Ecuador travel
Tourist attractions in Ecuador
Explore the tourist attractions of Ecuador.
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.
299.94 Km.
Workshop - House of the Macana by José Jiménez
The House Museum of La Macana by José Jiménez is located in Gualaceo, province of Azuay, northeast of Cuenca. The "paños de Gualaceo" or macanas are internationally famous. These cloths are Intangible Cultural Heritage of Ecuador since 2015. Its craftsmen preserve the tradition combining ancient techniques with current sales strategies. That is why Jiménez opened his home to the public more than a decade ago. Fine knotted cloth from Gualaceo was the original name of the garment. But an anecdote tells that back in the 60s of the 20th century, a citizen from Bali, Indonesia, visited the canton. She realized that the weaving technique of the Gualaceo cloth was very similar to the Indonesian ikat technique. She suggested that Gualaceo's weaving should be called by the same name. Since then it has become known throughout the country and abroad. José Jiménez always proudly shows his workshop, his museum, his tools and ways of working to those who visit him. He is an expert in the extraction of colors or natural pigments, which in a liquid state he preserves in ceramic vats. The process of obtaining a cloth begins with the warp. Up to 2,000 cotton threads are separated and the whole is placed lengthwise in a frame to be stretched and tied or knotted with cabuya. At this point the magic begins, because each knotting is a design in itself: birds, insects, popular characters, plants, geographical features. Everything is possible. The knotted threads enter the jars with natural dyes and after drying they go to the waist loom of Cañari origin. A very old machine. Jiménez weaves thread by thread, a framework that can vary in duration, depending on the complexity of the figures. It is a work of much patience. In his museum, Jiménez shows a blue and white mace that belonged to his grandmother a century ago, which was later inherited by his mother and then his wife when they got married. Film actresses and members of European royalty wear his creations. She is the fifth generation in her family to weave cloth. He considers himself the main defender of this wonderful craft in Ecuador. The visit to his workshop costs $1 and the tour lasts half an hour. The macanas are an essential part of the clothing of the famous cholas Cuencanas. They are used daily as well as in special events. In recent years, the macana has been used to design objects: ternos de vestir, shoes, tablecloths, cushions, wallets, scarves, vests. In Gualaceo, there are still about 12 families who weave macanas. Among them are the Orellana and Cárdenas families.
300.86 Km.
Turi Hill & Panoramic Lookout
The Turi Lookout is the reference point for all visitors to the city of Cuenca (UNESCO World Heritage Site) in Ecuador. Visiting this viewpoint is an activity not to be missed. It is a natural balcony in the rural parish of Turi in the south of Cuenca. A similar panoramic view is only possible from its twin hill, that of Cullca, to the north of the city. Turi is a Spanish derivation of the Quechua word Quri. It means gold. It is the best example of the Christianization of an aboriginal place of worship. A Catholic temple stands at its peak. The parish was founded both civilly and ecclesiastically in 1853. The local economy is based on trade in handicrafts, subsistence agriculture and lately the development of tourist enterprises, such as restaurants. Another site of recent activity is the giant swing, for lovers of adrenaline. The chair is attached by steel cables to two huge trees. People swing on a 500-meter deep ravine. The vertigo is intense. The view is spectacular. A ceramic map placed at the top of the viewpoint, made by the artist Eduardo Vega, locates the observer the sectors of the city and the valley that are being watched. The artist's workshop is located on the way up to the Turi viewpoint. From this height you can see the domes of the New Cathedral and several churches in the Historical Center of Cuenca. You can also see the lower part of the city, which is on the other side of the Tomebamba River’s Ravine and Avenida Solano. You can see the parks and the many green areas of the city. A characteristic of Cuenca, extended in the valley before the eyes of its admirers, are the red roofs of its houses. Visitors can reach the viewpoint by double-decker buses that board at Calderon Park (or Central Park) in the city of Cuenca. The church dedicated to Nuestra Señora de la Merced de Turi was built in 1923. It can be vista from anywhere in the city of Cuenca. Another element of popular religiosity is the stone sculpture of the Lord of Bethlehem, embedded in the mountain. Its presence is linked to the legend of the Cañar (the name of a native pre-Inka culture) and the Niño Dios (God Child).
