Cajas National Park

The Cajas National Park is located near Cuenca, Azuay Province. It was named a Ramsar Site in 2002, for being a wetland of great international importance, and the main source of water for many towns and cities in Azuay. It was also declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2014. The Cuenca – Molleturo road crosses through the middle of the park, connecting the cities of Cuenca and Guayaquil, and provides the possibility for tourists to visit different sections of this attractive national park. The most frequented places are the Mirador de Tres Cruces Viewpoint, the Laguna Toreadora lagoon and the Laguna Llaviuco lagoon, where there are some hiking trails of different lengths and difficulties. The most striking thing about Cajas is the number of lagoons and the rather irregular geography of these paramos, as well as the profuse vegetation that covers some sections of the park.