A lagoon in El Cajas

The Area Nacional de Recreación Cajas is a national park in the highlands of Ecuador. The area of 289000ha between 3100m and 4450m above sea level offers a tundra vegetation on a jagged landscape of hills and valleys. About 270 lakes and lagoons can be found.

It is located about 30km from Cuenca, the capital of the province of Azuay. It was declared a national park on 5 November 1996 by resolution N° 057.

The area is crossed by an ancient Inca road, which remained largely it its original state, connecting the city of Tomebamba , nowadays Cuenca, with Paredones , a control point for the trade between the highlands and the coastal areas. Traces of 96 villages witness of the pre-incan Cañari population.

The El Cajas National Park is home to a large variety of animals, some of which are endemic or highly endangered. Among the most prominent are the South American Condor, of which only 80 remain throughout all Ecuador; the Curiquinga , a large black and white raptor, and the largest hummingbird of the world who lives only on agave flowers. Other species found in the park include Spectacled Bears, Mountain Tapirs, the Caracara Falcon, Pumas, Ocelots, Mountain Toucans, Foxes and Rabbits.

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