Booking fee
The booking fee includes the costs of booking your tickets such as charges for payment processing. It also covers the provision of our customer care center for processing your order, and all charges imposed by our suppliers.
* This tour requires at least one of the following per booking: Adult, Senior
The park is located only 45 minutes from Cuenca. This lagoon system, with over 230 lakes, invites you to enjoy one of the nicest landscapes in South America. There are different ecosystems such as: Andean Mountain forest, Polylepis forest, paramo or grassland. You will have the chance to spot many interesting birds, even the endemic hummingbird of Cajas - the “Violet Throated Metaltail”- one of the most important birds in Ecuador. Also, on this tour you will see the beautiful Tit Like Dacnis, Blue Mantled Thornbill, Stout Billed Cinclodes, Tawny Antpitta, Spectacled Whitestar, Tyrian Metaltail, Gray Breasted Mountain Toucan, Andean Guan, and so much more.
Box lunch or Lunch
Pick up (hotels or apartments)
Binoculars (please ask for these in advance)
Private transportation
Bird list of the area
Bilingual birdwatcher tour guide
Personal expenses
Tips
Gratuities
Departure Point
Traveler pickup is offered
Pick up in your hotel or apartment
El Cajas National Park, Cuenca, Ecuador El Cajas National Park has different ecosystems as a moorland, high grassland or paramo, cloudy forest, polylepis forest, which allows us to offer the following program.
Pick up in your hotel or residence in Cuenca to go to the middles part of the park, approx 3800masl (12800 ft). Here we can see birds like:
• Tufted Tit Tyrant
• Variable Hawk
• Red Rumped Bush Tyrant
• Plain Colored Seedeater
• Aandean Rudy Duck
• Tit Like Dacnis
• Stout Billed Cinclodes
• Bar Winged Cilclodes
• Brown Back Chat Tyrant
• Many Striped Canastero
• Aandean Tit Spinetail
• Blue Mantled Thornbill
• Ecuadorian Hillstar
• Giant Conebill
• Violet Throated Metaltail (Endemic)
• Tawny Antpita
After lunch proceed to visit the lowest part, Llaviuco Valley located 3200masl (10500 ft). In this beautiful valley you can see birds like:
• Masked Trogon
• Gray Breasted Mountain Toucan
• Turquoise Jay
• Black Flowerpierced
• Grass Wren
• Black Crested Warbler
• Brown Bellied Swallow
• Tyrian Metaltail
• Rainbow Starfrontlet
• Shining Sunbeam... and more!This tour will end with your hotel drop-off in Cuenca. 480 minutes
Specialized infant seats are available
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Minimum age is 12 years
Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
H3116QTmichaelb
20 Mar 2023
Our trip to Cajas with Edison was a day well spent. Edison knew where to find several of endemic species we were looking for and worked hard to make sure we got good looks at each.Edison is a wonderful guide.
marichip
10 Mar 2023
Edison was super accommodating from beginning to end! He was early for our 5a pick up from the hotel (as requested by us), his vehicle was more than adequate for our day trip. He provided historical background of Cuenca and Cajas NP on the way. VERY knowledgeable on the birds in the area and super enthusiastic! Brought snacks for us, also made a stop to a local Hostel for a warm breakfast! Had a wonderful time checking off birds! He also completed and shared the bird list on eBird! Highly recommend this valuable guide. A+
AGGCSFWSPT
15 Feb 2023
If you are looking for a local guide around Cuenca area who is highly knowledgeable about birds, Edison is who you want as a guide.
I spent 2 days with him in Cajas and provided a very targeted list of birds to see. Edison came up with a well-thought-out itinerary for the 2 days and we saw almost all of my target birds.
I really enjoyed my 2 days of birding in Cajas and highly recommend Edison as a birding guide.
This tour in
Cuenca
is organized by
Polylepis Tours
We always double-check the availability with our local partners for each booking. Even though this is usually a swift process, it can take up to 24 hours. Once this process is completed you will receive your voucher or ticket by email. If our local partner is not able to confirm your booking we will offer you the best possible alternative. If the new date and/or time doesn’t fit your itinerary, we will reimburse the full amount paid.
How great that you want to share your experience! Your feedback helps other travelers to make a better choice.