Cuenca & Cajas Private Tour: Polylepis Forest & Heritage

Walk the Polylepis forest and eat your way through Cuenca's heritage in one day

A private day tour from Cuenca combines a morning hike through El Cajas National Park's moorland and Polylepis forest with an afternoon exploring the city's landmarks, viewpoints and food. The guide speaks English or Spanish, pickup is included from your accommodation, and the day spans roughly seven hours with hot chocolate and a typical lunch built in.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Cajas Park and Cuenca city

• Pick up from accommodation in Cuenca
• Drive to Cajas National Park
• Visit Toreadora station and walk flat sector
• Visit Tres Cruces and Toreadora Lagoon
• Walk to Polylepis forest
• Stop for hot chocolate and sweet bread
• Return to Cuenca
• Visit Libertad park lookout and elevator
• Eat typical pork sandwich or vegetarian option
• Visit Panama hat museum and Broken Bridge
• Visit Turi viewpoint over Cuenca

The experience

The tour starts with pickup from your hotel in Cuenca and a drive to El Cajas National Park at 3,900 meters elevation. Once there, you walk the flat sector of the park for about an hour, passing Tres Cruces before reaching Toreadora Lagoon and its Interpretation Center. The main event is the walk to the Polylepis forest. These are the world's highest-growing native trees, found only in South America, and the moorland ecosystem around them is unlike anything at lower altitudes. A stop for hot chocolate, tea or coffee and sweet bread at a local estancia breaks up the hiking before you head back down to Cuenca.

The afternoon shifts to the city itself. You'll visit the lookout in Libertad Park, taking an elevator to the top floor for views across downtown Cuenca. A second food stop follows: a typical pork sandwich with juice (mushroom sandwich if you're vegetarian or vegan). Then comes the Panama hat museum and the Broken Bridge in downtown, both tied to Cuenca's heritage. The final stop is Turi, a tourism viewpoint where you can see the entire city spread below.

The guide is live and speaks English or Spanish. Children from age two are welcome. Small children can ride in a stroller if needed, and the tour suits all fitness levels, though the morning walk in the highlands does involve some elevation and uneven terrain.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup in Cuenca.
• a live guide in English or Spanish.
• entrance to El Cajas National Park.
• the walk through moorland and Polylepis forest.
• hot chocolate and sweet bread at a local estancia.
• a typical pork sandwich lunch in downtown Cuenca (with vegetarian and vegan options).
• visits to Libertad Park, the Panama hat museum, the Broken Bridge and Turi viewpoint.

Before you book

Days and timesSaturday and SundayDepartures at 08:30 and 11:30

AgesAdult (18 to 69 years) · Senior (70 to 90 years) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (2 to 4 years)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Anda Viaja @anda2000

Is this one for you?Book this private tour if you want a single day that mixes high-altitude nature with city culture and food: the morning's forest walk and the afternoon's heritage stops fit together because the guide knows both and the route connects them without backtracking.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (2 to 4 years).

What is the Polylepis forest and why is it special?

Polylepis trees are the world's highest-growing native trees, found only in South America, and they grow in the moorland ecosystem of El Cajas National Park where this tour takes you. The walk to reach them is the centerpiece of the morning in the highlands.

How much walking is involved in El Cajas National Park?

The flat sector walk takes about an hour, and then you continue on to the Polylepis forest. The terrain is moorland at high elevation, so it is not strenuous but does involve some distance and uneven ground.

What food is included in this tour?

Hot chocolate, tea or coffee and sweet bread are served at a local estancia in Cajas during the morning. In the afternoon, you stop for a typical pork sandwich with juice in downtown Cuenca. Vegetarian and vegan sandwich options are available.

What are the main stops in Cuenca itself?

The afternoon includes Libertad Park (with an elevator to the top floor for city views), the Panama hat museum, the Broken Bridge, and Turi viewpoint, where you can see the entire city from above.