The southern sierra

As you head south down the Panamericana from the central highlands, the snowcapped peaks and rumbling volcanoes give way to a softer, gentler landscape of lower elevations and warmer, drier climates. Ecuador’s southern sierra – made up of the provinces of Cañar, Azuay and Loja – has a lonely, faraway feel to it, with its relatively sparse population, scarcity of large towns and long stretches of wild, uninhabited countryside. Its charms, however, are considerable, with some of the most rewarding and beautiful pockets of Ecuador tucked away here, including Cuenca, the country’s most attractive colonial city, and Ingapirca, its pre-eminent Inca ruins, as well as the two alluring national parks of El Cajas and Podocarpus.

The main urban centre – and only large city – of the southern sierra is Cuenca, famed for its stunning colonial architecture and graceful churches and monasteries. It was raised on the site of the ruined city of Tomebamba, built by the Incas in the late fifteenth century following their conquest of the region, which had been occupied by the Cañari people for almost a thousand years. Virtually nothing remains of Tomebamba, but you can get an idea of the remarkable stonework the Incas were famous for – executed without iron to carve it or wheels to transport it – at the ruins of Ingapirca, Ecuador’s only major Inca ruins, within easy striking distance of Cuenca. Also on Cuenca’s doorstep is an attraction of a very different nature: the starkly beautiful wilderness of the Parque Nacional El Cajas, which provides some of the best back-country hiking and trout fishing in the country, though you’ll often have to put up with a bit of rain and mist.

South of Cuenca, the sense of remoteness and abandonment increases as you pass mile after mile of largely uncultivated hills and pastures, though the few villages and one-horse towns staggered down the highway are slowly beginning to modernize, with the inevitable breeze-block constructions gradually encroaching on the steep cobbled streets, ageing stuccoed houses and grand old churches. The town of Saraguro, some 140km south of Cuenca, is a prime example; while some of the indigenous population maintain the centuries-old tradition of dressing in black, others feel more at home in jeans and baseball caps.

Further south, the small provincial capital of Loja is an island of comparative motion and activity, hemmed in by jagged, deep-green hills that soar over the town. It serves as a good jumping-off point for a couple of highly worthwhile excursions: east to the Parque Nacional Podocarpus, stretching down from the sierra to the tropical cloudforests of the Oriente, close to the old gold-mining town of Zamora; and south to the laidback tourist hangout of Vilcabamba, nestled in a peaceful mountain valley. Loja is also the starting point of the region’s main direct bus service to Peru.

HUMMINGBIRD FEEDING, PARQUE NACIONAL PODOCARPUS

Highlights

1 Ingapirca On a striking hillside perch overlooking idyllic scenery, the best-preserved Inca ruin in the country displays exquisite trademark stonemasonry.

2 Cuenca Ecuador’s third-largest city is regarded as its most beautiful for its dignified architecture, flower-draped courtyards, cobbled streets and leafy plazas.

3 Museo de Pumapungo This Cuenca museum is without a doubt the region’s best, holding the remains of Tomebamba, the great city of the Inca’s northern empire, and some stunning ethnographic exhibits.

4 Parque Nacional El Cajas A stunning and easily accessed wilderness of sweeping páramo views, sparkling lakes and exposed crags caressed by whirling mists.

5 Parque Nacional Podocarpus This beautiful national park descends from austere páramo into lush cloudforest – a memorable landscape teeming with wildlife and streaked with waterfalls and glinting rivers.

6 Vilcabamba The slow pace of life in the valley – and the great hiking nearby – has rightly made this village a magnet for many travelling between Ecuador and Peru.

Highlights are marked on the Southern Sierra map.

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Ingapirca and around

7km southeast of El Tambo, on the Panamericana • Daily 9am–5.30pm • $6 including guided tour (1.5hr) in English or Spanish • tel_icon 07 2217107 • To reach the ruins, turn off the highway in the town of El Tambo, which also provides access to the lesser-known Baño del Inca

Roughly midway between the central sierra town of Alausí and the southern sierra’s main city, Cuenca, 79km to the south, stands Ecuador’s premier Inca ruin, INGAPIRCA. Though not as dramatic or well preserved as the Inca remains in Peru, it is nonetheless an impressive site that certainly deserves a visit, if only to witness the extraordinary mortarless stonework for which the Incas are renowned.

Many of the buildings at Ingapirca have been dismantled, their large stone blocks hauled away by Spanish colonists to be used as foundations for churches and other buildings; however, the complex’s central structure – known as the Temple of the Sun, or the Adoratorio – remains substantially intact and dominates the whole site.

The rest of the site consists mainly of low foundation walls, possibly the remains of storehouses, dwellings and a great plaza, among other things. There’s not a great deal left, but the guides can explain various theories about what once stood where. They’ll also take you to the nearby Cara del Inca (“Inca’s Face”), a huge rock face resembling a human profile with a hooked nose, as well as several other rock-hewn curiosities, including the Casa del Sol with its circular, supposedly astronomical, carvings, or the Silla del Inca (“Inca’s Chair”), a large boulder with a chair cut into it – actually a broken piece of a small Inca bath from the hill above. There’s also a small museum (with attached book and craft shop) displaying Cañari and Inca pots, tools and jewellery, and a skeleton found on the site.

Brief history

Perched on a breezy hill commanding fine views over the surrounding countryside, Ingapirca, which roughly translates as “Inca wall”, was built during the Inca expansion into Ecuador towards the end of the fifteenth century, on a site that had been occupied by the Cañari people for over five hundred years. The Incas destroyed most of the Cañari structures (though a burial site remains), replacing them with their own elaborate complex that probably functioned as a place of worship, a fortress and a tambo (or way-station) on the Inca Royal Road connecting Cusco to Quito.

The Temple of the Sun

The Temple of the Sun is composed of an immense oval-shaped platform whose slightly inward-tapering walls are made of exquisitely carved blocks of stone, fitted together with incredible precision. Steps lead up to a trapezoidal doorway – a classic feature of Inca architecture – that gives onto the remains of a rectangular building within the platform. It is the superior quality of the platform’s stonework, usually reserved for high-status buildings, that suggests this was a ceremonial temple.

Baños del Inca

6km from Ingapirca • Daily 8am–5pm • $1; entry includes access to the ruins and a new interpretive centre • The site is a 6km walk from Ingapirca, taking the right fork out of Ingapirca village; alternatively, make the 20min journey in autoferro from El Tambo station (Wed–Sun; $7 return including entry to the ruins)

There’s another obscure but interesting ruin near Ingapirca, off the road towards El Tambo near the little village of Coyoctor. The Baños del Inca is an Inca bathing complex chiselled out of an enormous rock with channels and receptacles eventually leading out onto the adjacent field for irrigation. Restored in the last few years, the site is worth a visit.

THE INCA TRAIL TO INGAPIRCA

The Inca Trail to Ingapirca is a three-day hike following a 40km stretch of the route – and in some parts the original path – of the Inca Royal Road, which once linked Cusco, the Inca capital, with Tomebamba (where Cuenca now stands) and Quito. The terrain you’ll cover is mainly wild, open páramo, with some beautiful ridge walks giving fantastic views. Most of it is uninhabited, but the final 8km or so is quite populated with campesinos, and you’ll probably get a lot of begging from kids asking for sweets, pencils or money. The hike begins in the tiny village of Achupallas, where there’s a Saturday market.

MAPS AND EQUIPMENT

If you’re hiking independently, it’s essential to take the IGM maps of Alausí, Juncal and Cañar, as well as full camping equipment and warm, waterproof clothing. Rubber boots or gaiters will be needed for the boggy spots. Try to take as light a bag as possible, though, as you’ll be hiking between 3100m and 4400m, which can be quite hard going, though you can hire a mule (and muleteer) for your gear in Achupallas ($30–40/day).

THE ROUTE

The hike is commonly divided as follows: day one takes you from Achupallas up the Tres Cruces valley to the Laguna Las Tres Cruces (6–8hr), though you may want to cut this hard day short and pitch your tent in the páramo a couple of hours short of the lakes; day two takes you from Laguna Las Tres Cruces to a small collection of Inca ruins known as Paredones, by the shore of Laguna Culebrillas (6–7hr); and day three goes from there to the Ingapirca ruins (4–5hr), where there is a campground right by the ruins.

ARRIVAL

Achupallas is an hour’s drive from Alausí. Colectivo trucks and camionetas leave Alausí for Achupallas daily (11am–4pm), except Saturdays; private trucks cost around $15. There’s also an unreliable daily bus at around 1–2pm from the corner of 5 de Junio and 9 de Octubre.

ACCOMMODATION

Ingañán Achupallas tel_icon 03 2930663. Most hikers set off from Alausí between 5 and 6am (pickup to Achupallas around $15). Alternatively, you could turn up in Achupallas the day before you want to start walking – there’s a small family-run hostel here called Ingañán, where you can also order meals. Camping is also possible. $24

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: INGAPIRCA AND AROUND

The two access roads for Ingapirca leave the Panamericana at El Tambo and Cañar (7km south), and meet in the middle at the small village – also known as Ingapirca – overlooking the archeological site, which is a 5min walk away.

BY BUS

From Cañar/El Tambo Buses run from Cañar to Ingapirca and back via El Tambo every 15–20min, passing through Ingapirca village. Return buses leave from the village square.

From Cuenca Frequent buses run along the Panamericana between Cuenca, Cañar and El Tambo (daily every 30min; 1hr 30/40min; last bus 6pm), where you can hop on a local bus to Ingapirca. In addition, Transportes Cañar buses come directly to the site entrance from the Cuenca bus terminal (Mon–Fri 9am&12.20pm, returning 1pm & 3.45pm; Sat & Sun 9am, returning 1pm; 2hr; $3.50).

BY CAMIONETA

Camionetas sit in the main square in Ingapirca ($7 to Cañar, $5 to El Tambo).

ACCOMMODATION

Cabañas El Castillo 100m from the ruins tel_icon 07 2217002, email_icon cab.castillo@hotmail.com. Very basic but clean accommodation with five rooms, offering comfortable beds, a bath and shower with hot water, and the best view of the ruins from the front porch. Also has a small restaurant. $30

Posada Ingapirca 300m up the road above the ruins tel_icon 07 2831120, web_icon posadaingapirca.com. Lovely 120-year-old farmhouse set in pleasant grounds with splendid views. Rustic rooms offer plenty of natural light, and the place is wonderfully decorated with traditional textiles, hats and utensils. Larger, pricier rooms have their own fireplace – necessary as it’s very cold at night – and the decent restaurant is popular with tour groups at lunchtime. Breakfast included. $105

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Cuenca

Santa Ana de los Cuatro Ríos de Cuenca, otherwise known simply as CUENCA (2530m), is Ecuador’s most seductive colonial city. A classic example of a planned Renaissance town in the Americas, Cuenca’s centro histórico is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and shares many architectural features with Quito’s old town: narrow, cobbled streets, harmonious, balconied houses with interior courtyards and an abundance of gleaming white churches and monasteries – all presented without the pollution, noise and overbearing crowds of the capital.

Despite being Ecuador’s third-largest city, Cuenca’s colonial centre, which contains most of the city’s attractions, is a very manageable size and can easily be explored on foot. You’ll need several days here to take in a few churches and museums, sample the city’s diverse restaurants and bars and do some shopping and excursions. If possible, try to make your stay coincide with a Friday or Saturday evening, when the town’s churches (usually open daily 8am–4pm, but closed for an hour or two at lunch), are illuminated to stunning effect, or a Sunday during the day, when traffic is kept out of the main square.

