Cajas

The national park is easily accessible from Cuenca. It is known for its 232 mostly hidden lakes and rugged untouched landscape. It is mostly covered with "paramo", at first sight a dull grassy vegetation. But the paramo is lush and varied with strikingly beautiful small flowers: the chuquiragua, gentians, valerians, dewclaws, ferns and many lichens.

In the western part of the park there are extensive stretches of original cloud forest. Several rare woods and mosses, such as the polylepis tree with its twisted trunk and branches, can still be found here. Due to the extreme humidity, the branches in the cloud forest are often overgrown with orchids, bromeliads and other epiphytes. You can encounter many types of birds and with a little luck the rare condor and spectacled bear.

It can be very cold and wet in Cajas. Take precautions regarding clothing.