Parque Nacional Cajas

Great park with several hiking trails to explore. If you want to trek for multiple days it is possible. The entrance is free, you only need to register your name and how many days you are planning to spend in the park. Hiking on the routes 1 and 2 was a good choice. They don't recommend staying in the park after 4:30, the last bus to Cuenca departs a bit before 5pm.

Being there around 12.00 we decided to walk to the path that goes around the lake
About an hour and a half walk!
Recommended

Beautiful national park. Get a taxi or bus to the ticket office area and there are lots of walks. We did a steep 5km walk to give great viewpoint of the lakes and mountains

Beautiful national park, considered one of the most important wetlands in Ecuador

Truly beautiful and varied landscape! But the maps and/or route indications could have been made a bit more clear, especially since there's no network to find your way back through an app (should have downloaded one offline).

Astonishing!! Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful place

One of my favorites in Ecuador, you don't have to pay anything and they're plenty of hiking trails you can choose from. ( All with different difficultys and duration.)
I can only recommend visiting it!

Amazing day hikes, with beautiful lakes and mountains. The weather varies a lot and it can get pretty cold. So come prepared for rain, mud and stunning views!

Definitely worth to go place. I feel like I’m in Iceland ;) pretty good hike not that difficult. Make sure you catch the last bus back to the city. Hitch hiking is doable too.

Another visit to Cajas to celebrate the change of years. Even after multiple hikes always fun to come back and enjoying spectacular views as much as a tasty potato soup and a delicious fish in the nearby restaurant. Cajas National Park also is a good location to get some altitude training before going to other higher regions like Chimborazo or Cotopaxi.

It's very easy to go there from Cuenca. You can take a bus from the terminal for 2.5 dollars, or you can take a regular bus number 3, it will get you out of the city. There you can hitchhike, it's so easy in Ecuador. And safe as well. You will get there in an hour in total. And Cajas national is amazing. There are so many different routes. Lakes, forests, mountains. Don't be stupid like me, bring sunscreen. I got a sunburn there. It's 4000 meters above the sea level. It can get pretty cold without the sun, but when the sun is out, it's very hot.

Wild, beautiful, the lady in the reception was super helpful and helped to plan our 3days hike. We did 4,8,7 routes and they were amazing. A lot of cows, lamas, countless amount of lakes. The route nr 7 ends up in the cloud forest. Bring a lot of warm clothes since the nights were pretty chilly

Cajas is absolutely stunning! There are a number of great trails, so get some coca leaves from the restaurant before you set out. When you get back, try the trout! It's great.

This national park is located a couple of hours NW of the city of Cuenca. You can reach there by bus or your own car. Just know that last bus going by the park back to Cuenca is 5:00 pm. You should wear warm and waterproof clothing as the weather changes rapidly and so you have to be prepared. Bring a poncho or umbrella to protect you from the rain. If you are a bird watcher a pair of binoculars is a must. If you plan to do some sport fishing bring your favorite rods. Wear comfortable shoes if hicking is your thing as well as sun protection for the hot days. There is limited parking space. When you arrive you need to register in the main office. There are restrooms available in the museum adjacent to the main building where you can learn the history and activities available in the park. There is a mirador by the main office to enjoy the park’s view.

This National Park is amazing. Be sure to bring your own water and food for the day. It rains a lot up here and get very cold so dress appropriately. Wear a good pair of hiking shoes.

It's a really pretty national park with many options for hiking, some of the trails are really well marked and maintained but I think that's not the case for all of the trails.
Entrance is free, you just have to sign in at the visitor centre which is accessible from Cuenca by bus (2 US-Dollars each way).

My brother and I lucked into a ride out to Llaviucu for a little day hike. It was perfect. The vistas were breathtaking, and the hike was not overwhelming even though neither of us are particularly enthusiastic about fitness. Words can't do the Cajas justice and neither can pictures really (I'll leave a few anyway.) Find yourself a guide and head out for a day or a camp trip if you've got the resources. You'll be glad you did.

Amazing. Beautiful. Relaxing. We loved our time at Cajas. The llamas were the icing on the cake!!

Amazing place! Trails are marked and easy to follow. Just remember to bring a good jacket. It was 35 degrees Fahrenheit the day we went there.

Amazing scenery! If you're looking for a great hike in the moor, this is the place. It might be the most wet forest I've ever been so bring a good rain coat and high water boots, otherwise you won't be able to walk far (unless you want to do that with your feet cold)