If you visit during one of Cuenca’s multi-day festivals – around April 12 for the city’s foundation and November 3 for its independence – you’ll be treated to plenty of spectacle, no more so than for the “Pase del Niño” on Christmas Eve, a huge colourful procession of children and families, floats, dancers and biblical tableaux.

Brief history

Founded by the Spanish on April 12, 1557, Cuenca was not the first dazzling city to be erected here: the Inca Tupac Yupanqui founded the city of Tomebamba here around 1470, which was said to have rivalled Peru’s Cusco with its splendour. Its glory was short-lived, however, as the city was destroyed during the Inca civil war that broke out during the second decade of the sixteenth century. By the time Cieza de León (one of the chroniclers of the Spanish conquest) saw it in 1547, Tomebamba was in ruins, but enough remained to evoke its former grandeur: “These famous lodgings of Tumibamba were among the finest and richest to be found in all Peru … The fronts of many of the buildings are beautiful and highly decorative, some of them set with precious stones and emeralds …Today, all is cast down and in ruins, but it can still be seen how great they were”. These days, Cuenca’s Inca legacy has all but vanished, hinted at only by the foundation stones of some of its buildings, and some modest ruins excavated in the twentieth century.

Parque Calderón

At the heart of Cuenca’s colonial centre is the splendid, leafy Parque Calderón, filled with tall pines and palms as well as neatly trimmed flowerbeds. It is framed by the city’s two main religious landmarks, the Catedral Nueva and Catedral Vieja, making it the most impressive square in Cuenca. It’s also the starting point for the popular open-top city bus tour as well as the location of the very helpful tourist office, all of which makes the park a good place to start your exploration of the historical sites.

Catedral Nueva

Parque Calderón, Benigno Malo • Daily 8am–4pm, but closed for an hour or so at lunch • Free

Perhaps the most distinctive feature of Cuenca, and clearly visible from most parts of town, are the large, sky-blue domes of the nineteenth-century Catedral Nueva (officially called La Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción). The domes sit towards the back of the building over a jumble of outsized turrets, arches and buttresses, fronted by an immense twin-towered facade looming over the square. Inside, the large central nave is flanked by gorgeous stained-glass windows and pink marble pillars, but the pièce de résistance is the altar set beneath a gleaming baroque baldaquin, dripping with gold leaf.

Museo Catedral Vieja

Parque Calderón, Luis Cordero • Mon–Fri 9am–1pm & 2–6pm, Sat & Sun 10am–1pm • $2 • tel_icon 07 2834636

The city’s oldest – and now deconsecrated – church, the modest Catedral Vieja (or El Sagrario) houses a religious museum. Occupying the site of a mud-and-straw chapel built immediately after the city was founded, and then expanded in 1567 using the stones of the destroyed city of Tomebamba, the present building largely dates from the late eighteenth century, and is characterized by its low, horizontal outline, simple, whitewashed walls, clay-tiled roof and central bell tower, used by La Condamine’s geodesic mission as a reference point to measure the shape of the Earth . Following a lengthy restoration, original frescos dating back to the late sixteenth century have been uncovered on the walls; most of the other murals are from the early twentieth century.

Plaza de las Flores

Just off the Parque Calderón, on Calle Sucre, is the Plazoleta del Carmen – a tiny square more commonly known as the Plaza de las Flores – which is home to a daily flower market, presided over by chola women wearing blue- or pink-checked aprons, long black plaits and Panama hats. Right behind it stands the Iglesia El Carmen de la Asunción, a white-walled, eighteenth-century church with a beautiful carved-stone portico.

Plaza San Francisco

The market square Plaza San Francisco, on Córdova and Padre Aguirre, promises a diverse mix of chunky knitwear, wall hangings and cheap clothes and shoes. Plaza San Francisco is overlooked by the peach-and-white Iglesia San Francisco (daily 8am–4pm, but closed for an hour or two at lunch; free), which was rebuilt in the early twentieth century in a Neocolonial style, and sports smooth, stuccoed walls embellished with lots of plaster relief. Inside, the only survivors of the original church, built in the eighteenth century, are the high altar adorned by a carving of the Virgin de la Inmaculada by Bernardo de Legarda, the famous Quito School sculptor, and the gold-leaf pulpit.

Iglesia Santo Domingo

Gran Colombia and Padre Aguirre • Daily, generally 8am–4pm, but closed for an hour or two at lunch • Free

The grey-blue, twin-towered Iglesia Santo Domingo is another early twentieth-century church built in the colonial style. It’s worth popping inside to admire the intricate geometric motifs covering every inch of the arches and ceilings, and the series of eighteenth-century paintings on the walls, depicting the Mysteries of the Rosary.

Museo Municipal Casa del Sombrero

Arízaga between Luis Cordero and Borrero • Mon–Fri 9am–1pm & 3–6pm, Sat 9am–1pm • Free, including guided tour (in Spanish)

The granting of cultural heritage status to Ecuador’s Panama hat by UNESCO in 2012 coincided with the establishment of the Museo Municipal Casa del Sombrero, a delightfully restored old Panama hat workshop on a hillside six blocks north of Parque Calderón, whose adobe walls are made from the same straw used in the fabrication of the hats. The “living museum” showcases the city’s hat-making history and the production process through old photographs and artefacts – including a $6000 sombrero – as well as offering free instruction to young would-be artisans led by experienced hat-makers. You can watch them at work in the courtyard (Mon, Wed & Fri) or buy a hat from their showroom, but don’t forget to climb up to the roof terrace, to take in the superb view of the city centre.

Iglesia San Sebastián

Northwest corner of Parque San Sebastián • Daily 8am–4pm, but closed for an hour or two at lunch • Free

One of the city’s oldest churches, the Iglesia San Sebastián marks the western limit of Cuenca’s centro histórico. It was built in the seventeenth century and features a single bell tower over the right-hand side of the entrance, giving the church a slightly lopsided appearance. The quiet little square in front of it was the scene of Cuenca’s most scandalous crime of the eighteenth century, when the surgeon of the French geodesic mission was murdered over his love affair with a creole woman.

Museo de Arte Moderno

Parque San Sebastián, Sucre and Talbot • Mon–Fri 9am–5.30pm, Sat & Sun 9am–1pm • Free • tel_icon 07 2831027

The single-storey whitewashed building with blue windows spanning the southern side of Parque San Sebastián was built in 1876, and has served as a temperance house, a prison, an asylum for beggars and an old people’s home, and currently houses the municipal Museo de Arte Moderno. The museum puts on high-quality temporary exhibitions of national and Latin American artists.

Museo del Sombrero

Calle Larga 10-04 • Mon–Fri 9am–6pm, Sat 9.30am–5pm, Sun 9.30am–1.30pm • Free • tel_icon 07 2831569

Worth a peek is the Panama hat workshop and shop of Rafael Paredes & Hijos, which incorporates the Museo del Sombrero, where you’ll be coached through the various stages of hat creation and shown a selection of antique hat-making implements, including a nineteenth-century contraption used for measuring the shape of the head.

Museo Remigio Crespo Toral

Calle Larga 7-07 • Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, Sat 9am–1pm • Free • tel_icon 07 2830499

The main reason to visit Cuenca’s oldest museum, the Museo Remigio Crespo Toral, is to admire the beautifully restored former home of Dr Remigio Crespo Toral, a nineteenth-century intellectual and diplomat. A museum since 1946, it comprises a small but noteworthy collection of pre-Hispanic ceramics and tools, documents dating from the city’s foundation, religious paintings and sculpture and a salón furnished as it was left by Dr Crespo.

Museo de las Conceptas

Entrance at Hermano Miguel 6-33 • Mon–Fri 9am–6.30pm, Sat 10am–1pm • $2.50 • tel_icon 07 2823002

A couple of blocks southeast of the Parque Calderón, the Monasterio de las Conceptas, founded in 1599, hides behind the thick white walls that separate its occupants from the outside world. Part of the convent is open to the public as the Museo de las Conceptas. The museum houses a large collection of predominantly religious paintings and sculpture from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries, as well as nineteenth-century toys in room 12, including some small wooden dolls and music boxes, brought here by young novices entering the convent.

While you’re here, take a look at the attached Iglesia de las Conceptas, giving onto Presidente Córdova, which features a flamboyant steeple, some finely carved wooden doors and an impressive gold-leaf altar.

Museo de las Culturas Aborígenes

Calle Larga 5-24 and Cueva • Mon–Fri 8.30am–6.30pm, Sat 9am–1pm • $2, including guided tour in Spanish, English or French • tel_icon 07 2839181

The Museo de las Culturas Aborígenes exhibits an excellent, wide-ranging and well-presented collection of pre-Columbian ceramics and artefacts, beginning with Stone Age tools, flints and dinosaur teeth and ending with accomplished Inca earthenware. With over five thousand pieces, this is one of the best private collections in the country. There’s also a good shop and café.

Along the Río Tomebamba

The southern limit of old Cuenca is marked by Calle Larga, which runs parallel with and backs on to the Río Tomebamba. You can’t see the river from the street but a set of stone steps at the southern end of Hermano Miguel, known as La Escalinata, leads down to the riverside, which affords wonderful views onto the backs of Calle Larga’s grand houses, hanging precipitously over the steep riverbank.

Museo de Artes Populares

3 de Noviembre, at the bottom of La Escalinata • Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, Sat 10am–1pm • Free • tel_icon 07 2840919, web_icon cidap.gob.ec

The excellent Centro Interamericano de Artesanías y Artes Populares (CIDAP) has a small but highly enjoyable Museo de Artes Populares, bringing together arts and crafts from all over Latin America in changing exhibitions. It also has a fine craft shop, which is a good place to pick up a souvenir.

Iglesia Todos los Santos

Calle Larga and Jervés • Daily 8am–4pm, but closed for an hour or two at lunch • Free

Heading east from La Escalinata along the riverbank, you’ll come to the white Iglesia Todos los Santos, which rises impressively over the Río Tomebamba. It’s thought that the first Catholic Mass in Cuenca took place here. The current building dates from the late nineteenth century.

Puente Roto

Half a block east of the Iglesia Todos los Santos is the Puente Roto (Broken Bridge), the remains of an old stone bridge, now used as a viewpoint onto the river and the site of a Saturday art fair (10am–5pm) and occasional cultural events.

Museo de Pumapungo

Calle Larga and Huayna Capac • Tues–Fri 8am–5.30pm, Sat & Sun 10am–4pm; last entry 1hr before closing • Free

At the eastern end of Calle Larga is the Museo de Pumapungo (formerly the Museo del Banco Central), Cuenca’s most polished and absorbing museum. Right behind the main museum building is the Pumapungo archeological park, which is where most of the artefacts displayed in the museum’s archeological sala were found and where the most important religious buildings of Tomebamba were located, though there’s little to see now.

The ground floor

The ground floor contains an interactive, and at times overly dark, exhibition devoted to the Inca city of Tomebamba, displaying some beautiful Inca artefacts including jewellery, fertility symbols and ritualistic objects, as well as a couple of entertaining dioramas. Much of the information is given in English, Spanish and Kichwa. Also on the ground floor is a collection of nineteenth-century art, dominated by religious paintings and sombre portraits, but with some wonderful costumbrista (folk art) pieces showing indigenous people dancing, playing the fiddle and roasting a hog.