300.94 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.
301.02 Km.
Interactive Museum of Cuenca's Gastronomy
The Museum of the Gastronomy of Cuenca is located in the north exit of the city of Cuenca, in a rural zone but with an accelerated urban development, known as Chaullabamba, aboriginal word that translated means "plain of the fishes". In the museum, the history of the region's cuisine is told, and traditional and typical Andean dishes, fused with international cuisine, can also be eaten. It was founded in April 2019 in the country house of the Urgilés-Cueva family, owners and administrators of the enterprise. The culinary knowledge within the interactive museum, its activity and history are intimately related to tourism and being aware of this aspect the couple Miguel Urgilés and Karen Cueva, who is also a chef, decided to open the Museum. Whoever decides to live this experience will find 2,000 kitchen utensils in the rooms of the house, which were once used by families in the past. The welcome ritual is with a glass of chicha de jora (a drink made of corn and inherited from the Incas) or with the "grandmother's drink" or aromatic water (an infusion made with herbs of the region). A tour of the Museum takes an estimated three hours, which includes the projection of a video and a lot of information about food production, the use of agricultural tools, the sowing-harvesting process and cooking. The collection is organized to celebrate the fusion of the Cañari, Inca and Spanish cultures, which give identity to the current mestizo culture. Visitors have direct contact with each piece in the exhibition, they can touch them, feel them, experience how they were used or what they were used for. A very special room is the "Sala del Uchu" or chili pepper in Kichwa, a native American plant with more than 40 species. The development of the Andean culture is related to the chili. Here the visitor can grind it or "chancar". Another experience is to break "toctes", local fruits similar to nuts.
301.56 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.
301.62 Km.
Orchid Cultivation and Export by Ecuagenera
Ecuagénera, agricultural company and botanical garden, is the biggest orchidarium in Ecuador. It has national and international awards and recognitions. It is located 2.5 km from Gualaceo, a canton known as "El Jardín del Azuay". It has 20 years of experience. Its president is Jose Portilla. Ecuagénera's numbers are gigantic. In two hectares there are 33 greenhouses that take care of half of the species of orchids of the country in micro environments similar to the Ecuadorian Coast, Sierra and Amazon. Over two decades it has identified more than 1,000 new species. It has 8,000 orchids between hybrids and purebred, He participates in international (USA, Japan, European countries), national and local exhibitions. It has 6 shops at national level and exports abroad with CITES permission, which guarantees the suitability of its flowers. This is a document that authorizes the export or import of products from protected animal or plant specimens. It gives cultivation workshops, distributing its knowledge to other people who wish to undertake in the universe of orchids. The "Casa Abierta Ecuagénera" is held every year to teach the public new developments, biotechnological advances and actions in favour of the environment. The seed of Ecuagénera was planted 8 decades ago in Morona Santiago by Italian Father Angel Andretta. He moved to Paute and shared his knowledge with José and Mario Portilla. Orchids are the oldest flowering plants in the world. They have populated the planet for 65 million years. They almost always live on trees, capturing heat, light and air. But they are so versatile that they can grow on a variety of surfaces: they colonize rocks with moss and a variety of soils. They have infinite shapes, colours and smells. Due to the richness of species, in the year 2018 Ecuador was officially declared the "Country of Orchids", reaffirming the great biodiversity it possesses.
