Cajas National Park is one of the most popular places to visit 30 kilometres west of Cuenca, in southern Ecuador. The park is like a magical fairytale, with rolling hills, jagged mountain peaks, Andean forests and 200+ lakes within an area of more than 70,533 acres.

Whether you’re a hardcore hiker or leisurely stroller, Cajas has hiking trails for every level, from gentle walks to challenging multi-day treks. Cajas National Park is also home to a wide range of bird species, including Andean condors, hummingbirds, and toucans, making it a popular destination for birdwatchers.

In this post I give you all the practical information you need to visit Cajas (pronounced “Ka-hass”), along with what to expect and bring with you.

Getting there

The easiest and most convenient way to reach Cajas National Park is by private car or taxi. However, if you want a more budget-friendly option, you can take the public bus like my husband and I did. It was very simple, straight-forward and affordable.

We caught the bus from the main Terminal Terrestre bus station, via the bus company Occidental. It takes less than an hour to reach the park and costs $3 per person each way. You can pay on board (despite what security staff at the station told us!) and it is best to pay with exact change. We tried to use a larger note which the ticket conductor struggled to find change for and it became a whole big thing involving lots of other passengers!

Arriving and registering

Ask the driver to let you know when you reach “Lago Torreadora”, where there is the visitor centre to register your entrance into the park. To register, you need to write your name, city, country and phone number in a visitor’s book. We weren’t asked for photo ID, but I have read online that it can happen so it’s a good idea to bring your passport or ID card with you. There are public toilets and a small restaurant in the visitor centre. I suggest bringing plenty of water and food with you as you won’t find anywhere to refill your water bottles on the trails.

Entry price and opening times

Cajas National Park is free to enter and is open from 8am to 16:30 pm every day. It’s a good idea to get there as close to opening time as possible. Not only is the weather likely to be drier, but the park has a limited capacity for the number of hikers per day. If you arrive in the afternoon, you could be turned away.

Hiking routes

There are fifteen possible trails in Cajas National Park and that number grows year by year. In the visitor centre, you can also find maps and descriptions of the different hiking trails. The different routes are numbered and labelled by colour, ranging from low to high difficulty. If you are unsure which track to choose, ask the staff at the visitor centre and they can advise you based on your level of fitness, time restrictions and the current weather conditions.

We opted for the 2-hour long Sendero Toreadora path (low difficulty). It had been raining during the night so it was a bit muddy and slippery but beautiful views made up for it. I haven’t been to the Scottish Highlands yet but these views are what I imagine the Highlands to be like! If you’re not an experienced hiker, I’d go for one of the low or medium difficulty routes and try to get a trail map from the visitor centre. We saw some signage directing us along the Sendero Toreadora path but it would be easy to get turned around on a more challenging trail.

Inside Cajas National Park, you will find plants in various shades of green, yellow and brown, dotted with brightly coloured flowers, against the backdrop of sloping hills and mountain peaks. If you find your way to the Polylepis forest, you will feel like you are in Treebeard’s forest from Lord of the Rings. Cajas National Park is very popular with birdwatchers, as a lot of endangered birds call the park home. We didn’t spot any animals apart from birds and butterflies, but it is possible to see deer, alpacas, llamas, skunks, foxes, weasels and porcupines in the park. There have been reports of seeing mountain wolves, spectacled bears, and Andean Condors (the national bird of Ecuador) so keep your eyes peeled!

Hiring a guide

My husband and I didn’t have a guide (or use a guide book) as we knew we would only spend 3 or 4 hours there. If you want to stay longer or do a more intense hike, it’s a good idea to join an organised tour or hire a guide who knows Cajas National Park well and can identify the local fauna and flora. You can book tours only or through travel agencies in Cuenca, which usually includes transfers to/from the park, a guided hike and lunch.

Altitude sickness

The attitude in Cajas ranges from about 2,800 metres to over 4,400 metres, so I don’t suggest hiking Cajas National Park on your first days in Cuenca. It is technically higher than Cuenca but you can combat altitude sickness by giving yourself a few days in Cuenca to acclimatise first. If you find yourself affected during a hike in Cajas, take it slow, drink lots of water and make sure to nourish your body. My husband and I weren’t affected in Cajas but we did experience altitude sickness elsewhere in Ecuador and it’s not fun!

What to bring

The weather in Cajas National Park is really unpredictable; within a few short hours you may need a rain jacket, waterproof clothing, sunglasses and sunscreen. Layers are key! For example, T-shirts, long sleeved tops, hiking trousers or leggings and a warmer layer like a fleece or windbreaker jacket. The following would also be helpful:

• Hiking boots (I wore my Jack Wolfskin hiking shoes, and recommend proper shoes as the terrain can be rocky, muddy and slippery).
• An umbrella
• A hat 
• Sunglasses
• Gloves 
• Toilet paper and hand sanitizer (the public toilets didn’t have paper or soap when we visited)
• Reusable water bottle
• Snacks 
• A camera 
• A powerbank phone charger

Getting back to Cuenca

When you’ve finished your hike, find your way back to the main road and catch the bus from the stop on the opposite side of the road. We only had to wait for a minute or two before the bus arrived at “Lago Torreadora” bus stop to take us back to Cuenca.

If you have to wait for a long time and aren’t sure when the next bus will be, hitchhiking might be an option (depending on who you are with and the time of day!). I haven’t tried it but I have read that hitchhiking is very culturally accepted in Ecuador.

I hope this blog post has helped you plan your visit to Cajas National Park. If you have any other questions, please leave them in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer them!

Ciao for now

Izzie, the Curious Sparrow