The Sala Etnográfica Nacional

The highlight of the museum is the Sala Etnográfica Nacional extending across the whole of the first floor, which illustrates the diversity of Ecuador’s indigenous cultures using everyday objects and reconstructions. Displays include an extraordinary exhibition of Shuar tsantsas (shrunken heads) from the southern Oriente; a model of a masked dancer from the southern sierra; a collection of festival costumes; and many musical instruments. Though most of the information is given in Spanish, many of the exhibits are self-explanatory. In the basement there’s a collection of coins and notes.

Mirador de Turi

A taxi to the mirador costs about $3 each way; daytime buses to Turi leave from the corner of 12 de Abril and Solano, on the southern bank of Río Tomebamba, and will drop you at the bottom of the hill, from where it’s a 30min walk up more than 400 steps to the mirador; the viewpoint is also the last stop on the city bus tour

The best spot for a panoramic view of the whole city is the Mirador de Turi, a lookout point in front of the Iglesia de Turi, perched high on a hill some 4km south of the centre. The views are particularly theatrical on Friday and Saturday evenings when the city could almost be mistaken for a lavish Hollywood film set, with all its church steeples floodlit. There’s also a good restaurant. Not far from the top is the Galería Eduardo Vega, well worth a stop for its gorgeous glazed ceramics made on site by Ecuador’s leading ceramicist – a good place to pick up a gift or two.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: CUENCA

BY PLANE

TAME operates daily direct flights between Cuenca and Quito, and Cuenca and Guayaquil. In addition, several international airlines connect Cuenca with international destinations in Latin and North America and even Europe, via Quito or Guayaquil. Aeropuerto Mariscal Lamar ( tel_icon 07 2862203) is only 2.5km east of the centre along Avenida España. The easiest way to and from the airport is by taxi ($2), or by tram.

Airlines TAME, Florencio Astudillo 2-22, opposite the Millennium Plaza ( tel_icon 07 4103199) and at the airport ( 07 2866400, web_icon tame.com.ec); Avianca, Miguel Cordero and Paucarbamba ( 07 2455563, avianca.com/es-ec).

Destinations Guayaquil (2–3 daily; 40min; from $73 one-way); Quito (Mon–Fri 5–7 daily, Sat & Sun 3–4 daily; 55min; from $63 one-way).

BY BUS

Terminal Terrestre The main bus terminal, from which all long-distance and most other buses leave, is 1.8km from the centre, close to the airport on Avenida España. There’s an information office (Mon–Sat 8.30am–noon & 2.30–6pm; tel_icon 07 2868482) that’s good for travel advice and maps. The easiest way to get into the centre is by taxi ($2) or by tram.

Destinations Ambato (every 30min–1hr, plus numerous through buses to Quito; 7hr); Azogues (every 5min; 30min); Cañar and El Tambo (every 15min; 1hr 30/40min); Chordeleg (every 30min; 1hr 15min); Girón (served by buses to Machala every 15–30min; 40min); Gualaceo (every 15min; 50min); Guayaquil (every 20min via El Cajas, every 25min via Cañar; 4–5hr); Huaquillas (8 daily; 5hr); Ingapirca (Mon–Fri 2 direct daily, Sat & Sun 1 daily; 2hr); Loja (every 30min–1hr; 4hr 30min); Macas (12 daily via Guarumales; 8hr); Machala (every 15–30min; 4hr); Quito (every 30min–1hr; 9hr); Riobamba (every 40min; 6hr); Santo Domingo (10 daily; 10hr); Sigsig (every 30min; 1hr 40min).

Terminal Sur A much smaller bus terminal, Terminal Sur, is 2km west of the city centre by the Feria Libre, the vast open market off Avenida de las Americas. Some local transport departs from here, including Transportes Occidental buses to Molleturo, via the El Cajas park entrance at Laguna Toreadora (8 daily; 45min).

GETTING AROUND

On foot The city centre is confined to a fairly compact grid on the northern bank of the Río Tomebamba, and it’s easy enough to get to most sights on foot.

By tram At the time of writing, the first line of the city’s new tram system was scheduled for completion in late 2016. Extending just over 10km, with 27 stops, it links the airport and bus terminal on Avenida España with the historic centre; heading west in the centre, the line runs along Lamar then out to Avenida de Las Americas. On the return trip to the bus terminal and airport from the centre, the tram runs east along Gran Colombia. Fares had not been fixed, but were likely to be ¢25–50.

Car rental There are several outlets at the airport, or nearby on Avenida España and Elias Liut, including Austral ( tel_icon 07 286246); Avis ( 07 2860174); Bombuscaro ( 07 2866541); Hertz ( 07 2806147); and Localiza ( 07 4084632).

By taxi You can flag down a metred yellow taxi on any of the main streets, with rides within the city centre costing $1.50, and around $2 to the airport or bus terminal.

TOURS AROUND CUENCA

Most of Cuenca’s tour operators offer fairly similar trips to Parque Nacional El Cajas, Ingapirca, the craft villages of Gualaceo, Chordeleg and Sigsig, and to the scenic Yunguilla valley and Girón waterfall, with cheaper group excursions or pricier tailor-made private tours. Most operators are closed on Sunday.

Expediciones Apullacta Gran Colombia 11-02 and General Torres tel_icon 07 2837815, web_icon apullacta.com. Well-organized outfit offering a wide array of tours, from guided day-hikes ($68/person) to overnight camping trips to Parque Nacional El Cajas ($210/person), and from local rock climbing and canyoning to multi-day trips all over the country. Camping gear is also available for rent (tent $15/night, sleeping bag $8/night).

Kushi Waira Enquire at the Carolina Bookstore, Hermano Miguel 4–36 and Calle Larga, web_icon kushiwaira.com. Community-based tourism in Tarqui parish. Take a day-trip ($40/person), or stay overnight and learn about village life, from cheese-making to growing medicinal plants, collective agriculture to spinning wool.

Red de Pakariñan Sucre 14-96 Sucre, and Coronel Talbot tel_icon 07 2820529, web_icon pakarinan.com. Works with indigenous communities across five southern provinces, including Saraguro, in community-based tourism; can arrange two- or three-day stays.

Terra Diversa Calle Larga 8-41 and Luis Cordero tel_icon 07 2823782, web_icon terradiversa.com. The leading tour operator in Cuenca, and a great place to get tour information, brochures and maps. As well as the usual excursions, it offers horse treks in the countryside around Cuenca ($75/person), mountain-bike rides to Ingapirca ($151/person) and can even organize trips to the Galápagos or to other destinations in Latin America.

INFORMATION AND TOURS

Tourist office The I-Tur office on Parque Calderón, Sucre and Benigno Malo (Mon–Fri 8am–8pm, Sat 9am–4pm, Sun 8.30am–1.20pm; tel_icon 07 2821035, web_icon cuencaecuador.com.ec) has numerous maps and leaflets, including Agendas Culturales, which lists the month’s cultural events (also on the website). They also have detailed information on Parque Nacional El Cajas.

Bus tours Parque Calderón is the starting point for the city’s popular open-top bus tour (Mon–Sat & public holidays 9am–7pm, hourly except 1 & 2pm; Sun 10am, 11am, noon & 3pm; 1hr 45min; $8), which sets off from outside the Catedral Vieja and ends up at the city’s top viewpoint, the Mirador de Turi.

ACCOMMODATION

Cuenca boasts a wide choice of mid-priced and upmarket hotels, many of them in restored colonial-style houses, while the budget accommodation scene is only just beginning to take off. Wherever you plan to stay, it’s best to book ahead if arriving on a Friday – or any kind of fiesta – as Cuenca is a popular weekend destination with Ecuadorians, and accommodation can fill quite quickly; high season is July–Sept.

author_pick Alternative Hostel Corner of Huayna Capac and Cacique Duma tel_icon 07 4084101, web_icon alternativehostal.com. The 15min walk from the centre is more than made up for by this excellent-value, friendly, modern hostel with comfy sofas, TV/DVD player, reading lounge, good kitchen-dining facilities, washing machine, small patio terrace and luggage storage. Dorms $9; doubles $20

El Cafecito Vásquez 7-36 and Luis Cordero tel_icon 07 2832337, web_icon cafecito.net. Popular budget rooms and dorms with shared or private bathrooms, set around an attractive courtyard filled with wooden tables and potted plants. It’s also a café-restaurant-bar so can be noisy some nights; the quietest rooms face the back. Dorms $6; doubles $25

author_pick Casa del Águila Sucre 13-56 between Montalvo and De Toral tel_icon 07 2836498, web_icon hotelcasadelaguila.com. Lovingly restored nineteenth-century mansion, with gorgeous individually decorated rooms, painted in warm, natural colours with distinctive flourishes – but don’t expect modern frills such as high-speed wi-fi, or a TV. Staff are friendly and efficient, and rates include parking and a full buffet breakfast. $80

La Cigale Vásquez 7-80 tel_icon 07 2835308, web_icon lacigalecuencana.jimdo.com. This appealing French-owned hostel is in a lovely restored old building set around a courtyard café-restaurant, which boasts live music most weekends, so it can get noisy. En-suite doubles are neat but small and you can bag a cheap bed in a six-bed dorm for very little. Breakfast included for rooms. Dorms $7; doubles $27

La Cofradía del Monje Córdova 10-33 and Aguirre tel_icon 07 2831251, web_icon hostalcofradiadelmonje.com. Smart timber-floored rooms, some with balconies overlooking Plaza San Francisco and the domes of the new cathedral beyond, others rather small for the price. It also has a café, bar and restaurant. Breakfast included. $60

author_pick Hostal Macondo Tarqui 11-64 and Lamar tel_icon 07 2821700, web_icon hostalmacondo.com. Quiet, beautiful old house with waxed wooden floors, high ceilings, spotless rooms – with shared (cheaper) or private bathrooms – and a delightful garden with chairs and hammock. Breakfast included. $61

Hostal Yacumama Luis Cordero 5–66 and Vásquez tel_icon 07 2834353, web_icon hostalyakumama.com. Popular Inca-themed hostel offering bamboo beds in a vast attic dorm, or more conventional beds in smaller dorms. There’s also a handful of spacious doubles – well away from the cosy bar-restaurant at the front, but they can get noisy during events or when the skateboard ramp’s being well utilized in the pleasant courtyard at the back. Dorms $8; doubles $29

Hotel Cuenca Borrero 10-69 between Gran Colombia and Lamar tel_icon 07 2833711, web_icon hotelcuenca.com.ec. Housed in a distinctive old building, this friendly hotel features recently remodelled rooms of varying sizes with high ceilings, brightly painted walls and a decent amount of furniture. Good reductions in low season and an excellent buffet breakfast included. $70

Hotel Rosamia Machuca 9–43, between Bolívar and Gran Colombia tel_icon 07 2844387, web_icon hotelrosamia.com. A spanking new addition to the budget hotel scene, whose simple, spotless rooms with compact beds are more nicely furnished than you’d expect for the price. Breakfast included. $40

Hotel Santa Lucía Borrero 8-44 tel_icon 07 2828000, web_icon santaluciahotel.com. Beautiful boutique hotel in a fine old house, tastefully restored with generously furnished en-suite rooms – most come equipped with bathtub, safe, plasma-screen TV, minibar and lots of trimmings. There’s also parking, a restaurant and café, and a drawing room complete with grand fireplace. $165

Mansión Alcázar Bolívar 12-55 and Tarqui tel_icon 07 2823918, web_icon mansionalcazar.com. Exquisitely renovated colonial building housing one of Cuenca’s most luxurious hotels, boasting a grand courtyard converted into a stately drawing room complete with chandelier and fountain, a tropical garden and an outstanding gourmet restaurant. The sumptuous rooms are fragrant with the scent of the freshly scattered petals on the beds – some of which are four-posters – and service is impeccable. $306

La Orquidea Borrero 9-31 and Bolívar tel_icon 07 2824511, web_icon laorquidea.com.ec. Not a bad deal given its central location. Make sure you get one of the newer rooms upstairs, which are simply furnished and have good-quality en-suite bathrooms and cable TV; some have fridges. Reduced rates if you stay several days. $36

Posada del Ángel BolÍvar 14-11 and De Toral tel_icon 07 2840695, web_icon hostalposadadelangel.com. Popular mid-range option with two brightly painted, plant-filled covered courtyards to lounge in, plus comfortable en-suite rooms (for one to four people) boasting plenty of storage space and cable TV. There’s a garage too. $80

Posada Todos Santos Calle Larga 3-42 and Ordóñez tel_icon 07 2824247. Well-maintained hostal with nice, carpeted rooms and good en-suite showers. The friendly owners are knowledgeable about sights and activities in the region. $35

Villa del Rosario Vásquez and Mariano Cueva 5-25 tel_icon 07 2828585. Friendly and quiet, this family-owned converted colonial house has basic but prettily painted en-suite rooms set round a flower-filled courtyard. There are shared kitchen facilities and an open-sided dining area with TV, which makes for a chilly social area at night. $24

EATING

Cuenca offers the best choice of restaurants outside Quito, with the usual staple of cheap lunches supplemented by snacks such as crêpes and burritos, as well as fine international cuisines in sumptuous surroundings and high-quality comida típica. Inexpensive almuerzos can be found at the comedores above the Mercado 10 de Agosto, on Calle Larga and General Torres. What follows is only a fraction of a vast array of culinary delights.

