Cajas National Park Bus Day Trip.

The Cajas National Park is an excellent day trip from Cuenca.

Cajas National Park is located about an hour West of Cuenca by bus. I say, “by bus” because we are “do it yourselfers,” preferring to pay a fraction of the $48 to $87 it cost for a half-day or private Cajas tour. There is nothing wrong with a guided trip, and we strongly recommend it if you are at all uncomfortable with hiking on your own but we prefer the adventure of taking the bus plus we save a bundle. All it takes is a little preparation and information – keep reading for everything you need to know for a successful trip.

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Before you set foot out the door,

research the hikes on the official Cajas National Park website, located here. This site has all the hikes. More information can be obtained on each hike by clicking on the name. This will take you to a page with a brief trail description along with the elevational change. Right after the brief description is a place to click to download a two page PDF, the second which is a topo map of the desired hike.

We downloaded “our” hike (and an alternate) and saved it to our phone so we could reference it while hiking. Keep in mind, there is no cell or wifi service in the Park and the Park Rangers we spoke with were only Spanish speaking. (–And our Spanish is “un poquito.”)

When planning your hike,

keep in mind that you are at a high elevation in Cuenca which only gets higher in the Cajas National Park. The road reaches an elevation of 13,550 feet (4,310 meters) while the high point in the Cajas is 14,599 feet (4,450 meters) at Architect’s Hill. Plan accordingly.

It’s best to have two or more hikes in mind, one for clear weather and another for fog or rain. In our case, we planned a hike up around the lake which included a steeper climb up a mountain but opted to forego the climb and stick to the lake due to the dense fog. The Cajas National Park covers over 70K acres (110 sq. miles) and getting lost is a reality.

You’ll need a day pack with the followings items:

• Sunglasses and sunscreen
• Hat – something for the sun as well as a warm knit cap
• Rain jacket
• Plenty of Water
• Snacks
• Clothing to layer – the weather can change quickly
• Your maps
• Change and $2 bus fare each way for each person plus cash for treats at the cafe, etc.

Sturdy shoes with good tread and waterproof, if possible are best. Many areas of the trails are quite rocky while some areas can be swampy.

There are two bus terminals in Cuenca.

You want the main terminal, “Terminal Terrestre,” located at Avenue España. A taxi ride will only cost about $2 to the Terrestre depending on your location. Be aware that the taxi may drop you off in the back of the Terrestre. Just ask where the “entrada” is.

You are looking for the Occidental bus booth,

which is the one that goes to the Cajas National Park. When you enter the station, turn right and walk all the way to the end, turning left at the last possible opportunity. When you get to the end of that hallway, turn right and walk down to booth #39, which is almost at the end on the left-hand side. (I am told this booth number changed. It is now #11. Updated 1/2023)

The booth was quite busy when we were there, with several people bringing packages to ship. You will need $2.50 bus fare for each person and passports. (or copy of passports, which is preferable.) The clerk will ask for your passport, name, and destination. She will give you a white paper ticket. Note that it has a seat assignment, something we overlooked but no one on the bus seemed to care. You will be asked for this ticket sometime during the ride.

You can see the departure time and return times in the photos above. We arrived in time for the 9:15 bus and caught the 3 PM bus back.

Have 10 cents handy for the turnstile to the bus. That’s right, even though you have a ticket you can’t get to the bus without 10 cents each. You’ll most likely find the bus in stall 25 which is almost directly behind the booth inside. The bus is clearly marked “Cajas.”

It’s a pleasant 1-hour ride, with a few stops, to the Cajas National Park.

IPay attention as you leave to see if the bus route goes anywhere near your lodging, as the bus makes stops on the way back. You may find you can easily walk home instead of taking the bus all the way back to the station and taking a cab.

It’s pretty obvious when you reach the Cajas. There is a clearly marked toll like booth the bus goes through a few miles before your stop. The park has a big sign out in front and most likely, others will be departing at this location.

There is no fee to enter Cajas National Park (yay!) – but you do need to register.

The “recepcion” is to the left as you walk down the park road while the cafe/store is off to the right. It was so cold, windy and fogged in the day we were there, I ended up buying a nice, warm knit cap. This is also where the “banos” are located. It will cost you 25 cents for toilet paper so be prepared.

We gathered from the Ranger that we should eliminate the high point of our hike and stay by the lake due to the weather conditions. Our Spanish is minimal but between the two of us we can get the general idea being conveyed.

Despite the rain which developed, it was a beautiful hike and we were happy with our rain jackets and waterproof hiking shoes. Afterward, we went to the cafe for a nice warm cappuccino, then out to the bus shelter for the 2PM bus. Surprisingly, the trip back was $3, not $2.50. Not sure why but all in all, it was a fun day.

On a final note, we learned later that the BEST panama hat store

(you know Panama hats are really made in Ecuador and NOT Panama) is behind the bus station. Homero Museum and Factory is an excellent place to see how the hats are created and purchase at a very reasonable price, especially when compared to what you pay in the US. We wanted to do there but learned about the location too late in our trip. Next time!

Catching a cab at the bus station was a bit tricky. If you find yourself unable to hail a cab at the station, just walk out to the street where you can easily flag one down on the road. Have an enjoyable hike, take lots of pictures and let us know if this information was useful.

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