Hike and Eat at Day trips from Cuenca, Ecuador
General for trasportation
To all the places there are two or three ways.
- Taxi
I recommend to download "Azutaxi" on appstore or android, so you can call a taxi and be sure it is reliable and easy to ask for a taxi.
- Bus
If you prefer public trasportation the best will be to take buses from " Terminal Terrestre de Cuenca" the lines and companies are specify later.
- Renting a car/ private trasportation
foreign license drive are valid in Ecuador in 90% of the cases, anyway you can control before if you can drive with your license when you arrive to a company to rent a car.
Travel intinerary
Day 1: Losas de Uchucay hike and Gualaceo city center.
1. Take taxi or private trasport go to Uchucay. If you take the bus go to gualaceo and take a taxi to Uchucay. Then you need to walk following the road in Wikiloc or the GPS location in the notes. The hiking is about 30min- 1 hour.
2. For lunch: i recommend go back to Gualaceo and eat at "Mercado 25 de Junio". Prices are really good and i recommend you to try the cuy, morocho and tortillas.
3. Spend the rest of the afternoon in a walking tour in the city or visit Ecuagenera, the biggest orquidea's garden in South America. It is located in Llampasay, two km from Gualaceo.
Day 2: Vilcabamba
1. Cuenca- Vilcabamba you can take private trasportation. Instead for the bus take Cooperativa de Transportes Loja Internacional, with direction Vilcabamba, the buses stop each hour and it cost more or less 20 euros.
2. For the hiking part, i recommend "Cascada de Palto". Pay attention; from vilcabamba follow the "vía a yamburara alto / camino de servidumbre" you will find then a signal, there you need to cross the bridge, then follow the road (always on your right).
To enter you need to pay 1 dollar to the owner of the property.
3. For lunch, you can take your own food from home or you can go back to Vilcabamba to enjoy traditional food at Madre Tierra Restaurant.
Day 3: El Cajas
1. Cajas is very near to Cuenca, you can arrive there in just 30 min. The best way to reach Cajas is by car, it is located at 3900 msnm so if you are not used to high be ready with Coca Cola and chocolate in case you need sugar.
2. The hiking: you can choose between a lot of lakes. I recommend La Toreadora.
3. For lunch: In your way to la Toreadora from Cuenca you will see on your left a restaurant and hostel it calls " Dos Chorreras". You can find warm food, coffee, chocolate and more. If you like to do more route, like:
-Laguna Canutillos
-Mirador Tres Cruces
-Laguna de Osohuayco
-Laguna Patos Colorados
You can also stay in dos chorreras so you will started early and enjoy your walks!
Where to stay?
The most convenient option is to stay at Cuenca by night mainly because there are more options and more nightlife. So i recommend to take the trips from Cuenca and stay a day in each place.
Any further information:
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