CAFÉS

Café Austria Corner of Hermano Miguel and Bolívar tel_icon 07 2840899. Though no longer Austrian-owned, the great corner location, large windows and mellow atmosphere here make this a choice spot for people-watching, though the quality of the food doesn’t always live up to the ambience. You need to get here early to catch the famous apfelstrudel but there’s always happy hour to console latecomers. Daily 9.30am–10.30pm.

Café Nucallacta Hermano Miguel 5–62 between Vásquez and Jaramillo tel_icon 0986190490, web_icon cafenucallacta.com. What started out as a gourmet coffee store has morphed into one of the hottest cafés in town; though the top-notch beans are the main draw, it also offers tasty breakfasts and light lunches and is a favourite spot for weekend brunch. Mon–Sat 9am–6pm, Sun 9am–3pm.

Tutto Freddo Parque Calderón, Benigno Malo tel_icon 07 4031128. Ecuador’s answer to Baskin Robbins and seemingly just as popular. Forget the sandwiches and head straight for the great ice creams and cakes. Mon–Wed & Sun 8am–10pm, Thurs–Sat 8am–11.30pm.

Wunderbar Escalinata 3–43, off Calle Larga tel_icon 07 2831274. This vibey café-bar is a great place for lunch on a sunny day, when you can eat in the little garden among the trees and flowers. Serves US-style snacks and light meals (from $4). Mon–Sat noon–midnight.

RESTAURANTS

Café Eucalyptus Gran Colombia and Benigno Malo tel_icon 07 2849157. Enjoyable Anglo-Romanian-run restaurant in a distinguished building, with an eclectic international menu offering everything from Thai green curry to chicken vindaloo to tapas (mains from $6). The place is thriving, and has a blazing fire on cold nights; you’ll need to book at weekends. Live music on Fri and Sat in high season. Mon–Thurs 3.30pm–midnight, Fri & Sat 3.30pm–2am, Sun 5–11pm.

El Maíz Calle Larga 1-279 and Los Molinos tel_icon 07 2840224, web_icon elmaizrestaurante.com. One of the best places to sample traditional Ecuadorian cooking (goat stew or even encocado) with a modern twist, and inventive quinoa concotions abound (mains from around $10). It also boasts a beautifully painted interior, as well as outdoor seating with river views. Reservations advised. Mon–Fri noon–9pm, Sat noon–4pm & 7–9pm.

Moliendo Café Vásquez 6-24 and Hermano Miguel tel_icon 07 2828710. Fantastic little Colombian restaurant offering inexpensive, authentic cuisine including arepas (corn pancakes) with a variety of delicious toppings. Wash it down with a refajo, a lager shandy turbo-powered with a hit of aguardiente. Mon–Sat 9am–9pm.

author_pick La Quinua Beningo Malo 12-73 and Vega Muñoz tel_icon 07 8321370. Excellent, mainly vegan breakfast and lunchtime menus – choose from soups, salads and veggie burgers or more traditional motepillo, llapingachos or guatita – to be enjoyed in a delightful interior courtyard, decked out in textiles, plants and traditional artefacts. A skylight ensures the sun streams in to warm your back. Modestly priced dishes ($3–8) and almuerzos. Mon–Fri 10am–4pm.

author_pick Raymipampa Benigno Malo and Bolívar, Parque Calderón tel_icon 07 2834159. The classic place to eat in Cuenca, both for its unbeatable location under the colonnaded arcade of the Catedral Nueva and for its devoted local following. Inexpensive crêpes, pastas, stir-fries, meats and much more are served at a brisk pace. Mon–Fri 8.30am–10pm, Sat & Sun 9.30am–10pm.

author_pick Tiestos Jaramillo 4-89 and Mariano Cueva tel_icon 07 2835310, web_icon tiestosrestaurante.com. Larger-than-life chef-owner Juan Carlos makes this Cuenca’s hottest dining ticket – evening reservations a must – offering casual, family-style dining with an open kitchen, dishes to share and waiters in Panama hats. Generous portions of creative Ecuadorian and fusion cuisine come in rich sauces, and garnishes, relishes and dips abound – but leave room for the works of art that constitute dessert. Expect to pay around $30–35/person for a three-course meal without drinks. Tues–Sat 12.30–3pm & 6.30–10pm, Sun 12.30–3pm.

Villa Rosa Gran Colombia 12-22 between Juan Montalvo and Tarqui tel_icon 07 2837944. Upmarket but modern formal dining favoured by Cuenca’s bourgeoisie, on an attractive covered patio. The international dishes with Mediterranean flair are well executed but somewhat pricey; there are some Ecuadorian specialities too. Mon–Sat 12.30–3.30pm & 7–10pm.

La Viña Jaramillo 5-101 and Cordero tel_icon 07 2839696. Cosy Italian-owned restaurant producing great thin-crust pizzas and some home-made pasta dishes (mains from around $8), washed down with affordable Italian red wine. There’s now a jazz club upstairs too. Mon–Sat 5–11pm.

DRINKING AND NIGHTLIFE

Cuenca’s nightlife only really takes off on Thurs, Fri and Sat nights, when the city’s disco-bars and salsotecas fill with teenagers and twentysomethings. If you’re short of ideas, have a trawl down Calle Larga and see what takes your fancy.

BARS

Jodoco Plaza San Sebastián tel_icon 0988570082. This newish watering-hole sells authentic Belgian craft brews, accompanied by tapas-style snacks and heavier Belgian fare. There are outside tables on one of the town’s most delightful squares for sunny afternoons, and an indoor retreat for chill evenings. Mon–Sat 11am until late.

Prohibido Centro Cultural Cruz del Vado, Condamine 12-102 tel_icon 07 2840703. If your musical tastes include gothic, heavy metal and “doom”, then you’ll find like-minded folk at this bar-cum-gallery, copiously decorated in skulls, writhing succubi and reproductive organs. Not to everyone’s taste, but undeniably different, and there’s a dressing-up corner too. $1 entry. Mon–Sat 9am–10pm.

Wunderbar Escalinata 3–43, off Calle Larga tel_icon 07 2831274. This relaxed daytime café turns into a vibey bar at night, attracting a good mix of foreigners and locals alike with its stylish interior, large wooden tables, international bottled beers and occasional live music. Happy hour all day Wednesday and much of the rest of the time too. Mon–Sat noon–midnight.

CLUBS AND LIVE MUSIC

Café Eucalyptus Gran Colombia and Benigno Malo tel_icon 07 2849157. Grab a table upstairs and hang over the railings, or sit downstairs by the fire to make the most of the live music on Fri and Sat nights in high season. Good wines and beers, which are free to women on ladies’ night (Wed 6–10pm). The restaurant here is also good. Daily 5pm until late, Sun also 11am–2pm.

Jazz Society Café Luis Cordero 5–101 and Jaramillo tel_icon 0939342714. Upstairs at La Viña, this intimate venue hosts excellent live jazz from 7.30pm four nights a week, plus you can order good Italian food from the restaurant downstairs, for the same price. Wed–Sat 6.30–10pm.

Velvet Astudillo and 12 de Abril by the Millennium Plaza. Popular club spread over several rooms, with chandeliers, velvet-covered furnishings and dry ice. Heavy on reggaeton and US club music. Thurs–Sat 9pm–3am.

Verde Pintón y Maduro Borrero and Vásquez tel_icon 0994748081, web_icon facebook.com/verdepintonymaduro. Great bar-disco that’s big on salsa on Thurs nights, though other tropical beats feature too – merengue, bachata, kizomba and even the ubiquitous reggaeton creeps in later on. Thankfully, salsa makes it onto the menu other nights too, and is often favoured by the national and international artists performing live at weekends. Variable cover charge. Thurs 6pm–midnight, Fri & Sat 6pm–2am.

CINEMA

Millennium Plaza Merchan 2-13 and Peralta tel_icon 07 2888170, web_icon multicines.com.ec. This five-screen multiplex puts on Hollywood blockbusters, many in English with Spanish subtitles, and some dubbed into Spanish.

SHOPPING

With its strong tradition of crafts, Cuenca and its environs offer great scope for shopping, being renowned above all for producing some of Ecuador’s finest Panama hats and for hand-woven ikat textiles, distinctive ceramics and intricate filigree jewellery. Prices are inevitably lower in the markets or in the surrounding towns and villages, where the artesanía is actually made, than in the upmarket boutiques of the centro histórico.

ARTESANÍA

Casa de la Mujer Torres 7-33, Plaza San Francisco. Also known as CEMUART, this venture organized by the municipality has around 80 small, covered shops on two floors, reflecting a great range of crafts and a similar range of quality, from balsa parrots to indigenous musical instruments and embroidered shirts. Mon–Sat 9am–6pm; some shops open Sun 10am–1pm.

CIDAP (Centro Interamericano de Artesanías y Artes Populares) Escalinata and 3 de Noviembre. Authentic good-quality ceramics, textiles – notably ikat weavings – and woodcarvings in the museum shop. Mon–Fri 9am–5pm.

Esquina de las Artes 12 de Abril and Cueva. Houses a handful of smart shops selling superior jewellery, knitwear, textiles, ceramics – including Eduardo Vega – at suitably high-end prices. Manos del Mundo is the pick of the bunch, focusing on high-quality and innovative Ecuadorian weaving and handicrafts. There’s an ice-cream parlour too. Mon 10am–noon, Tues–Fri 10am–7pm; some shops open Sun 10am–3pm.

BOOKS

Carolina Bookstore Hermano Miguel 4-36 and Calle Larga tel_icon 0994748081. This shop has a wide selection of second-hand English-language books, and operates a book exchange. Mon–Sat 10am–6pm.

Libri Mundi Corner of Sucre and Hermano Miguel tel_icon 07 2843782. Though stocking mainly books in Spanish, this bookshop has some nice bilingual coffee-table books on Ecuador and a small English-language section. Mon–Fri 9am–7pm, Sat 9am–6pm.