301.86 Km.
Gualaceo's Fruits & Food Market
The gastronomic experience offered to tourists by the 25 de Junio Market in Gualaceo is intense. It is a showcase of traditional and typical food from the province of Azuay. The specialty of its sellers is the baked pork. Thousands of visitors come, especially on the weekends, to the market stalls to try delicacies like mote in all its forms of cooking, corn tortillas, cooked grains like peas or beans, and refreshing drinks. The physical structure of the place may be modern, but it maintains the distribution and organization of a typical market in the Ecuadorian highlands, with its modest individual shops of vegetables and fruits, meats, groceries and crafts. All this in the midst of the bustle and friendliness of the people. Its covered roof offers comfort and shelter on both sunny and rainy days. The main dish of the gastronomic offer of June 25th is the baked pig. The typical accompaniment to this way of preparing pork is potato tortillas or "llapingachos", "mote" or cooked corn and fresh onion and tomato salad. To whet everyone's appetite. The owners of the sales are popularly called "caseritas". With them it is possible to haggle over the price, content and size of the dish, while they give a taste of baking. The baking of pork, a traditional Ecuadorian dish. It consists of roasted pork meat in the oven, previously marinated. It has typical accompaniments like cooked potato or tortilla and mote. The canton of Gualaceo, "Garden of the Azuay", land of artisans of the footwear and the goldsmith's trade. It has beautiful landscapes and the pleasure of walking along the banks of the Santa Barbara River. Gateway to the Ecuadorian East. The largest orchid production company in the country is located there.
303.72 Km.
Museum of Craft Pyrotechnics
MIPA is the acronym for the Interactive Museum of Craft Pyrotechnics. It is the dream come true of Romulo and Wilson Orellana, father and son, heirs in fourth generation of this popular work. The firework industry in the province of Azuay is a family activity. The fireworks are a custom inserted in the heart of the town's celebration. The Museum is also a viewpoint of the valley of the Gualaceo River. It has been working since mid 2019, as a different and current proposal to dignify this custom. Wilson Orellana, a professional in tourism, put into practice the idea of his father Romulo, who had already passed away. In Ecuador it is the first museum of its kind. It exhibits in an interactive way the work of the pyrotechnic craftsmen, which is almost always hidden behind the lights, the color and the explosions, during the celebrations in every corner of the Ecuadorian Andes. The construction of MIPA took two years. It is divided into 6 exhibition rooms. The first one tells the family saga of the Orellana family and the history of pyrotechnics. The second space shows assembly techniques, ignition and burning sequences and different game designs, such as the famous mad cow, mad dogs, condors and traditional characters. Some of these creations are donations from the artisans Miguel Carpio, Carlos Rocano and Octavio Orellana. Another space, very special, is dedicated to the castles that are the soul of the party. The objects shown are donations from more artisans like Manuel Tenesaca. It is a unique opportunity to know how a castle is lit and what function its different elements fulfil: cakes, lights, roses, doves and crown. The materials for its elaboration are the reed, the wick and the paper. The fourth recalls the elements of the craft such as the cabuya, the grinding stones, the scales. Then the visitors move on to a new space to learn first-hand how the "cuete" is made. For safety reasons, no gunpowder is used, but they can take a nice souvenir with them. For those who have a little more time and want to enjoy the whole experience, there is the room where the paper balloons are made. Another service of the Museum is the room for the promotion and sale of Azuayan handicrafts.
304.85 Km.
Center of Embroidery Cuenca
With 31 years of experience and a solid position in the international market, the Center of Embroidery Cuenca brings together dozens of craftswomen. Their products are handmade with natural fibers. Winner of the UNESCO Crafts Prize of Excellence 2014. The crafts of this cooperative created in Cuenca in 1989 are exclusive. They were 132 the founders of 11 rural communities of Cuenca, Paute and Gualaceo. It is an organization of Popular and Solidarity Economy (EPS), with the departments of design, technical area, production and administration. Its members believe in equitable development for all. They compete nationally and internationally by offering a variety of quality artistic products. The natural fibers with which they work are cotton, alpaca wool, toquilla straw, with a mixture of embroidery and fabrics. Among their works, the production of clothes such as T-shirts, blouses or dresses stands out. For the home they make table linen, napkins, rugs, bread and wine makers. They have a production line of duvets filled with alpaca wool. Toquilla straw hats and cards. It distributes to different points of the capital of the Azuay, to Quito and Guayaquil. It has clients in Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Chile, Japan, the United States and Canada. The Center protects the art of hand embroidery. To be born in 1989, they received the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Ecuadorian Fund for the Development of the People (FEPP). During these decades of work it has achieved the organization of women, control of intermediaries, training and a better level of income. The members of the cooperative strive to provide full customer satisfaction under strict quality standards and by putting maximum dedication into their embroidery. The Centre has a website with an online shopping function and digital catalogue.
