Parcque Nacional Cajas

Cajas National Park is so named because the word cajas is an old indian (quechua) word for cold and wet. No joke, this place was cold and wet! Totally reminded me of North Cascades, except higher at 12,000feet elevation. The weather alternated between raining and clear skies, which curtailed our ambitious hiking plans for the day. I was later surprised to learn that there is rock climbing here on the spires, but I am not sure when the rock is dry!

We spent one day visiting Cajas National Park, about an hour outside of Cuenca. Famous for its lacustrine environment or 350 some lakes that provide irreplacable bird habitat. There are number of bird species here that can be found no where else. Also home to last of the quinua or paper trees, a type of tree that the bark actually hangs off in sheets.