Parque Nacional Cajas - laguna Toreadora

On a Saturday in late February, I found a bus from Cuenca to Cajas (occidental to Guayaquil) right up front in the Terminal Terrestre, gave the ticketeer my American name and watched him key it in hilariously wrong, paid $3, seated and departed promptly, made no stops along the way, enjoyed the ride through the Andean countryside, and arrived here at the main Toreadora entrance to Cajas in about an hour.

Disembarking, I immediately befriended a young German woman, and, especially if you're traveling solo like me, I strongly recommend you do the same. It shouldn't be too difficult, there are Germans everywhere around here. It's kind of like, what is this, the Sudetenland? And yet it seems somewhat Icelandish. Or are we innocent little hobbits en route to Mordor? Wherever we were, it's mighty beauteous. The trip was already worth it just for the view from the visitor center. And really, if you're not the most mobile person on the planet, you can still enjoy zis vvunderbar vvunderland in your own way. The hike around Laguna Toreadora alone was very enjoyable, and even if you don't make it all the way around you'll still be able to enjoy many a majestic picturesque, refreshingly fresh mountain air, and a litany of enchanting plant species littering the landscape all around you. I think my Cajas companion for one would have been perfectly content to walk the lake and call it a day, but not i! And so, at the northern end of the lake, she wisely chose to continue, to challenge herself, to trust the odd Texan Frodo she'd only just met. And so it was my newfound Samwise and I set off down Ruta 1. (Note: The Google weather forecast proved reliable; we enjoyed the park without the cold, the rain, or the strong winds referenced by other reviews.)

Route 1 looks and feels a little longer than it is, and at points you will have to climb a little, navigate a little mud, choose between forks—but that's all part of the fun, and I reckon this trail/sendero ought to be enjoyably traversed by any average Joe/Jo/Jx. You will hike by tranquil streams, waterfalls, and lakes, through a fantastical forest of caves and twisty trees, with a variety of geological goodness and beautiful scenic lookouts along the way. You will also get to know your Germanic companion better along the way and find her to be a remarkably wise and spirited person for how young she is. As much as you love your solitude in nature, you are delighted to share it this time with a beautiful, kindred soul.

Other than each other, we only saw two other pairs of people along the way, both headed back the way we were going. That is one option to return. I suspect there is another option at a gaping fork near the end of the trail, a right turn that would lead you back to the visitor center by a path parallel to the main road. But we chose door #3. Like most of the routes in Cajas, Ruta 1 leaves you at the main road through the mountains. There's a small shoulder to walk along, didn't seem particularly dangerous apart from one point when we had to go around a stalled van in the shoulder at the exact same time some imbécil decided to pass the vehicle ahead of him and consequently almost clipped my sweet, young Samwise—consequently, I would have had to kill the driver and subsequently die in Ecuadorian prison. Gracias a Dios, instead we carried on our merry (and Pippin) way all the way to Mordor—there and back to again to Cuenca. If you turn left when Ruta 1 dumps you off in the street, in less than 1 mile / 1.60934 kilometers you will reach a toll station with a little bus stop. If you are hungry after your trek, keep going a few rods further, follow signs for Casa Vieja, an "idyllic" restaurant I cannot recommend highly enough. After your riquísimo meal, you can then return to that little bus. We sat there only 10-15 minutes before the next Cuenca-bound bus came along. Busman charged us $3 a pop. Anyway, in an hour or less, you'll be back in the idyllic Shire that is Terminal Terrestre, tired but forever glad you made the excursion and saved Middle Earth.

This park is seriously underrated. It is so pretty and cool. Be prepared for extremely cold and windy weather (take Cuenca's weather and magnify it) but it is so worth it. I took a bus here and slept refuge in the refuge which is very minimal and has no heat. The trails are well marked and camping is available. I can't stress enough how pretty this park is.

A phenomenal place to hike and camp. Easy to get to on a bus from Terminal Terrestre in Cuenca - takes less than an hour and a couple of dollars. Some of the most beautiful stars and sunrises I've ever seen and plenty of beautiful places to camp. Stunning hikes with fairly clearly marked trails. Two things to bear in mind: if you camp, it gets incredibly cold at night so check the weather forecast beforehand. I had frost on the outside of my tent and frozen condensation inside. And if you're hiking up to Cerro San Luis, bear in mind that the hike down is very steep and loose in some places. If you're up for that, this trail is more than worth it. Highly recommended - one of the single best things I did in Ecuador.

An extraordinaire place. Greens and grays of all tones!

High altitude touring at 13k feet! Amazing views and excellent tour guides.

Beautiful spot to take a hike. If you wear sneakers, as we did, your feet may get wet. We went by ourselves and had a good time; glad we didn’t book a tour, which seem way overpriced. I’d recommend finding a driver or hiring a taxi and having them wait for you while you hike.

Beautiful place. There are several bus companies that run to the park office, with prices of 2.50 (Occidental) or 3$. Buses every hour(ish). There are 3 hikes from the park office marked on Alltrails dot com. I did two. The lagoon hike, taking it slow for lots of photos, took about two hours, and is well marked, with plenty of boards put down in muddy areas. The route 1 (pink) hike which goes around the right side of the lagoon took me 3 hours at a moderate pace. I lost the trail a few times as there are some unmarked trails but it's quite open so you can reorientate yourself. It's definitely worth visiting! Picture of the bus from Cuenca timetable attached.

It is the most beautiful place in Ecuador from every point of view (sightseeing, scientifically, trekking, nature)....just breathtaking.

This is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited, and I have literally travelled the world! If you pass through Cajas, make sure to stop here!!

What a beautiful place

Amazing view. It's a very mysterious and very vast area.

So beautiful place to hike

Beautiful natural hiking place

One of the most beautiful places in the world

Great views good hiking

The plants are unique and amazing!

Serene!!

Just beautiful

Peaceful

Bakano