305.28 Km.
Latitud Cero Beer Brewery
Latitude Zero is Ecuador. Ecuador is in the Middle of the World. In the south of Ecuador, in the city of Cuenca, the Brewery La Paz, brews the artisan beer Latitude Zero. The raw material, barley, is sown in their Hacienda La Paz, sector of the same name over 3.100 meters above sea level, on the way to Loja, in the Nabón canton. The company belongs to the family business group Eljuri. The launch of the Latitude Zero brand is scheduled for July 17, 2015. From that milestone, Cervecería La Paz has developed a variety of delicious flavors, which make the difference in the market of artisanal beers. The brewery obtains different beers, the blonde, wheat beer and the IPA with horchata, stored in the lots Los Conejos, Los Pinos and Los Venados, as a tribute to the diversity of natural species that inhabit the La Paz moor. The elaboration process of the Latitude Zero brand lasts from 26 to 28 days. After fermentation, the beer remains 2 weeks in maturation. It develops 6 shades. Antisana and Apachita with wheat ingredient, Concordia, Catequilla, Punta Palmar and Sierra Negra with barley ingredient. Each one of them has an exclusive personality. With "Latitude Zero Concordia" the company won a gold medal in the "Beer Cup of America", European Pale Bitter Beer category, year 2018, tournament held in Chile. Latitude Zero is currently exported to the United States and Peru. Other brands of Cervecería La Paz are 593 and Hacienda La Paz. Two factors make them different, the ingredients and the quality because they are 100% barley malt, hops, yeast and water. Cervecería La Paz complies with the German Purity Law, with quality and flavor. Law established in 1516.
305.48 Km.
Llaviucu Lagoon
Llaviucu ("lock") or Zorrocuho ("fox's den") is a lagoon that belongs to Cajas National Park (PNC), which also holds the UNESCO title of World Biosphere Reserve (WBR). This lagoon is the source of the Tomebamba river that crosses the city of Cuenca, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This beautiful place is located 17 km from the city of Cuenca, on the border of the Park, next to the rural parish of Sayausí. It is the closest lagoon to Cuenca and can be reached by car or by walking along a 2 km long stone path, which deviates from the Cuenca-Naranjal road at kilometer 15. Llaviucu is an extraordinary example of the biological diversity of Cajas National Park. In its small environment a variety of birds live together, some of them endemic, amphibians, plant species such as the paper tree, the sarar, the pumamaqui, the sigsal, human flesh, the guando, the huicundos, orchids, bromeliads. All of them are plants of the primary forest. In addition, here there are fish, like the trout which is an introduced species, as well as ducks, coots, gulls and Andean toucans, among other animals. The typical activities in the lagoon are hiking, with at least three routes, sport fishing and photography. It is completely forbidden to hunt animals. Another important feature of the site is its typical glacial formation, that is, a u-shaped valley that was formed when thousands of years ago the ice retreated from the earth's surface. Near the lagoon there is a unique abandoned building, an old brick house that was the headquarters of the Azuay Brewery in the early twentieth century. It was located in Llaviucu because large quantities of good quality water are required for the production of beer. The economic destiny of Llaviucu is very marked, because in its surroundings there are cattle and milk production enterprises. In the 70's and 80's of the 20th century it was the place of experiment for the introduction of the rainbow trout and the installation of the first farms for these fish. Today, the purpose of the lagoon is different. Managed by the Potable Water Enterprise of Cuenca. Llaviucu is cared for and the access of visitors and tourists is regulated because it is part of the hydrographic system that supplies and gives water security to the city of Cuenca.
305.56 Km.
We have 413 tourist attractions listed in Ecuador.