Cajas National Park Small-Group tour from Cuenca
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
Hike through the ecosystem of primary cloud forest, afterwards the intercontinental water division and finally take an amazing walk across the highlands to exprore the unique Polylepis Forest. 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
Additional Info
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 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 to the tour are subject to guide availability.
For Shared Tours hotel pickups commence prior to this time, exact pickup time will be advised on reconfirmation.
Vegetarian/Vegan/Gluten-Free/Lactose-Free options are available, please advise at the 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 travelers.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
El Cajas National Park
Cajas National Park is located a short 40-minute drive from Cuenca. It has gained international prominence in several categories such: Wetland of International Importance by RAMSAR and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2013. We will visit the dividing inland waterway first and then we will start a moderate 2 ½ hour hike (Depending on the pace of the group) in the highlands through the moorland ecosystem of wetlands and lakes. Our naturalist guide will spot some of the endemic flora, and explain some of the main facts of the geology, history, and culture of the area. Then we will get to the unique forest of polylepis trees, which are considered some of the highest growing trees in the world. Before returning to Cuenca, we will have lunch at a traditional restaurant in the area. The specialty is trout!
Then we will continue our tour with a 1 ½ hour soft hike in the Llaviuco area, located in the lower part of the part of the park through the ecosystem of the primary montane forest, also known as "Cloud Forest". This is a great opportunity to acclimatize while our naturalist guide shows you some of the main aspects of the local flora and fauna.
What‘s Included
Lunch with trout option (IF SELECTED during the booking process)
All taxes, fees and handling charges
Naturalist Tour Guide
Hotel/port pickup and drop-off
Transport by private vehicle
Gratuities (Optional)
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
Full Day Private tour
Duration: 8 hours
Lunch included
Pickup included
Group tour with lunch full day
Duration: 8 hours
Lunch in local restaurant
Pickup included
Shared tour WITHOUT lunch
Duration: 8 hours
Pickup included
Reviews
213 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Excellent
Marjolaine M,,Dec 14, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Unlike the planned activity, we had a private tour with Xavier. He listened to us and shared his passion for the Cajas National Park. We highly recommend it.
Spectacular
Stephenie W,,Nov 27, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Wilson was awesome! He was accommodating and fun. Everything was perfect. Cajas is beautiful. Lunch was delicious!
A trip through Cajas National Park - so glad we did this.
80annien,,Nov 8, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our driver, Moises, took us up toward Cajas, making a stop at our request at the Chocolatería Dos Chorreras compound for delicious hot chocolate and a peaceful break. Afterwards, we went to a viewpoint and then Cajas National Park where Moises took us on a 3 mile trail off the beaten path. Weather was overcast and there had been recent rain, but Moises took us slowly and stopped frequently to point out plants and flowers and answer all of our questions. A traditional trout lunch followed at a lovely restaurant. We enjoyed Moises’ company and recommend this tour.
A bilingual professional guide that can take you almost anywhere in Ecuador.
JohnA7199,,Oct 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We rolled dice on this trip and came up with a winner when we had our guide Luis take us to the top of the Cajas. He is the constant teacher in English about the geology, botany, traditional medicines, culture, and history. He shared about local recommendations, beautiful family, and his love of Ecuador. He’s been selected as a national Guide for the entire country. The agency he works for has historically handled all the logistics for short or regional long trips. When I think of a concluding statement I am proud to say: It was inspiring to be with Luis and hope to share time with him again.
Beautiful but very cold and wet
sallyfX3482SX,,Sep 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00The park is beautiful and our guide, Moises, was very knowledgeable. Unfortunately it was very cold and rainy, so make sure you come prepared with hiking boots and cold weather/rain gear! We were not quite prepared for the weather conditions.
Wonderful.
renatomQ4211XG,,Sep 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00On time, Esteban the super friendly guide, explained everything related to the places we visited, the tour of El Cajas spectacular, beautiful places to enjoy nature and photographs, we met the lagoons and the forest polylepis, super chevere, then we had hot chocolate in a hostel, we enjoyed very much with my wife, excellent.
Diego + Caja National Park= a wonderful day
Joi W,,Sep 1, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Diego meet us right on time, greeted us and informed us that we were the only people in the group for the day. He was absolutely amazing the entire day. Diego is a wealth of information about his beautiful town of Cuenca as well as the Caja National Park. We had wonderful conversations throughout the day, and we saw beauty everywhere despite the chilly weather. This tour with Diego is not to be missed. Thank you for the wonderful day.
Cajas and Fishing Tour
O2379VQvale,,Jul 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The tour and our guide (Wilson) were great! The weather was not optimal, however we still had a great time. The scenery was beautiful and Wilson was very knowledgable about the history and biology of the Cajas.
Pedro was a fantastic...
Ryan J,,Jul 2, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Pedro was a fantastic guide, very personable and very willing to customize the experience to whatever his guests wanted. Food was also excellent.
Visit to Cajas National Park
bhageer,,May 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Did the Cajas National Park with Wilson. His knowledge of the plants and species, was exceptional. He made my trek enjoyable with constant explanation. The restaurant where we had lunch was top notch with excellent food choices. Value for money.
From US$47.99
Want a private experience? Upgrade to a private tour
Related Experiences
Operated by Cuenca Bestours Tour Operator