It’s about two weeks left of my stay in Cuenca and so I decided to try to make the best of it when I can. Friday I went to Cajas National Park with my very pleasant private guide, Carlos. This park is in the highlands of Ecuador, located about 30 km west from Cuenca.
Our first stop was at 3150 meters in the lower area of the park, called Llaviuco. This ecosystem is known as montage primary forest. We had a walk around the lake Llaviuco for about 1.5-hour. The birds and the flowers, the light through the trees and the wind from the water was just precious. All of the varied species and the tropical vibes here really make you think that South America is amazing.
After we visited the lower part of the park, we jumped in the car and went to Toreadora at 3,960 meters. Oh my, the altitude made it hard to breath properly when hiking up hills. It was okey when we just took a slow stroll. So we walked along the trek and into the Polylepis forests, through the moorland vegetation.
Toreadora was probably my favourite, known for its more than 275 Andean lakes and many waterfalls. Also, I got to see real lamas! They were beyond cute! It’s for sure a perfect destination for fishing, rugged hiking and camping. Just make sure to bring a rain jacket because it tend to be rainy in the afternoon.
I’m just so glad I went for this day trip. When you’re sitting inside of your apartment for days and focusing on one thing only, you can tend to forget that it’s so much to see out there. So much. Wherever you are in this world, don’t forget to be adventurous. You will enjoy and appreciate your life so much more by taking time to enjoy your surroundings.
