The Inca road in Ecuador came down from the high Andes to the coast, and in the south the line passes through hills above the lowlands near Naranjal, a banana and cacao town in the province of Guayas. This stretch, called Hierba Buena in the listing, belongs to the Qhapaq Ñan system, which UNESCO recognised in 2014, and it sits on the western slopes where the cold páramo drops through cloud forest into warm, humid foothills. The segment is paired with another called Botija Paqui, which suggests a path used by travellers and traders linking highland and coast.
What I can say is that the landscape here is dramatic. The western Andes of Ecuador are steep and wet, with waterfalls, tree ferns, moss-covered trunks and mist, and in the lowlands below you find bananas, cacao, rice and shrimp ponds as far as the eye can see. The Cajas National Park, with its hundreds of lakes, lies on the high edge, and the contrast between its cold moorland and the tropical plain is striking.
The roads from Cuenca down to Naranjal are among the best-known descents in the country. They fall in long curves through cloud forest and farmland, with fog, landslides and heavy trucks as the main hazards, and a surface that can be patchy after the rains. The wet season, from December to May, is the hardest, with slides closing sections, and the dry months bring better visibility. Side roads to the Inca remains are rough, and a dual-sport bike is the safer choice.
Naranjal, about twenty-three kilometres away, has about thirty-two thousand people, with fuel stations, a market and plenty of small restaurants, and it is the practical base. Cuenca, on the high side, is a handsome colonial city with a UNESCO centre. Try a plate of encebollado, a fish and onion soup that is the national hangover cure, or a ripe banana snack, and a cup of fresh cacao drink. Carry rain gear and insect repellent, bring cash, and check conditions with locals before attempting any unpaved route.