CERAMICS

Artesa Isabel La Católica 1-102 and Las Américas tel_icon 07 4056457, web_icon artesa.com.ec. One of the country’s top manufacturers of fine ceramics, selling a wide range of crockery and other items, hand-painted with beautiful colours and designs. On Fridays you can have a free factory tour and pick up some heavily discounted seconds. There’s a much smaller outlet in the town centre. Mon–Fri 8am–1pm & 2.30–5.30pm.

Galería Eduardo Vega Just below the Mirador de Turi tel_icon 07 2881407, web_icon ceramicavega.com. Eduardo, the co-founder of Artesa, has his own workshop, and produces decorative items in equally bold colours. Mon–Fri 9am–6pm, Sat 9.30am–1pm.

PANAMA HATS

Homero Ortega & Hijos Ramírez Dávalos 3-86 tel_icon 07 2809000, web_icon homeroortega.com. A worldwide exporter of hats from the factory behind the bus terminal, where you can see the stages of the hat-making process before ending up at the salesroom – basic Panamas cost around $30 and finos from around $80. Superfinos are usually from Montecristi. Mon–Fri 8am–12.30pm & 2.30–6pm, Sat 8.30am–12.30pm.

Rafael Paredes & Hijos Calle Larga 10-41 tel_icon 07 2831569. A central place with a vast array of hats, from JR-like Stetsons to purple trilbies. Also home to the Museo del Sombrero. Mon–Fri 9am–6pm, Sat 9.30am–5pm, Sun 9.30am–1.30pm.

CUENCA LANGUAGE SCHOOLS

Cuenca is a very popular place to study Spanish, and possesses a number of excellent language schools. Recommended centres include: Amauta Fundación, Hermano Miguel 7-48 and Presidente Córdova, whose profits support education for kids from low-income families ( tel_icon 07 2846206, web_icon amauta.edu.ec); the world-renowned Estudio Sampere, Hermano Miguel 3-43 and Calle Larga ( 07 2849406, sampere.com), whose four-week crash-course also includes dancing lessons; Sí Centro, Bolívar 13–28 and Juan Montalvo ( tel_icon 07 2820429, web_icon sicentrospanishschool.com), which offers homestays and activities and runs both Spanish and private English lessons ($160 for a 4-week programme of 20hr/week); and the Yanapuma Foundation, Hermano Miguel 8-59 and Bolívar ( 07 2831504, yanapumaspanish.org). As well as general classes, the last offers medical Spanish, with profits helping the foundation’s work in marginalized indigenous communities.

HIKING IN PARQUE NACIONAL EL CAJAS

The best place to start exploring Parque Nacional El Cajas is at the information centre on the edge of the shimmering Laguna Toreadora, in the northern sector of the park, where you can pick up a free 1:70,000 colour map of the park and hire a guide if you need to. (If you want to do some advanced planning, ask at the tourist office in Cuenca, which usually has a copy you can borrow to photocopy.) The official map details ten hiking routes across the park, ranging from short hops of an hour or two to end-to-end treks of two or three days. You can supplement this map with 1:50,000 IGM maps covering the area (Cuenca, Chaucha, San Felipe de Molleturo and Chiquintad). It is driest between June and September but bring warm clothes and emergency supplies whenever you hike – it can reach freezing when the weather turns bad, no matter how sunny it is when you set off. What’s more, don’t underestimate the effect the altitude can have on you; if you’ve not been in the highlands long, don’t try anything too strenuous. You can rent camping equipment at Expediciones Apullacta in Cuenca.

LAGUNA TOTORAS AND LAGUNA PATOQUINUAS HIKE

The most popular day-hike (a combination of route 2 and part of route 1; 5–6hr) starts at the information centre, taking you northeast past Laguna Toreadora, through a quinua forest and down southeast past Laguna Totoras and Laguna Patoquinuas. The hike ends back at the highway, some 8km east of the information centre, at the Quinuas checkpoint, where you can catch the bus back to Cuenca; ask the warden to show you the path, which is straightforward to follow and quite easy-going.

TRES CRUCES HIKE

There’s a good hike (5–6hr), which starts 4km further west along the highway from the information centre, at the Tres Cruces hill on the left-hand (south) side of the road. At 4160m, the hill straddles the continental divide between waters draining west into the Pacific and east into the Amazon basin – you can scramble up it in about fifteen minutes for great views over the park. The trail (route 5 on the map) takes you down past a string of three lakes – Negra, Larga and Tagllacocha – bringing you to the Ingañán (paved Inca road) by Laguna Luspa, before heading right (west) back towards the highway.

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: PARQUE NACIONAL EL CAJAS

NORTHERN SECTOR

By bus The paved highway between Cuenca and Guayaquil via Molleturo crosses the northern sector of the park ensuring a frequent bus service (every 35–40min until very late).

Entry checkpoints Ask to be dropped either at the turning (Km15) for the Laguna Llaviucu control (3km walk from the highway) or at the Information Centre at Laguna Toreadora, by the highway, about a 40min drive from Cuenca (Km33.5), or at the Quinuas checkpoint, just over 6km east of the turn-off to the Information Centre. All these places should be able to provide you with a map.

SOUTHERN SECTOR

By bus In addition to the main road through El Cajas, an unpaved road runs along the southern boundary of the park past the communities of Soldados (where there is a checkpoint) and Angas. Transporte Occidental ( tel_icon 07 2856691) operates a daily 6am bus (returning 4pm; 1hr 20min) from the Terminal Sur in Cuenca, which you can pick up at Puente El Vado.

INFORMATION

Centro de Información Laguna Toreadora (daily 8am–4.30pm).

Park head office At ETAPA, the local water and sanitation authority, Edificio Morejón, Presidente Córdova 7-56 and Luis Cordero, Cuenca ( tel_icon 07 2829853).

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

There are many campsites in the park, which are marked on the official map. You’ll need a stove to cook on since fires are not permitted. Both lakes Toreadora and Llaviucu have simple restaurants, but these are often only open during busy weekends and holiday periods.

Hostería Dos Chorreras 1km east of the Llaviucu turning, just off the highway tel_icon 07 2853154, web_icon hosteriadoschorreras.com. This upmarket hostería (and now conference centre) has a reasonably priced restaurant, where you can tuck into a range of Ecuadorian and international dishes, including several veggie options, by a blazing log fire. It also has comfortable, heated rooms (some with fireplace), and organizes horse riding, mountain biking and fishing trips. $150

National park refuge Toreadora information centre tel_icon 07 2370127 or 07 4049569, email_icon mriquetti@etapa.net.ec. A basic refuge with bunks, cooking facilities and a fireplace, but no wood. You need an advance reservation to stay here, and will need to bring a warm sleeping bag. $4

Baños de Cuenca

Baños is a 15min bus ride (lines 12 and 200) from Cuenca; catch one (every 10min) from Vega Muñoz or the bus terminal, or take a taxi (around $5)

For a relaxing afternoon, head for the pretty village of BAÑOS DE CUENCA – not to be confused with the major spa town of the same name in the central sierra – and one of its pleasant spa complexes, which issue day-passes and also have places to eat. The nicest are Balneario Durán (Mon–Tues & Thurs–Sun 7am–9pm, Wed 7am–2pm; $6; web_icon hosteriaduran.com) and Piedra de Agua (Mon–Sat 6am–10pm, Sun 6am–7pm; $10 day-pass for pools, Turkish bath and sauna, $35 for access to the full works; piedradeagua.com.ec). Go during the week to avoid the crowds, and two get entry for the price of one on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The Ruta Santa Bárbara

The landscape east of Cuenca is gentle and pastoral, characterized by rippling hills and fertile orchards and fields. From Cuenca, a picturesque paved road leads through these hills to the growing market town of Gualaceo, continuing to the villages of Chordeleg and Sigsig, all of which lie within the canton of Santa Bárbara and are known for their handicrafts; all three places are often visited together on a tour from Cuenca. Gualaceo and Chordeleg both have enjoyable Sunday-morning markets, while Sigsig – which also has a small Sunday market – is best visited during the week when its Panama hat factory-shop is open. This area is also a little-used jumping-off point for the southern Oriente, with its scenic roads snaking down from Gualaceo to Limón, and from Sigsig to Gualaquiza.

Gualaceo

On the banks of the Río Gualaceo, 36km east of Cuenca, sits GUALACEO (2330m), known as the Jardín del Azuay (Garden of Azuay) for its rich agricultural land and mild climate, which make it an important fruit-growing centre; every March the town celebrates the Fiesta del Durazno (Peach Festival) with street parties and peach-tastings. Two of the nearby villages, Bulcay and Bullzhún, are renowned for their workshops that produce high-quality ikat shawls (macanas) – the region’s distinctive dyed weavings, some of which can take several months to make and fetch several hundred dollars. Most tourists stop off at the more accessible and more commercialized La Casa de las Macanas ( web_icon casadelamakana.com), 6km before Gualaceo on the road from Cuenca, where you’ll pay less for the distinctive weavings than in the boutique shops of Cuenca.

Chordeleg

6km east of Gualaceo, CHORDELEG is decidedly smaller and quainter than Gualaceo, though increasingly rather touristy. It is noted for its ceramics – with the largest selection available at the Centro de Artesanías on the road into town – and is also famous as a centre of gold and metalwork, including delicately worked filigree jewellery, an art that’s been practised here since pre-Hispanic times. Numerous shops keep the tradition alive in the village, but a lot of it is made from low-grade gold, so beware of parting with large sums of money.

Museo Municipal

Parque central • Mon–Fri 8am–1pm & 2–5pm, Sat & Sun 9am–4pm • Free

The simple one-room Museo Municipal explains the origins and techniques of the various local crafts, from ceramics to textiles, hats to jewellery, with various exemplars on display. Standing head and shoulders above the rest of the exhibits – literally – is the world’s largest silver filigree earring (candonga); at a height of 1.85m and a width of 1.50m, it weighs in at a hefty 17.5kg, and so is unlikely to be adorning someone’s earlobes any time soon.

Sigsig

Some 26km south of Gualaceo, Sigsig is a remote agricultural village sitting in gorgeous, hilly countryside near the banks of the Río Santa Bárbara, from whose swaying reeds (sigses) it takes its name. It’s one of the most important centres of Panama hat production in the province, and indeed you’ll see many women weaving as they stroll down the street, or separating out the paja toquilla fibres on the pavements. A good place to buy a hat at a reasonable price is the Asociación de Toquilleras María Auxiliadora, a women’s weaving cooperative located in the old hospital next to the river, a 10min walk from the centre on the road to Gualaquiza. Ask around if the place seems shut.

Museo Municipal

Parque 3 de Noviembre • Mon–Fri 8am–1pm & 2–4.30pm • Free • tel_icon 07 2266106

On Parque 3 de Noviembre, the upper square with the striking modern church, is the Museo Municipal, which shows pieces from the local Talcazhapa culture (500–1470 AD) and the prehistoric Chobsi culture (10,000–5500 BC), traces of which are also visible in some nearby overgrown ruins and caves, some 6km from Sigsig ($3 by taxi).

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: THE RUTA SANTA BÁRBARA

BY BUS

Buses leave Cuenca’s main bus terminal to Gualaceo (every 15min; 50min) and Chordeleg (every 30min; 1hr 15min), plus local buses shuttle between Gualaceo and Chordeleg every 10min; there is also a service to Sigsig (every 30min; 1hr 40min), and through buses from Cuenca to Gualaquiza pass through Sigsig (8 daily; 4hr 30min).

