Llaviucu Lagoon

Near here

Nearby attractions

Places to visit within 30 km.

Cucheros Lagoon Route

The toponym "cucheros" refers to the breeders of pigs, pigs or "kuchis", as the name is in Quichua. It can be translated as "place with pigs". Ancient place of passage of the traders of pigs between the coast and Cuenca. The "cucheros" spent the night in the lagoon and released their animals to rest. Some specimens escaped and their descendants went wild, giving rise to the name. As it is so close to the main road, the route through Cucheros is of low difficulty. It is 1.2 km long and takes about 45 minutes. The path that leads to Las Burines and other larger lakes, passes through its vicinity. A moorland site, the main plant species present in the surrounding area is straw. A number of recreational activities can be undertaken, such as hiking, trekking, sport fishing, photography, bird watching and trekking. Although it seems to be a low difficulty, in the height it is not advisable to neglect it. The visitor should first get information and advice from the Park's administrators. Due to the topography and variable weather conditions, it can cause confusion and the hiker risks getting lost. Cajas National Park is a National Recreation Area, a Ramsar site and a Biosphere Reserve. It has an approximate extension of 28,500 hectares, northwest of Cuenca. It has moorland and Andean forest. There are 235 lagoons in the moor ecosystem. Its flora has wood species, shrubs, orchids, ferns and mosses. The forests of Polylepis, "quinoa" or "paper tree" are the only species of tree above 4,000 masl. There are 500 vascular plants. The fauna component of the Park is made up of 152 species of birds, 43 mammals, 15 amphibians and 4 reptiles.

8.38 Km.

La Toreadora (Bullfigther) Lagoon

La Toreadora is the most accessible lagoon of the Cajas National Park and is the heart of this protected area. It is located 34 kilometers from Cuenca city, next to the road to Guayaquil city, by Molleturo-Naranjal road and at a height of 3.900 meters above sea level. It is located between the peaks of the southern Andes of Ecuador, the highest mountain range in this area which is a continental watershed. Here, rainwaters begin their journey towards the Pacific Ocean or the Amazon River, depending on which side of these mountains they fall. For the visitor interested in knowing about the Park, Toreadora is the ideal place as it has an information and interpretation center and a bar-restaurant service to spend a pleasant day observing nature. The polylepis forests (paper trees) are the main attraction in flora and bird watching stands out in the fauna of the site. The lagoon’s surface has an area of 17.97 hectares and its perimeter is 2.621 meters. Depending on the number of visitors, it is possible to descend to the shore of the lagoon and go hiking around it. It is highly recommended to be accompanied by a guide who knows the area, because due to unexpected weather changes, it is easy to get lost. The approach to the shore of the lagoon to admire it or to practice sport fishing, must be cautious, because it hides areas of marsh. The temperature varies between -2 to 18 Celsius degrees, without regularity, so that frost, drizzle, fog or days of intense sun are frequent. There are 71 species of Ecuadorian endemic plants in this place. At Toreadora lagoon it is possible to seen some of the 152 species of birds, 43 species of mammals, 15 species of amphibians or 4 species of reptiles that inhabit the National Park. Cajas National Park has numerous tourist attractions such as the Tres Cruces hill, very close to La Toreadora following the road, with a spectacular panoramic view and the exact point of the continental watershed. The valley and lagoon of Llaviucu are also accessible by car in a lower part of the Park. While lagoons such as Taitachugo, Burines or Luspa, relatively close to La Toreadora, are accessible by trekking routes for which a qualified naturalist guide is required. The Park where Toreadora is located is called "Cajas" because it is formed by high peaks and in the lower areas between them lacustrine systems are contained, like huge interconnected boxes. Rivers such as Tomebamba, Yanuncay, Mazán or Migüir are born in these lagoons.

11.10 Km.

Unidas Lagoon

The name of these water bodies, Lagunas Unidas (the United Lagoons), is a metaphor. They are actually linked, hence their name. They are part of a very close group of lagoons, such as: La Toreadora, Toreador, Riñoncocha, Totoras and Patoquinoas. They are located in the northern limit of the Cajas National Park, which is crossed by the Qhapaq Ñan (Andean Royal Road), declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Very close to the Lagunas Unidas, you can also find Tres Cruces Continental Water Divide, San Luis Hill and its Polylepis (or Paper Tree) forest. Due to its easy access from Toreadora Lagoon, on the Cuenca-Molleturo road at km 31, it is ideal for hiking, mountaineering, outdoor and adventure activities. Depending on the weather, the difficulty of the hike is medium with a duration of three hours. Warm clothes and comfortable shoes are required. Complementary activities are bird watching, nature photography, sport fishing. The beauty of the landscape is exceptional. To camp, you must be properly prepared (tent, warm waterproof clothing) and ask permission from the Park rangers, who require strict compliance with some rules. In the nearby Toreadora Lagoon there is a shelter, a cafeteria and an information point. Lagunas Unidas is located at 3,500 meters above sea level. A trail connects Toreadora Lagoon with Lagunas Unidas, bordering the slopes of San Luis Hill and crossing the forest of Polylepis, a tree species better known as “paper tree”. A charming place. With moss carpets. You can feel an atmosphere of fairy tales and elves. This is an ancient forest, estimated to be between 2 and 4 million years old. Unique in its genre because of the exclusivity of the species. It also serves as a refuge for different species of Andean mammals such as deer.

