Cajas looks like a place that nobody finished. The national park, west of Cuenca, is a high tableland of rock, bog and water, scattered with more than two hundred lakes left behind by glaciers, and the land sits mostly above 3,500 metres. Tussock grass and cushion plants cover the slopes, and in sheltered folds you find small woods of polylepis, the paper-bark trees that grow higher than any other tree on Earth, their twisted trunks peeling in red flakes.
The road through is a main route between Cuenca and the coastal city of Guayaquil, and its highest point is around 4,000 metres or a little more. That makes it a spectacular and sometimes unpleasant ride. Mist hangs on the tops for most of the day, rain is possible at any time, and the temperature can fall to a few degrees above freezing. The surface is paved, but fog reduces visibility to a few metres and lorries grind slowly, so ride with lights on and lots of caution, especially on the descent toward the lowlands, where the road falls in long, wet bends through cloud forest.
The best moment is early, when the light is clear and the lakes are still. Laguna Toreadora, near the visitor centre, is the best known, with a short loop trail around the shore. Trout fishing is popular in the lakes, and a simple café near the park serves hot soup and trout, which a cold hand will appreciate. Andean condors are rare but possible, and you may spot caracaras, hummingbirds and even a spectacled bear if you are very lucky.
Cuenca, about twenty-eight kilometres to the east, is the place for fuel, and there is nothing at the park itself, so fill the tank beforehand. Small villages such as Cañar lie much farther south. Bring layers, waterproofs and warm gloves, whatever the weather in town, because the climate changes completely within half an hour of the city. Stop at the park office for current information on trails and conditions.