillir, et nous espérons vous revoir pour une nouvelle aventure avec nous ! 🌿🐦✨ Team Cuenca Bestours
Beautiful hike through the nature reserve. Finished with a good hot meal. Make sure you wear good clothes or bring them with you. It can be cold and windy.
Bedankt voor je mooie review! 😊 Fijn dat je genoten hebt van de hike en de warme maaltijd als afsluiting. Je tip over de kleding is heel waardevol voor toekomstige reizigers! 🌿❄️ We hopen je snel weer te verwelkomen voor een nieuw avontuur. 🚶♂️🏔️ Team Cuenca Bestours
I enjoyed the hike, the information we got about nature through the guide. The group was not all equally fast, and the guide often already started giving explanations, so you missed it if you arrived later.
Bedankt voor je feedback! 😊 Fijn om te horen dat je genoten hebt van de hike en de informatie van onze gids. We waarderen je opmerking over het tempo van de groep en zullen dit meenemen om de ervaring voor iedereen nog beter te maken. 🌿🏔️ Team Cuenca Bestours
This was an excellent trio. Beautiful scenery anda good hike. Wilson was a very good guide. I would recommend this tour.
Thank you for your kind words! 😊 We're so glad you enjoyed the beautiful scenery and the hike. Wilson will be happy to hear your praise! 🏞️🚶♂️ We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to see you on another adventure soon. 🌍✨ Team Cuenca Bestours
Had a very pleasant and informative experience hiking around Cajas with our small group. Our guide was very informative and helpful.
The views were amazing, The pics came out awesome and our tour guide Wilson was very helpful and knew alot of facts about Cajas. It was a nice hike and I’d definitely recommend them and bring my family next too!
Dear Christopher, It was a pleasure having you on our trip to Cajas! Fantastic to hear that you enjoyed your tour and managed to get some amazing shots. We're really happy that you would recommend us and your family is more than welcome in the future. Team Cuenca Bestours
