Parque Nacional Cajas in Babahoyo

This place is beyond description

Love it the place!

Wonderful view and experience. A lot of lake, and the interesting think is from here, the rivers go to the Pacific and Atlantic oceans!

The scenery is really beautiful and I loved it, but the route 1 is very confusing after the small forest and after the mirador. I got lost into the route 3 and returned to the viewpoint but could not find the correct returning way of route 1 consuming an hour, so finally I gave up to return to the start point. The route 1 needs some more indicators. Other hikers also got lost so I exited from the park to the road with them.

beautiful place to see the ecology of the andes. Great walking trails and fantastic views

This must be one of the most beautiful places on earth , just be prepared for the altitude. Its 11,550 ft above sea level.

One of the most beautiful places I have seen on earth

Quiet and relaxing place. Bring warm clothes, a raincoat (20.04. - apriland make sure to walk along the trail as you can dip in the mud. Also, it is slippery and you have to be careful.

Andres, our guide with Cuenca Bestours, was THE BEST! Articulate, knowledgeable, fun and very compassionate about preserving nature 😊 And let me just say that online pics don’t do justice to the beauty and magic of this place 🤩

Such a beautiful place! The scenery is unlike any other bit, even in the Andes.The routes are fairly easy and probably only take 2/3rds of the recommended time for semi experienced hikers.The weather is very unpredictable, so bring water, raincoat, hat, fleece and sunscreen etc.You can get on any bus heading to guayaquil from cuenca bus terminal for around $2. Flag the bus down in your way back :)

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.

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

Wonderful nature spot nearby Cuenca! However, be prepared for rain, cold, and mud. At the moment, buses to Guayaquil do not take this route so you need to take a taxi. We paid $25 to Lake Cuchero and $15 to Lake Llaviucu. The ride here already offers wonderful views. We hiked from Lake Cuchero to Llaviucu but the trail was very hard, steep and overgrown. Be prepared to cover much less distance per hour than normally, and have an offline trail map - theres no signage or phone coverage. Theres much shorter and easier trail around Lake Llaviucu, with docks and grazing llamas. Come early to enjoy the place before afternoon rain.

Wow, wow, wow! One of the most enjoyable hikes ever! Gorgeous scenery, flora and fauna. A must do! Heads up: Ruta 1 is the easiest hike but be prepared to climb over boulders going uphill and downhill in some areas.

Such a beautiful place ! I would recommend doing the green route to cerro San Luis ! Quite hard tough but such an Amazing views ☺️

Spectacular park, easy to navigate, but be prepared for the cold and wind!

Unreal. Best day ever. Saw llamas on the way out.

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!

Very nice place. You can hang in there for as long as you want, their is lots to see. Lots of entrences required money (4 dollars a night). But we saw their is lots of entrences which not required anything.You can see inside alpacas, and of course, amazing nature

Beautiful place. Always something to see. You can breathe nice fresh air. You can admire creation and all of nature. Nancy places to walk, hike, camp, fish.... A great place to relax and just enjoy!!!!

Just down from tres cruces the highest peak on the road, nice views. From what I was told you can camp out and fish trout. Restrooms on site a definite plus on long road trip.

Its a really pretty national park with many options for hiking, some of the trails are really well marked and maintained but I think thats 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).

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! Its great.

Beautiful and amazing, yes its cold and weather can affect the scenery but overall if you enjoy hiking and nature this place is amazing.

Beautiful place to explore nature. Recomend 100%

Beautiful scenery reminiscent of the Scottish Highlands. Beware of the altitude and climate as it can be very cold, rainy and windy at times.

A very nice national park about 45 min by bus from Cuenca. The entrance is free. In Cuenca you can find daytours for $50 per person but its not worth it. The bus is only $2 and you get a map when you enter the park. The views are amazing and the flora is interesting. A must do when you are in Cuenca.

The most amazingly beautiful national park we visited in Ecuador. Gorgeous vistas, unique and varied landscapes. Dotted with beautiful lakes. The Route 1 hike took about 3.5 hours and was absolutely stunning and peaceful. I would return over and over if I could!

Simple words to say amazing Ecuador really lovely and really beautiful attitude people woo..!!

Great hiking, beautiful views, but be prepared for all weather! Can be very wet!

