Best trails in Cuenca Canton, Azuay

This is one of the most demanding routes of the circuit. They will ascend more than 1000m in the Barabón hill crossing through different ecosystems that vary quickly according to the altitude. From the grazing areas at the beginning of the route, through the patches of native forest, to the extensive moors of the upper part, we will witness the advance of the agricultural frontier and the strong impact that the moors and water sources are suffering from Cuenca. The Pallkarumi (also called Boca de Pez) is a prominent figure on the western horizon of Cuenca, with its shape similar to the head of a fish emerging from the water. From this place you have one of the most spectacular panoramic views of the city.Show more

Hiking trails through the ancestral hills of Cuenca. This is a short route, just 5 km, but with a lot to offer the walker. The level of difficulty is medium, so it is not recommended for very young children. The North edge of the sacred hill of Guagualzhumi will be crossed first from where there are spectacular panoramic views of both the city and the surrounding valleys. The descent along the northern edge of the hill will also allow you to enter a beautiful patch of walnut trees, appreciate the beautiful orchid "Flor de Cristo" and spot countless endemic bird species. You will also pass by several sites with little studied archaeological remains, you can see the Quituiña lagoon. The route will end in the parish center of Paccha, a very interesting town in the south of Cuenca.Show more

This is a short but demanding route. Old trails will be traversed under the canopy of vegetation and you can see the remnants of the mining activity of the founding era of Cuenca, in particular the mines of Gil Ramírez Dávalos. In this area there is one of the earliest records of deforestation, dating from 1562. The views towards Barabón, Baños and Cuenca present interesting contrasts and reveal the variety of landscapes to the west of the city. It is a route of medium difficulty, and for security it is recommended to travel in a group or hire a guidance service. This route presents a great diversity of landscapes, many of them highly intervened and others relatively well preserved. The first section runs through an area of grasslands, crops and living fences, where we can find native plant species such as willow (Salyx babylonica), dog tongue (Solanum oblongifolium), rosemary or podocarpus (Podocarpus sprucei), or shulalag (Sessea crasivenosa), along with others introduced such as pine (Pinus radiata) and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) very common in the area. In this section it is easy to observe hummingbirds, blackbirds (Tusdus fuscater), tangaras (Tangara vassorii) and sparrows (Zonotrichia capensis). At the end of the ascent you will find small fragments of high montane humid forest with plant species more typical of the original vegetation of the area, such as the cedrillo (Phyllanthus salviifolius), llashipa (Pteridium sp), sacha alder (Allophylus sp) and the Shiripe (Andean Myrsine), among others. Here you can see flying over the Andean hawk (Accipiter ventralis), one of the raptors characteristic of this area. They have short and wide wings. Its tail is long and rectangular and with a thick gray and black barred. The primary and secondary feathers are pale gray, with a black barred. Its legs are yellow, the beak is black and its base yellow. The last section of the route descends inside a eucalyptus plantation where you can see long-eared doves (Zenaida auriculata) perched on the trees.Show more

This route connects two very important and little known hills in the South of Cuenca: the Cerro Verde (whose top is known as “Boquerón”) with very important and little studied archaeological remains, and the Monjas hill in the Guzho sector where it is located a hillside terrace that dates from pre-Inca times, as well as spectacular panoramic views. The difficulty level of this route is medium and it is not recommended to do it with children because there are sections that must be walked along the road. If you want to avoid it, you can travel only the first half of the route.Show more

This route is slightly more difficult than the previous ones, mainly in the initial ascent and in the final descent. This route crosses a part of the Inca Trail or Qhapac Ñan and mainly runs through the sacred hill Pachamama, the huge plain at more than 2700 m altitude, which is located in the eastern part of the city. Its tour offers unparalleled panoramic views of both Cuenca and part of the province of Cañar. Walking along the edge of the gorges will allow the traveler to rediscover important testimonies of the Inca culture and imagine the past glacier of the Tomebamba Valley. The final descent is also a journey through time: first to the traditional peasant life of the region and then to urban modernity.Show more

Nice hike within the Cajas National Park from the La Toreadora Interpretation Center, bordering the Toreadora Lagoon in the direction of the San Luis forest, United lagoons, Patoquinuas lagoon and returning through the Apicocha Lagoon.Show more

This route is particular because of the possibilities of environmental interpretation. During its tour of the southern end of the city, several environmental management processes can be observed, such as the Ucubamba wastewater treatment plant, a dump, and the Amaru animal and zoo rescue center. It has very interesting landscapes along its route, such as the Cabullín hill, of great importance for ancestral cultures. If the walker is interested, he can extend the route to the slopes of the Huanacauri hill. Caution should be exercised at the edges of the cliffs and be aware of street dogs in populated areas.Show more