TOURIST OFFICES

Gualaceo The I-Tur office is in the municipio on the main square (Mon–Fri 8am–1pm & 2–5pm, Sat & Sun 9am–noon & 2–5pm; tel_icon 07 2256608).

Chordeleg The I-Tur office is on the corner of Eloy Alfaro and Cobos, a block downhill from the plaza (Tues–Sun 8am–5pm).

Sigsig The I-Tur is in the bus station (Mon–Fri 8am–4.30pm).

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

The only one of these three places where you are likely to want to stay is Sigsig, either on account of the splendid scenery, or as a stopover on a scenic back route down to the Oriente, via Gualaquiza, though inexpensive hospedajes and local restaurants are to be found in each place; you just need to ask around.

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Saraguro

The remote agricultural town of SARAGURO (“land of corn” in Kichwa), 140km south of Cuenca and 64km north of Loja, is home to one of the most distinct highland groups of Ecuador, the Saraguro indígenas. Most Saraguro indígenas live as cattle herders in rural farming communities, but just about all of them come into town for the lively Sunday-morning market for fresh produce, cattle and household goods, and for Sunday Mass, held in the handsome, honey-stone church on the main plaza.

Most visitors are content to spend a few hours wandering around, but note that the Saraguro community tour operator can set you up to stay with a family, providing you an opportunity to learn more about this unique culture and to participate in a family’s everyday life.

THE SARAGUROS

The Saraguros forebears, originally from the altiplano region of Lake Titicaca in Bolivia, were relocated here by the Incas during their expansion into Ecuador, as part of the mitimae system used to consolidate colonization. More than five hundred years on, the Saraguros are still set apart by their particularly pure form of Kichwa and distinctive clothing. The men wear black ponchos and black knee-length shorts, often over black wellington boots used for their farm work, while the women wear pleated black skirts and hand-woven black shawls, fastened by elaborate silver or nickel brooches called tupus. Needless to say, Saraguros have also maintained very traditional forms of celebrating religious festivals. Easter, in particular, follows a strict pattern of processions, re-enactments and symbolic rituals, all marked by their great solemnity. Other important festivals include Tres Reyes (January 6), Corpus Christi (early or mid-June) and Christmas.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: SARAGURO

By bus Buses from Cuenca (3hr) and Loja (1hr 15min) pass just above the town centre on the Panamericana at least hourly until late in the day.

By camioneta Occasional camionetas run between Saraguro and Cuenca (Feria Libre), and with greater frequency on market day ($6/person; 2hr).

INFORMATION AND TOURS

Tourist office Information is available at Saraurku (Mon–Fri 9am–5pm; tel_icon 07 2200331, web_icon turismosaraguro.com), the community tourism operator based at the Fundación Kawsay, at 18 de Noviembre and Loja, one block off the main square. They can organize homestays in one of several nearby communities for $35/person, including meals and family activities (take a torch), or day-tours (with a day’s advance notice) with a local guide who can show you round the various neighbouring communities, including a visit to a weaving workshop and an organic garden growing medicinal plants. It is also possible to organize a homestay through a community tourism operator in Cuenca.

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

author_pick Hostal Achik Wasi Barrio la Luz, Calle Intiñan tel_icon 07 2200058, web_icon turismosaraguro.com. Perched on a hillside overlooking the town, this imposing community-run hostel offers simple but comfortable en-suite rooms. Views from the dining room across the valley are superb, and the wholesome local cuisine is also good – try the local trout – though meals need to be ordered in advance. Breakfast included. $40

Mama Cuchara Parque central. Run by a women’s cooperative, this place serves basic but tasty and filling dishes for a very reasonable $3–6. Try the mote pillo for breakfast. Daily 7am–6pm.

Residencial Saraguro Calle Loja and Antonio Castro tel_icon 07 2200286. Simple rooms with shared or private bathroom, cable TV and hot water – all in a friendly home. $10

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Loja

Marooned at the bottom of the country, several hours’ drive from any other major town, LOJA is a remote but thriving little provincial capital undergoing expansion, with some handsome old eighteenth- and nineteenth-century buildings and well-cared-for parks and open spaces. Thanks to its isolation, it has long been good at taking care of its own affairs, even dabbling with self-government in 1857 – not to mention its distinction of being the first city in the country to generate electricity, in 1897, and the first to host a wind farm – the world’s highest – which opened in 2013. With a progressive emphasis on learning and culture, the city boasts two universities, a law school and a major music conservatory, all of which gives the place a youthful, vibrant atmosphere. Spread over a fertile valley at 2100m above sea level, Loja is about 500m lower than most sierra cities, and noticeably warmer (usually 16–21ºC). The city’s scenic location is best appreciated from the Mirador El Churo, a viewpoint 800m up a hillside east of the city.

Parque central and around

Loja’s centre is marked by the large, palm-filled parque central, lined by an eclectic collection of buildings competing for your attention. On the north side, the modern municipio is a huge concrete monstrosity, with exuberant murals in its courtyard. To the east is the catedral with its towering white facade flamboyantly trimmed and topped by a tall spire; it has an ornate, coffered ceiling inside.

Museo de la Cultura Lojana

Parque central • Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, Sat 9am–1pm • Free • tel_icon 07 2573004

The former Casa de Justicia, on the south side of the parque central, is a traditional early eighteenth-century mansion with whitewashed adobe walls and clay-tiled roof. Inside, the Museo de la Cultura Lojana displays a modest collection of pre-Columbian ceramics and religious sculptures in rooms off a creaking wooden veranda.

Iglesia Santo Domingo

Bolívar and Rocafuerte • Opening hours vary • Free

Two blocks south of the parque central along Bolívar sits the imposing Iglesia Santo Domingo, whose immense twin bell towers Lojanos cherish as a symbol of their city. Inside, the church is crammed with over a hundred biblical-themed oil paintings hanging amid the swirling floral motifs that cover the walls and ceilings.

Plaza de la Independencia and around

Five blocks south down Bolívar from the parque central you’ll reach Plaza de la Independencia, so called because it was here that Loja’s citizens gathered on November 18, 1820, to proclaim publicly their independence from the Spanish Crown. It is undoubtedly the city’s most beautiful square, enclosed by colonial-style buildings that look like outsized dolls’ houses, with their brightly painted walls, balconies, shutters and doors, and the cheerful Iglesia San Sebastián with its pretty blue-and-cream interior. Free concerts featuring traditional music and dance are held in the plaza every Thursday night (8–10pm).

Calle Lourdes

Regarded locally as the jewel of all the town’s streets, Calle Lourdes, squeezed between Bolívar and Sucre at the southern end of the old centre, has some particularly well-preserved buildings, following an extensive facelift that saw the woodwork repaired, and the houses and shops spruced up in bright colours to show off the architecture.

LOJA’S FIESTAS

Loja’s most exciting fiesta kicks off on August 20 when the icon of the Virgen de El Cisne arrives in the cathedral for a two-month “visit” having been carried on foot from El Cisne, accompanied by hundreds of pilgrims. The festivities which follow culminate on September 8 with the Feria de Integración Fronteriza, a huge craft and trade fair Simón Bolívar established in 1824, in an effort to promote cross-border relations; the fair is still attended by many Peruvians today. The other big party period, comprising an extended programme of parades, concerts, dancing, food fairs and the like, takes place over a couple of weeks from November 18, the commemoration of the declaration of independence from Spain in 1820. Festivities start up again on 8 December, when lojanos celebrate the foundation of their city.

Puerta de la Ciudad

Sucre and Universitaria • Daily 8am–9.30pm • Free

The Puerta de la Ciudad is a mock early-colonial gatehouse, marking the northern entrance to town. More reminiscent of Disneyland than the Spanish Conquest, it comes complete with tower, crenellations and portcullis, and houses changing art exhibitions and a café. You can climb up the tower for attractive views of the city and the surrounding hills.

Parque de Recreación Jipiro

Between the Río Zamora and Salvador Bustamente, 2km north of the centre • Daily 9am–8pm; swimming pool 8am–6pm • Swimming pool $1; planetarium shows $0.50 • tel_icon 07 2583357 • It’s a 20min walk from the centre, or take a bus marked “El Valle” or “Jipiro”

Loja’s most popular tourist attraction, Parque de Recreación Jipiro, lies a couple of blocks northeast of the bus terminal, and is a large, landscaped park with an ornamental lake and a novelty children’s playground featuring models of buildings from around the world, such as the Eiffel Tower, an Arab mosque and a truly bizarre replica of Moscow’s St Basil’s Cathedral, complete with slides. Jipiro is a very popular open space for lojanos, who also come to enjoy the heated swimming pool here, equipped with retractable glass roof, or the little planetarium in the dome of the “mosque”, which has regular 30-minute shows at weekends.

Parque La Argelia

Avenida de los Conquistadores, 4.5km south of the city centre • Daily 8am–6pm • $1 • Take a Vilcabamba-bound bus from the bus terminal, or a taxi from the centre for about $2

The Parque La Argelia is a mini slice of wilderness on the edge of the city, and has excellent trails running through around one square kilometre of hills, forests and streams; it also affords some brilliant views of the city.

Jardín Botánico Reynaldo Espinosa

Parque La Argelia, 4.5km south of the city centre • Mon–Fri 8am–6pm, Sat & Sun 1–6pm • $1

Part of the Parque La Argelia (with a separate entrance, across the highway) is the Jardín Botánico Reynaldo Espinosa, home to a great variety of native and introduced species, including many orchids and medicinal plants.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: LOJA

BY PLANE

Loja’s airport is the Aeropuerto Ciudad de Catamayo ( tel_icon 07 2677306), just outside the town of the same name, 33km west of the city (30min drive). TAME operates direct flights to Guayaquil (Mon–Sat; 40min; $73 one-way) and Quito (daily; 1hr; $82 one-way) and has an office at the airport ( 07 2677306) and in Loja, on the corner of Ortega and 24 de Mayo ( tel_icon 07 2570248).

BY BUS

Loja is the hub of Ecuador’s deep south, from where you can get direct buses to three border crossings into Peru: Huaquillas, Macará and Zumba. The one at Macará is the most popular and convenient, and Cooperativa Loja International, which runs three direct buses to Piura in Peru, and picks up in Macará, has an office at the bus terminal and on 10 de Agosto and Guerrero ( tel_icon 07 2570505). There are also routes east to the Oriente, west towards the coast, and north, up the Panamericana, to Cuenca.

Bus terminal Loja’s bus terminal is 2km north of the centre on Avenida Cuxibamba; from here, pick up any local bus heading towards the centre, or take a taxi ($1.50).

Destinations Catamayo (every 30min; 50min); Cuenca (every 30min–1hr; 5hr); El Cisne (5 daily; 2hr); Gualaquiza (15 daily; 5hr); Guayaquil (10 daily; 8–9hr); Huaquillas (6 daily; 5hr); Macará (6 daily via Cariamanga, 2 daily via Catocha; 5hr); Machala (11 daily via Portovelo, 7hr; 4 daily via Chaguarpamba, 5hr); Piñas (2 daily; 4hr 15min); Piura, Peru (3 daily; 8hr); Quito (12 daily; 14–16hr); Saraguro (hourly; 2hr); Vilcabamba (every 15–30min; 1hr); Zamora (every 15–30min; 1hr 30min); Zaruma (6 daily; 5hr); Zumba (12 daily; 5hr).

BY TAXI

The quickest way to reach Vilcabamba is in a shared taxi (40min; $2.25, or $9 for the whole taxi). The taxi company, 11 de Mayo ( tel_icon 07 2570956), has an office in the street of the same name, near Mercadillo.