Stunning place with really good level of organisation behind it - theres a park office, a free map, 8 different routes (only 3 start directly from the park office), and if youre only going for one day its free (overnight is $4 per person for a foreigner).Theres a cafe at the main park office which has snacks and a reasonable selection of food for good prices.We took a bus from Terminal Terrestre in Cuenca at around 11.15 which stopped at the park and we were able to flag down a bus on the way back too.

Amazing place!! You will find several lagoons all over the place. Theres trekking parts for all ages!!. You can do very easy routes for maybe about an hour or so, or stayed there for several days camping, theres few high cerros that you can climb too at about 4200. Everything will depends about what you like!!.You can go with family, with kids, or alone. The maps in the entry are really clear.My advice you is to take food with you, theres not that many options in the refugios.And if its raining season you should take really good and confy shoes.

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.

Hidden gem for hikers.Absolute highlight: Cerro St. Luis (route 2combined with route 1 at the end, passing several beautiful lakes.Route 6 (and part of 8 till the big lake Osohuaycualso great. Just enjoy nature - did not meet any person the whole day...

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 cant do the Cajas justice and neither can pictures really (Ill leave a few anyway.Find yourself a guide and head out for a day or a camp trip if youve got the resources. Youll be glad you did.

Beautiful landscape unlike many other places I’ve been - the views of the lakes are spectacular. Make sure to wear a lot of clothes as it gets cold up there

Made for the hiker at heart. 8 different trails. And for all types of ability . We have done 3 of the 8s

Amazing scenery! If youre looking for a great hike in the moor, this is the place. It might be the most wet forest Ive ever been so bring a good rain coat and high water boots, otherwise you wont be able to walk far (unless you want to do that with your feet cold)

An awesome place to wander around in. You can EASILY get lost here and the altitude is a killer, but its worth it.

One of the most beautiful and well preserved areas of Ecuador! Fresh air and magnificent views! One in a lifetime experience.

Such a beautiful place to visit. Amazing vegetation around 4000m. Buses are leaving from Cuenca terminal regurarly that stops in Cajas and costs around 2,50$ one way. You register before you enter the park in the office entrance, they will tell you which routes that they recommend based on the weather and your preferences. There is also a restaurant beside the office, its probably a good idea to eat something before you enter the park, but take enough water and snacks with you during the hike. Take notice that hiking in high altitude can cause altitude sickness or be very demanding, if this is your first time hiking in this altitude, make sure you take a short route and listen carefully to your body, alternatively take some pills for the altitude.Good tips: MapsMe have a lot of the routes in the national park, so you might want to use it to be on the sure side or to just navigate if you get lost. Otherwise the paths are well marked, there a although some paths that are not in MapsMe or on the map that is provided by the national park. So if you dont have MapsMe make sure you follow the official route that have poles marked every 200-300m.

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.

Excellent place for hiking or doing small routes; you can see lagoons, forests, caves and animals in the wild in the area; The entrance to the park is free but is recommended that the person who has not good physical condition is accompanied by someone who has already done route previously and the signs unfortunately do not guide in the best way, although if they were located throughout the journey the road is not clear and must be registered in the booth located in the entrance so that the park rangers can be awaited. It is recommended to bring water, umbrellas, food and be well sheltered as it is 3951 meters high. They should improve the signage in the place to be able to guide you in the best way.

Beautiful park! Really hard to get to unless you book a tour with a private driver. They say buses come regularly, but we had to hitchhike out of there after waiting for an hour for the bus. The park itself is gorgeous and the trails are well marked! The people in the main office are helpful enough though not super friendly to foreigners. The welcome center and the bathrooms near it are clean.

Its 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, its 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. Dont be stupid like me, bring sunscreen. I got a sunburn there. Its 4000 meters above the sea level. It can get pretty cold without the sun, but when the sun is out, its very hot.

An amazing chance to explore Ecuadorian high mountain environments. There is overnight camping available, and plenty of different hiking trails. The trails are pretty well marked, but its still possible to get lost

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.

Cajas National Park is amazing! Easily accessible from Cuenca via public bus. Truly a gem.

One of the most spectacular places in Ecuador! Visit for a short or long hike or to camp and fish trout!