11.13 Km.

Cajas National Park in Azuay Ecuador

The Cajas National Park is located in the province of Azuay, in southern Ecuador, where the Andes mountain range is older, with less volcanic activity and without the elevated peaks that are so common further north. In this area, the mountain range forms extensive highlands of great beauty where water accumulates in large quantities. The Cajas is full of bodies of water: there have been about 165 lagoons with more than 1 hectare of surface and 621 with less than 1 hectare; There are a total of 786 bodies of water. Surely the condors that visit it can appreciate its true form from the air: a green and golden rug, very wrinkled and where each valley keeps lagoons connected by small streams. Due to the large number of lagoons, the presence of migratory birds and their importance for the collection, storage and provision of water for nearby populations, it was recognized as a Ramsar or Wetland site of International Importance. How to get to Cajas National Park? From Cuenca Laguna the Toreadora. It is reached by the route Cuenca - Molleturo - Puerto Inca, approximately 40 kilometers from Cuenca. On this site you will find the Technical Office of the Park, an interpretation center and access to the different trails. Llaviucu. It is reached by the Cuenca - Molleturo - Puerto Inca road. At 7.5 kilometers from the "Y" of Sayausí on the left bank, is the entrance road. From this point, 2.9 kilometers are crossed by paving until you reach the entrance to the park. Flora and Fauna of the Cajas National Park Most of El Cajas is a wasteland mixed with paper tree groves (called quinoas locally) and lagoons. In the low parts, bordering the 3,200 meters of altitude, there is also Andean forest. 600 species of vascular plants, 43 of mammals, 157 of birds (24 of them hummingbirds), 17 of amphibians and 4 of reptiles have been recorded. In the moorland there are extensive pajonales, with pads in the most flooded areas. There are also shrubs such as senecios, chuquiraguas and drunkards. In some lagoons there are cattails, some reeds that can measure up to a meter and a half, and horsetails. There are several endemic species such as sarashima, the papyrus of the Toreadora lagoon, which is a type of reed, and two species of Valerian. The forests of paper trees are magical environments where the reddish logs are shelling and mixed with the greenery of the vegetation. In the areas of Jerez and Yacutuviana, east of the park, and in Mazán and Llaviucu, west, there is a good Andean forest. The Mazán forest is very well preserved and extends to the edge of the park. There are shrubs of pacarcar, shuspilla, bermera or tulapa, mortiño and cinnamon trees. Several endemic species of Ecuador can be found near the Toreadora and Llaviucu lagoons, such as moor mice, the Ecuadorian cotton rat, and the porcupine quichua. One of the mice is endemic to the Cajas, that is, it has not been found anywhere outside the park: the fishing mouse of El Cajas. Other mammals in the park are rabbits, moor wolves, deer, chucules and pumas. Among the birds you can see condors, parrots, Andean toucans, Andean turkeys, tangaras and hummingbirds. In the lagoons there are water birds such as the Andean duck, the diver and the paramo seagull. The high Andean azulito and the bird of the quinuales live only in the forests of paper trees of El Cajas and its surroundings. Most amphibians are in the moor. There are cutin frogs, marsupial frogs, rocket frogs, Mazán's green harlequin frog, and the three cross harlequin frog, among others. Among the reptiles we have lizards and guagsas and a species of snake known as Yanuncay runner snake. Main attractions Cajas National Park Toreadora and Llaviucu in the Cajas National Park By the Cuenca - Molleturo route, the first lagoons to appear are Llaviucu and the Toreadora. There you can enjoy the moorland and quinoa forests, which form dreamlike landscapes. From the Toreadora you can walk to the lagoon of Illincocha. Other lagoons in Cajas National Park From La Toreadora part a path inside the park towards other lagoons. The first ones that appear are the lagoons of the Burines Valley, on a large plain ideal for camping. When you continue south, you will reach Lagartococha and the Cave of the Dead, where it is believed that travelers and smugglers of spirits were dying of cold. To the southeast of Burines is Taitachungo or Mamamag. Qhapaq Ñan in the Cajas National Park This route that crosses the Cajas National Park used to serve as a connection between the Sierra and the Coast. The remaining section began in Tomebamba (the current Basin) and culminated in the walls of Molleturo, already outside the protected area. The Paredones are a set of pre-Hispanic buildings that indicate that there was an important town or resting place Cañari and then Inca. Cultural aspects Cajas National Park The Cajas, a natural passage between the Sierra and the Coast, was already used by the Canaris, who inhabited the area before the Inca and Spanish invasions. The Incas built a road, from which today you can travel a small section, which connected Cuenca with the Coast. In the republican era this road was reactivated and it was known as "Camino de García Moreno". Several towns of Cañari and Mestizo descent are currently located around the park. A modern road now crosses the park and allows you to quickly get from Cuenca to Guayaquil. There are several versions about his name. One says that it comes from the Kichwa Kahas, which means hill or mountain range. Others relate it to valleys full of small lagoons and ponds "encased" in the mountains. In any case, the massif and the National Park are part of the tradition and culture, which is manifested, for example, through numerous legends inspired by the mysterious landscape of the area. Originally the area was declared in 1977 as a National Recreation Area, but in 1996 its Management Category was changed to a National Park. In 2013, UNESCO established the Massif Biosphere Reserve of El Cajas, which includes Cajas as one of its core areas. Source: http://areasprotegida.ambiente.gob.ec/es/areas-protegida/parque-nacional-cajas Images: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ecuador_cajas_national_park.jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pain_National_Parking_The_Boxes.jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ama_la_Vida_-_Flickr_-_AR_PN_ANDES_CUENCA_RESERVAS_CAJAS_LAGUNA_TOREADORA_166_(14584742770)_(2).jpg