GETTING AROUND

On foot The old city centre, the location of most places of interest, can easily be explored on foot.

By bus A new metrobus service opened in 2015, whose most useful line (LC2) runs from Argelia in the south along Avenida Universitaria to Sauces via the bus terminal every few minutes.

By car For journeys further afield, car rental is available at Arricar, Eguiguren 10-54 and 24 de Mayo ( tel_icon 07 2575574); Bombuscaro, 10 de Agosto and Universitaria ( 07 2577021, web_icon bombuscaro.com.ec); and Localiza, Nueva Loja and Isidro Ayora ( 07 2581729).

By taxi Taxis charge $1–1.50 for journeys within the city, and can usually be flagged down on the main avenues or around the parque central.

INFORMATION AND TOURS

Tourist office The I-Tur office is on the central square, at the corner of Eguiguren and Bolívar (Mon–Fri 8am–1pm & 3–6pm, Sat 10am–2pm; tel_icon 07 2570407 ext 202), with a small kiosk at the bus terminal. The helpful staff should be able to answer most of your questions about Loja, Vilcabamba, Zamora and Podocarpus and its surroundings.

National parks information I-Tur has sufficient information for most tourists’ needs. Otherwise, for information on nearby national parks, you can consult the Ministerio del Ambiente office, on Sucre between Imbabura and Quito ( tel_icon 07 2571534).

Tour operators Exploraves Birdwatchers, at Lourdes 14-80 and Sucre ( tel_icon 07 2582434, web_icon exploraves.com) offers birdwatching tours to Podocarpus and further afield, led by extremely knowledgeable bilingual ornithologist, Pablo Andrade ($100/day). For general tour operators, head for Vilcabamba.

ACCOMMODATION

Loja offers generally good-value hotels, from the budget to the very comfortable. You’re unlikely to need to book unless you’re arriving during the festival of the Virgen de El Cisne (Aug 20–Sept 8), when prices are hiked.

author_pick Grand Victoria Valdivieso 0650 and Eguiguren tel_icon 07 2583500, web_icon grandvictoriabh.com. Loja’s finest hotel, as is immediately apparent from the marble-floored atrium with chandelier and the elegant and spacious carpeted rooms and suites with all the trimmings (including a phone in the bathroom). Service is friendly and attentive and there are spa facilities and an excellent fine-dining restaurant. Rates are often negotiable. Buffet breakfast included. $92

Hostal Londres Sucre 07-51 tel_icon 07 2561936. Well-maintained old house owned by a friendly couple, offering spacious rooms with high ceilings, wooden floors and bare white walls plus spotless shared bathrooms. The best of the cheapies, and one that does not rent rooms by the hour. Limited wi-fi access. $12

author_pick Libertador Colón 14-30 tel_icon 07 2560779, web_icon hotellibertador.com.ec. A one-time grand hotel that has been recently renovated, offering spacious, well-furnished rooms with good bathrooms. It also has a decent restaurant, small heated pool, sauna and steam bath. Good value, with buffet breakfast included. $65

Podocarpus Eguiguren 16-50 tel_icon 07 2584912. Comfortable, modern rooms with spotless en-suite bathrooms, though the walls and furnishings are a little worn. Opt for one of the hotel’s back rooms, which are quieter. There’s a laundry service, restaurant and parking, and an American breakfast is included. $55

EATING

Once only offering the tasty local specialities such as repe (creamy coriander/cilantro-flavoured green banana soup) and cecina de chancho (lime-marinated cured pork), Loja’s culinary scene is now expanding rapidly to include the likes of sushi and Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and German fare. Many of the new places are popping up along 24 de Mayo.

A lo Mero Mero Sucre and Colón. Cheery café with wooden benches and tables, and sombreros on the wall, serving inexpensive Mexican favourites (most $4–7) and soft drinks. Mon–Sat 9.30am–9pm.

El Jugo Natural Eguiguren and Bolívar tel_icon 07 2575256. Good no-frills place to pick up a freshly squeezed juice, some breakfast and a traditional snack, such as quimbolitos, all under $5. Mon–Sat 8am–6pm, Sun 8am–noon.

author_pick Lecka Bistro Alemán 24 de Mayo 10-51 between Ríofrío and Azuay tel_icon 07 2563878, email_icon eleckabistroaleman@yahoo.es. Run by a German-Ecuadorian couple, this place offers intimate dining – with only a handful of candelit tables – to a mixed clientele. The small menu comprises delicious, modestly priced Teutonic staples ($5–8): currywurst and goulash with spätzle (German noodles), followed by apfelkuchen and waffles, washed down by German beer. Cash only. Mon–Fri 5–10.30pm.

Parrillada Uruguay Juan de Salinas and Universitária tel_icon 07 2570260. Friendly, family-run restaurant serving meat cooked over charcoal on a traditional cast-iron parrilla (grill). If you’re not up to their huge portions, try the steak baguette for a lighter meal. Mains cost $7–10. Mon–Sat noon–11.30pm, Sun noon–4.30pm.

Pizzería Forno di Fango Corner of 24 de Mayo and Azuay tel_icon 07 2582905, web_icon fornodifango.com. Full Italian menu and, most importantly, enjoyable pizzas (from $5) cooked up in a wood-fire oven. Tues–Sun noon–10pm.

El Tamal Lojano 18 de Noviembre and Imbabura tel_icon 07 2582977. On the park, this spotless local favourite is a top place to tuck into its namesake – for which Loja is famed – plus other Ecuadorian snacks and decent coffee. Can get packed with those queuing for takeaways at weekends. Mon–Sat 8.30am–8.30pm.

DRINKING AND NIGHTLIFE

Casa Tinku Lourdes and Sucre tel_icon 0984961903, web_icon es-es.facebook/casatinku. Dark, cavernous venue with flashing lights, which usually has good live rock music on Fri or Sat nights. Otherwise, a DJ pumps out the sounds. Cover charge $8–10. Thurs–Sat 5pm until late.

author_pick Cuna de Artistas Bolívar between Rocafuerte and Riofrío tel_icon 0994280390, web_icon facebook.com/cdaloja. Wonderfully restored, arty colonial building with exhibitions, seasonal poetry readings and live music. Wrap up warm, as the open courtyard that fronts this semi-open café-bar-restaurant can make for chilly dining. Stave off the cold with their heavyweight kebabs, or there’s always mulled wine, amid a cornucopia of alcoholic beverages. Mon–Sat noon until late.

Fiesta Disco Club 10 de Agosto and Peña tel_icon 07 2578441. Loja’s most popular dance club has been going for years, playing all sorts of music to a clientele of all ages. Fri & Sat from 8pm until late.

Jigger Cocktail Club 24 de Mayo y Segundo Cueva Celi tel_icon 07 2584342. A short hop south of the Zamora river in one of Loja’s burgeoning nightlife neighbourhoods, this trendy cocktail bar has swings on a covered patio and occasional live bands. Its signature cocktail is the lethal Jigger Vodka Fizz. Mon–Sat 6pm until late.

El Viejo Minero Sucre 10-76 and Riofrío tel_icon 07 2585878. Cosy, mellow pub-like bar that plays classic rock tracks and brews its own beer. It also occasionally features impromptu live rock music at weekends. Mon–Sat 5pm until late.

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Around Loja

Loja sits on the doorstep of the western edge of the Parque Nacional Podocarpus, a pristine tract of páramo and cloudforest, and is one of the best places to get information on the park or arrange a visit. The eastern part of the park, over the sierra and down towards the Oriente, is approached from Zamora, easily reached by bus from Loja.

Loja is also the gateway to Peru via two border crossings, one of which is a short hop from Vilcabamba, an easy-going village that has become an obligatory stop for many backpackers before leaving the country.

LA VIRGEN DE EL CISNE

Perched on the mountainside northwest of Loja, the pinnacles and spires of a vast, dazzling pale-blue-and-white neo-Gothic basilica dwarf the carpet of terracotta roofs clustered around it. This is the famous Santuario de El Cisne, which resembles an overblown wedding cake, and is home to Ecuador’s most revered icon, the Virgen de El Cisne. Carved in Quito in the sixteenth century by Spanish sculptor Diego de Robles, this painted cedar effigy immediately confirmed its miracle-performing credentials upon arrival and soon became the subject of a fervent cult of devotion – evident in the numerous and extraordinary range of gifts of thanks brought to the Virgin that are on display in the museum adjacent to the basilica (daily 8am–6pm; $1): from exam certificates, medals and jewellery to model buses and trucks left by drivers in return for her protection. The Virgin attracts pilgrims year-round from southern Ecuador and northern Peru but the devotion reaches its apogee during the Fiesta de la Virgen, which begins on August 15. The following day, thousands of pilgrims begin a 70km, five-day trek to Loja, carrying the Virgin on their shoulders – don’t attempt to travel that way during that period. The image arrives on August 20, where it is deposited in Loja’s cathedral while the partying continues by night across the city. It completes a two-month sojourn in Loja before being carried back to El Cisne.

Zamora

Nestled in densely forested foothills on the edge of the Oriente, 64km east of Loja, the small town of ZAMORA is used by most visitors as a base for visiting the lower section of the Parque Nacional Podocarpus. At only 970m above sea level, the town has a subtropical climate, with an average daytime temperature of 21ºC, though it can still get chilly at night.

Sitting at the confluence of the Zamora and Bombuscaro rivers, with a backdrop of steep, emerald-green hills rising over its rooftops, Zamora’s setting is lovely, yet the town itself is not especially attractive. Despite having been founded by the Spanish in 1549 it’s still, at heart, a modern, rough-and-ready pioneer town, its main function being to service the local gold-mining industry – which it’s been doing on and off for four hundred years. Even so, the place is gradually smartening itself up, with a new riverside malecón and numerous new buildings that have rather overdosed on gaudy paint and reflective glass.

Zamora’s principal sight is its clock (with a 1600-square-metre face – apparently the largest in the world), up in the hillside above the market, where it glitters like a fairground at night. Otherwise, it’s worth casting an eye over the small, neat parque central, ignoring the hideous new government buildings that enclose it, but taking in the central fountain that is topped with a painted white-necked parakeet, proud symbol of Zamora, and a common sight in Podocarpus.

A block from the parque central, on Tamayo and Mosquera, is the Refugio Ecológico Tzanka (Tues–Sun, 9am–5pm; $2; tel_icon 07 2605692, email_icon refugioecologicotzanka@yahoo.es), once the town rubbish dump, but now an animal rescue centre, populated with parrots, sloths and monkeys. It also rents out cheap rooms and takes volunteers.

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: ZAMORA

By bus The bus terminal is at the eastern end of town, within easy walking distance of all hotels.

Destinations Cuenca (3 daily; 6hr 30min); Gualaquiza (8 daily; 4hr); Guayaquil (2 daily; 10hr); Loja (20 daily; 1hr 30min); Quito (11 daily; 17–18hr); Yantzaza (20 daily; 1hr 30min).

By taxi Taxis are stationed behind the bus terminal from 5am until late. A taxi to the entrance of the Parque Nacional Podocarpus usually costs $4; the park warden can call a taxi for your return once you’re ready.

National park information You can get a map of the Parque Nacional Podocarpus, as well as information, at the Ministerio del Ambiente office ( tel_icon 07 2606606), just out of town on the road to Loja, or at the park entrance.

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

Ágape Sevilla de Oro and San Francisco. A nice brick-and-bamboo building with covered tables, serving decent breakfasts and lunches, including a menu del día from $3.50. Try the mote de pillo con queso, a filling dish of sweetcorn kernels fried with onion, garlic, eggs and herbs, plus a slab of cheese. Mon–Sat 10am–9pm.

