THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Spend a day between high Andean lakes and colonial streets: hike Cajas National Park’s páramo, then explore Cuenca’s cathedral, markets, and a Panama hat workshop. This full-day tour blends geology, culture, and accessible adventure.
Spend a day between high Andean lakes and colonial streets: hike Cajas National Park’s páramo, then explore Cuenca’s cathedral, markets, and a Panama hat workshop. This full-day tour blends geology, culture, and accessible adventure.
Book with Polylepis Tours
Book directly with Polylepis Tours for the best rates and real-time scheduling.
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Operated by Polylepis Tours · Cuenca, Azuay
A high Andean morning opens with peaty air and the soft scrape of boots on trail as the tour deposits you at Cajas National Park. Lakes glint like scattered coins across a wind-swept páramo; the trail runs between cushion plants and hummock peat, and the guide points out native grasses and a distant snow-brushed ridge. You feel the altitude—each step asks a little more from the lungs—but the landscape rewards with wide, stark horizons.
moderate.
8 hours.
Moderate fitness—comfortable walking for up to 2 hours at high altitude and short uphill sections
The guided hike is about two hours on maintained trails and boardwalks, with short uphill sections and boggy ground in places.
Most options include lunch at a local restaurant; confirm booking details to know which variant you have.
Yes—your passport is required for pickup and identification on the day of the tour.
Cajas sits between roughly 3,100 and 4,450 meters; the tour’s hiking sections are typically around 3,100–3,800 m, where light-headedness can occur if unacclimatized.
Cuenca’s layout and many baroque churches date to Spanish colonial urban planning; the city blends indigenous Cañari roots and colonial architecture.
Cajas is a protected national park; stick to marked trails to avoid fragile peatlands, and support local guides who promote low-impact visits.
Polylepis Tours operates guided outdoor trips and adventures with an emphasis on safety, stewardship, and memorable experiences.
Book with Polylepis Tours
Book directly with Polylepis Tours for the best rates and real-time scheduling.
Reserve Now