11.87 Km.

cultural

San Joaquin's Traditional Grilled Meat

San Joaquín, rural parish to the west of Cuenca. Famous for its typical food restaurants and its production of vegetables in small private gardens. On weekends it is a tradition for families in Cuenca to eat "San Joaquin's meat" for lunch. In the Cristo del Consuelo and Cruz Verde neighborhoods there are about ten gastronomic enterprises. Their owners have inherited them for three generations. The custom of roasting meat began in San Joaquín at the end of the 1960s. Many of these places have been operating for half a century. They all offer the same thing. The difference is made by the recipes, which have been passed down from father to son, and the decoration of the premises, which generate welcoming cultural microenvironments. The basis for the preparation of dishes is beef or pork jerky. Cecina consists of a fine cut of seasoned meat. Every restaurant has its secret, but basically this dressing contains salt, onion, garlic, coriander and parsley. The seasoned cecina is left to stand and then fried. There is a variety of accompaniments, according to the taste of the diners. The main one is mote, or cooked corn. It has two variants: the mote pillo (scrambled in egg) and the mote sucio (scrambled in pig fat). Other accompaniments can be the salad or the potato tortilla known locally as "llapingacho". A different dish, as a starter, is the papas con cuero, a kind of soup, which is called "papas locas". More options: beans with cheese, tamales, chicken broth, corn on the cob or "choclo" with cheese. Drinks to choose from. While having lunch, people can observe the vegetable and flower crops. San Joaquin has an agricultural vocation. It is the garden of Cuenca and mainly provides cabbage to nearby cities like the populous Guayaquil. Large-scale demand dates back to 1972, with the support of the United States Peace Corps and CREA. San Joaquin has existed as a rural parish in Cuenca since December 28, 1944. Its main handicraft production is baskets woven with vegetable fibers from the zuro and the duda. Other products that the craftsmen make with this raw material are diaper bags, souvenirs, blowers, ornaments, among others. There are at least 16 workshops that generate local employment.

12.01 Km.

Pumamaqui Thermal Springs

The thermal waters have been used for millennia for the benefit of human beings. Different cultures have found in them a method to recover the health of the body and the mind. The Andean peoples were no exception. The Ecuadorian mountains have an exceptional richness in geothermal waters, which were already known and very popular since the Incas. A few kilometers southwest of Cuenca, on the road to Soldados, are the Pumamaqui Hot Springs. This is a recent undertaking, considering other more developed and older sites in the country. In Pumamaqui, the waters spring up naturally from the ground. They are health bubbles. It has pools of different temperatures, healing therapies of cold/hot contrast, Turkish bath and clay. It is a primordial space to free the mind from the stress of daily life and routine. To leave all the problems aside. The landscape around the Yanuncay River contributes to this goal. Located in the valley of Soldados. The name Pumamaqui comes from the fact that a kind of tree grows in the surroundings, whose leaves have the shape of a lion's paw. Pumamaqui then is translated like paw of the puma. To get to the spa, you must take the San Joaquín-Soldados-Chaucha road. At km 23 there is an entrance sign. Then a hundred meters of walk. It is five minutes away before reaching the community of Soldados. Pumamaqui is a source of medicinal treatments. The beneficial characteristics of its waters are due to their alkalinity and their composition based on sodium, potassium, and calcium ions. They give a relaxing effect. Recommended to combat a huge list of ailments: high blood pressure, rheumatism, gout, joint, muscle and bone injuries, bone decalcifications and malformations, bronchitis, surgical sequelae, arthritis and arteriosclerosis; respiratory and ear disorders, insomnia, nervous diseases, skin diseases, paraplegia and other ailments. Its infrastructure is simple. Enough for those who are looking for a different experience. At the hot springs, the water is channeled into pools built with stone and cement. It has dressing rooms and bathrooms. The service is complemented with typical dishes. Visitors can request vegetarian food, pizza and drinks.

12.61 Km.