Cuenca

We came to Cuenca to visit the beautiful natural park of El Cajas. As usual we didn't want to go with a tourist guide. We came to the entrance office to get a map. Unfortunately they didn't have any printed maps, so we took a few pictures of the map on the wall. You can choose from very easy to difficult level of hiking paths. We decided to do the moderate hike, that would take us five hours. There was a group of German tourists deciding which trail to take. The guides from the office told us to stay together as a group, as the park is really big and its easy to get lost. They called a car to take us to the beginning of the hike. We told to the driver which hike we chose. We were very surprised when he drove off to the opposite direction. We were thinking that perhaps he knows a better way. We were surprised when he took us to the easiest path. We explained to him that we are at the wrong place and we would have to ascend for the whole day to get to the right path. He was totally lost, he called the office and brought us to another point and almost left. When we found out that this trail is also not the right one, we stopped him again and jumped in the car for the last time. Finally, after showing him pictures of the map, he drove us to the right place. A funny moment was when Igor told us that he had noticed that our driver had a driving license test book on his side and was learning from it. Welcome to Ecuador, the country where anybody can do anything! :)

Cuenca

About

The beautiful historic city of Cuenca is located 2.500m above sea level. The city center is listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has a charming atmosphere of the old times and a good food scene. Many people skip this city, because they've visited Quito. We like Cuenca more then Quito and not just because of the food. We liked the vibe and the city was also pretty clean.

Cuenca

How to get to Cuenca

We went from Puerto Lopez (close to Montanita) to Guayaquil for 5.25 USD. The bus from Guayaquil to Cuenca costs 8.25 USD. It was a long day in buses, but it brought us closer to the borders with Peru.

Cuenca

Attractions

El Cajas

This national park is located 30 km from Cuenca, between 3.000 meters up to 4.500 meters. You can find more then 200 lagoons in a pure, unspoiled nature. The weather can change very fast so bring enough warm clothes. You don't need any tourist guide to explore the park. There are buses leaving in the morning from Cuenca.
Take a bus from Presidente Cordova, the street located in the city center, to the market Feria Libre. The ride takes about twenty minutes. From there follow the street in the direction of the bus and after a big modern bus station (and before a supermarket) immediately turn right. You should see a Occidental sign on a lamp post. Follow the sign and after fifty meters you will find their office on the left. The ticket costs 2.25 USD one way. We took the bus at 8:30, but there are also earlier buses. The journey to the Toreadora lake, the main entrance of the park, takes about one hour. You have to pay a fee of 2 USD for the entrance. You can choose from fifteen trails. We took the blue one, difficulty moderate. The trail wasn't difficult. Sometimes we had troubles to find the marks. It is possible to camp there.

The Pumapungo museum

We liked this museum mainly because of the outdoor part. There are archaeological excavations with a mock of an Inca garden and the characteristic terraces. You can find corn, quinoa, yucca, papas, kiwicha or chili peppers and find out more about the Inca diet. The Incas planted herbs and domesticated animals like parrots or lizards. What we didn't like at all was the exposition of parrots and even eagles and a condor in very small cages. Big shame on you, museum Pumapungo...
The main building houses different expositions. We enjoyed the one dedicated to modern art on the ground floor. On the upper floor is an ethnological exposition which is very disorganized and poorly presented. The entrance is for free.

Here you can find the address and opening hours:

The Historic city center

You can spend easily hours browsing the old town. Exploring churches, narrow streets and cozy cafeterias. The colonial city was founded in 1557. The city has 52 churches, one for every Sunday. Walk down to the river Tomebamba and sit next to the locals and absorb the atmosphere. The city is very photogenic especially at dawn.

Food

Restaurante Trastevere

After eating rice for two months, we felt the urge to eat European food. We chose a cozy Italian restaurant, close to our hostel. This restaurant attracted us with wide selection of italian cheese and homemade pasta. We ordered a plate with sausages, cheese and homemade bread as a starter. The main course was pasta, ravioli and red wine. Everything was delicious and fresh. The young waiter was a bit chaotic, but all in all we were very pleased and satisfied. We paid 50 USD with tips included.

Waffles de Belgica

This is a small buffet in the park close to Pumapungo. The Belgium chef will make a fresh waffle in front of you. You choose fruits, ice cream and topping. The price is about 2 USD for a waffle.

Tutto Fredo

You can find this cafeteria also in Latacunga. The place is very popular with locals and you can choose from wide selection of ice creams, cakes and sandwiches. We liked the brownie with ice cream and cappuccino. The sandwich was disappointing. This is a good and cheap place for afternoon coffee and cake. It is located in the city center right at the main square Abdon Calderon.

The Market

This market was one of the cleanest we have seen in South America. In the third floor is comida rapida, alias fast food. They have pork, with pork and pork... As a side dish they serve corn. If you like to cook, check the meat section. It looked very fresh and good.

Cuenca

Where to stay

Hostel Alvanos

We stayed here for three nights and we were very happy. The room was spacious and bright. The hostel was very clean. It is located in the city center, very close to restaurants and bars. It is a bit annoying that you have to ring every time you want to enter the hotel. We paid 20 USD per night for a double room.

23 October 2015