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Photo: Arabsalam · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Podocarpus National Park: Cajanuma Sector

Cloud forest and páramo 15 minutes from Loja: trails from the Cajanuma ranger station and a viewpoint over the valleys.

  • 1 day
  • Easy to moderate depending on the trail; the climb to the viewpoint is steep and
  • El Cardenal Hotel, Loja
Ask for availability and price View photos (3)

Cajanuma is the Andean entrance to Podocarpus National Park, about 8 km south of Loja on the Vilcabamba road. Trails for every pace start at the ranger station —the Spectacled Bear trail, about 15 minutes; the Cloud Forest trail, about 45; and the climb to the Viewpoint— through dwarf forest, bromeliads and páramo between 2,900 and 3,500 metres.

On clear days the viewpoint opens over the valleys of southern Loja. The Lagunas del Compadre, a Ramsar site at the heart of the park, require a two-day trek, a permit and a guide: they are arranged separately.

Viewpoint in Podocarpus National Park: Andean valleys and forest-covered mountains under a blue sky
Viewpoint in Podocarpus National Park: Andean valleys and forest-covered mountains under a blue sky
Photo: Arabsalam · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Stone trail through the Podocarpus cloud forest, among trees covered in moss and bromeliads
Stone trail through the Podocarpus cloud forest, among trees covered in moss and bromeliads
Photo: Arabsalam · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Star-shaped red and orange Ceratostema flowers, a plant of the Cajanuma highlands
Star-shaped red and orange Ceratostema flowers, a plant of the Cajanuma highlands
Photo: Sabrina Setaro · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Itinerary

  1. Breakfast at the hotel

    Breakfast at La Campiña restaurant: American style or à la carte with Loja specialities (humitas, tamales, green-plantain bolones).

  2. 08:00 · Cajanuma ranger station

    Drive up the access road (8.5 km from the highway, about 15 minutes) to the ranger station.

  3. 09:00 · Cloud-forest trails

    A walk on the short trails near the station: Spectacled Bear and Cloud Forest.

  4. 10:30 · Climb to the Viewpoint

    For those who want more: a 1.5 km climb to the viewpoint over the valleys.

  5. 13:00 · Lunch

    Traditional lunch on the way back to Loja.

  6. Back at the hotel

    Arrival at El Cardenal, where a cup of Loja coffee and a snack await you.

Includes

  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • Transport from and to the hotel
  • Guide
  • Traditional lunch
  • Loja coffee and a snack on return

Not included

  • Drinks
  • Dinners
  • Entrance fees to museums, zoos and other sites
  • Handicraft purchases
  • Anything not listed in the programme

What to bring

  • Layered clothing and a warm jacket
  • Rain jacket or poncho
  • Comfortable walking shoes
  • Sunscreen and a cap
  • Water bottle
  • ID document
  • Cash for handicrafts
  • Gloves and a hat for the páramo
  • Waterproof boots

Podocarpus National Park: Cajanuma Sector

Ask for availability and price

We quote it according to the date and the size of the group. Tell us when and how many are travelling and we will reply with availability and price.

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