Casteloz Corner of Tamayo and Diego de Vaca on the main square tel_icon 07 2607991. This pizzeria serves reasonable comfort food – thick-crust pizzas, baguette sandwiches or a plate of nachos – which can be washed down with a chilled beer. Mon–Fri noon–10pm, Sat 4pm–10pm.

Chonta Dorada Jaramillo and Diego de Vaca tel_icon 07 2606384. The spacious en-suite rooms with the usual mod cons make this spot a good-value pick. $20

author_pick Copalinga 3km east of town on the road to Podocarpus tel_icon 0993477013, web_icon copalinga.com. A $3 taxi ride from Zamora, this is a lovely, simple wooden lodge with its own hydro-power system, set amid a lush private reserve aimed primarily at birdwatchers. Most cabins are en suite with a balcony, but there are excellent-value “rustic” cabins with bunks and shared facilities, though still with veranda and hammocks. Dining is communal (meals $13.50–17) and the food good, with breakfast (included) the highlight, to be enjoyed while watching colourful birds at a feeding table. Wi-fi available in the restaurant area. Shared cabins $26/person; private cabins $109

El Rinconcito del Encebollado Corner of Loja and Diego de Vaca. Busy corner café on a raised terrace opposite the market, so great for people-watching. Try one of their signature encebollados (fish stew with cassava and pickled onions). Daily 8am–2/3pm.

Samuria 24 de Mayo and Diego de Vaca tel_icon 07 2607801, email_icon hotelsamuria@hotmail.com. Modern hotel with nicely furnished, homely, carpeted rooms that have flatscreen TVs and monsoon showers, though they are a little small. Parking is available and breakfast is included. $38

Parque Nacional Podocarpus

Spilling down the eastern flanks of the Andes towards the tropical valleys of the Oriente, PARQUE NACIONAL PODOCARPUS presents a spectacular and diverse landscape with high levels of endemism, from high páramo to dense, dripping cloudforest and rushing waterfalls, down to lush tropical forest filled with butterflies and crystalline rivers. Its wide-ranging altitudes (900–3600m), climates and habitats harbour a staggering diversity of flora and fauna, including an estimated three to four thousand plant species, over five hundred recorded bird species – hummingbirds, toucans, tanagers and parrots among them, and important populations of mammals such as mountain tapirs, giant armadillos, pudu (dwarf deer), spectacled bears, monkeys and pumas. Named after Ecuador’s only native conifer (also known as romerillo), whose numbers commercial logging have drastically reduced, Podocarpus also includes cinchona (known locally as cascarilla), whose bark is the source of quinine, which was first discovered in this very region.

There are two main entrances to the park, corresponding to its geographical divisions: one is the Sector Cajanuma in the Zona Alta (upper section), near Loja; the other is the Sector Bombuscaro in the Zona Baja (lower section), reached from Zamora. If you want to visit the more remote, little-visited sectors of Romerillos and Valladolid, you should seek information in Loja from the Ministerio del Ambiente, have the relevant IGM maps and engage a certified guide – enquire at the tourist offices in Loja or Vilcabamba, or at one of the Vilcabamba tour operators. The El Palto sector is visited by many of the tours from Vilcabamba, but park facilities and official trails have yet to be developed, though they are on the agenda. You can get basic information and pick up a leaflet at the I-Tur office in Loja or at the park entrances themselves.

Sector Cajanuma

Spread over the northern part of the Zona Alta, steep ridges covered with cloudforest and high, lake-studded páramo characterize the Sector Cajanuma (near Loja). With average elevations of over 3000m, daytime temperatures usually hover around 12°C, though it can get much colder when the wind whips up and the rains start to fall. Expect high rainfall and muddy trails between February and April; the driest months are usually July to September. The Cajanuma entrance post is 15km south of Loja, on the road to Vilcabamba, from where it’s 8km uphill to the main ranger station, the starting point of a couple of excellent trails.

Sendero al Mirador

The Sendero al Mirador trail (3.5km) leads steeply uphill to a lookout point, giving stunning views across the deep-green mountainsides poking up through the clouds. This makes a very rewarding half-day hike, and offers excellent birding opportunities; look out for the bearded guan, grey-breasted mountain toucan and red-hooded tanager, among others.

Sendero Las Lagunas

The Sendero Las Lagunas is a demanding two-day hike leading for 14km (6–8 hours) through cloudforest and high páramo to the eerily beautiful Lagunas del Compadre, a network of fourteen lakes at 3200m above sea level, surrounded by bare granite and sharp, rocky peaks. For this trek, you now have to be accompanied by a certified guide. With luck, you may also be able to spot a mountain tapir, which are quite common in this area.

ARRIVAL AND TOURS: SECTOR CAJANUMA

By bus Any bus from Loja to Vilcabamba will drop you at the entrance post, by the highway, from where it’s 8km uphill (2–3hr) to the ranger station and park entrance.

By taxi Take a taxi from Loja ($12–15) or Vilcabamba ($18–20) and arrange for a return pick-up if you don’t want to hike back to the main road.

Tour operators You can also visit the park with a tour operator from Vilcabamba.

ACCOMMODATION

Camping There are good, free camping spots around the trout-filled lakes, but no facilities.

Ranger station Park entrance tel_icon 07 3024862. The ranger station has a refuge and a few basic cabins with bunk beds (bring a sleeping bag), electricity and kitchen facilities (but without utensils) for overnight visitors. There’s hot water in the refuge but not in the cabins. $3/person

Sector Bombuscaro

Down in the Zona Baja, at the foot of the Cordillera Oriental, Sector Bombuscaro (near Zamora) is a sensory extravaganza of riotous vegetation, moss-scented air, squawking birds, fluorescent butterflies, gurgling waterfalls and ice-cold rivers. At just under 1000m above sea level, it rarely sees daytime temperatures fall below a very pleasant 18ºC, and even during the rainy season (generally March–July) the weather is unlikely to spoil your fun so long as you have waterproofs and a few layers; the driest months are usually from October to December.

From the ranger station, there are a couple of short, signed paths to waterfalls, the most impressive being the 90m La Poderosa (30min walk). You can also take a refreshing dip in a gorgeous natural pool, signposted “area de nadar” from the main path. Of the several trails through the park, the nicest is the Sendero Higuerones, which follows the Río Bombuscaro for about 3km through secondary and primary forest, taking an hour or so each way; to stay on this path, ignore the footbridge over the river after 1km. As you walk, you’re likely to see an extraordinary number of birds such as white-breasted parakeets, copper-chested jacamars and various rainbow-coloured tanagers, among many others. There are also many biting insects, so take plenty of insect repellent with you.

RESERVA TAPICHALACA

The Reserva Tapichalaca, managed by the Fundación Jocotoco ( tel_icon 02 2272013, web_icon fjocotoco.org), and signposted on the road north of Valladolid, lies contiguous with the Parque Nacional Podocarpus, and encompasses the same habitats, ranging from high páramo down to subtropical forests. It’s an extraordinarily biologically sensitive area, and for a while was thought to be the only habitat of the Jocotoco Antpitta – a rare species of bird first “discovered” here in 1997 – until a few more were spotted in northern Peru in 2006. Other rarities include mountain tapirs, spectacled bears, imperial snipe and neblina metaltails, which you might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of along the trails, which range from 2–8km.

ARRIVAL AND ACCOMMODATION

The reserve and lodge are signposted off the main Loja–Zumba road, 75km south of Loja. To stay in the reserve’s simple but comfortable wooden lodge, contact Jocotours ( tel_icon 02 505129, web_icon jocotoursecuador.com; $280). Five double en-suite rooms lie in the main building, which also has a pleasant lounge-cum-library with fireplace, while an additional cabin contains two further doubles. Day-visitors are also welcome ($15, but $30 if you want to visit the feeding station of the Jocotoco Antpitta, as the cost includes the mandatory guide). Rates include full board and access to the trails; transport and guiding services can also be arranged. There is a nightly mandatory contribution to their conservation fund ($5/person).

ARRIVAL AND DEPARATURE: SECTOR BOMBUSCARO

On foot The Bombuscaro park entrance is a pleasant 6km walk along the unpaved road that leaves from behind Zamora’s bus terminal, following the Río Bombuscaro.

By taxi It’s a short taxi ride ($4) from Zamora to the parking area at the end of the road. From here, it’s a further 20min on foot up to the ranger station.

ACCOMMODATION

Ranger station tel_icon 07 3024862. You can camp by the ranger station or sleep in one of the basic wooden huts nearby (bring a sleeping bag) and use their cooking facilities (bring utensils and food). $3/person

San Francisco Scientific Research Centre hostel Signposted south 23km along the road to Zamora tel_icon 07 2573691, web_icon naturalezaycultura.org. Managed by NGO Naturaleza y Cultura Internacional in Loja, this basic hostel close to the park boundary comprises three furnished private rooms and dorm bunks (bring a sleeping bag), with use of communal living rooms and kitchen facilities. Dorms $20; doubles $40

Sectors Romerillos and Valladolid

Some 25km south of Zamora, the tiny village of Romerillos is the starting point for an adventurous but demanding three- to four-day circular hike in the park, through lush, dense cloudforest, with a fair amount of uphill climbing into páramo. Even more remote, and even less visited, is the sector accessed from Valladolid, a town 105km south of Loja and 67km south of Vilcabamba, where there is a Ministerio del Ambiente office and a basic hotel. To explore either sector you’ll need to bring full equipment and the relevant IGM maps, and have a good guide, or persuade a park warden to accompany you, and should register with the park office before setting out in case you get lost and need rescuing.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: SECTORS ROMERILLOS AND VALLADOLID

By bus Buses run from Zamora’s bus terminal to Romerillos (6.30am, 7.30am & 2pm, returning in the afternoon; 2hr). Buses from Loja via Vilcabamba bound for Zumba near the Peruvian border, pass through Valladolid (12 daily; 3hr 30min).

By taxi A taxi from Zamora to Romerillos will cost around $25.

Vilcabamba

Just over 40km south of Loja, in a charming valley enfolded by crumpled, sunburnt hills, sits the small agricultural village of VILCABAMBA. Synonymous with longevity, hippiedom and utter relaxation, the village has been attracting travellers for over half a century.

These days Vilcabamba feels like a place not quite grounded in reality – partly because of the myths associated with it, partly because of the high proportion of resident expats – particularly from the US – who’ve come here in search of the simple life (and, inevitably, have ended up competing vigorously with each other for business, and stirring resentment with local residents), and partly because of the conspicuous presence of foreign tourists. People head here for a variety of reasons. Some come for the hiking and birding in the nearby hills of the Parque Nacional Podocarpus. Others come for the hallucinogenic cactus juice, San Pedro, that the village was once famous for (even though it is now illegal, is locally frowned upon and has therefore been almost completely eradicated from the area), but most – including middle-class lojanos, at weekends – come just to relax, enjoy the warm climate and nice views, and maybe take a horse ride or indulge in a massage or steam bath. The best months to be here are June to September: October to May can often be rainy. Daytime temperatures usually fluctuate between 18ºC and 28ºC.

There’s not a great deal to do in the village itself. The focal point is the leafy parque central, presided over by the church and surrounded by a sprinkling of café-restaurants and craft shops of varying quality, which you can happily browse for an hour or so. Don’t miss the high-quality silverwork and the artesanal chocolate.

VILCABAMBA: THE VALLEY OF ETERNAL YOUTH?

Vilcabamba first caught the attention of the outside world back in 1955, when Reader’s Digest published an article claiming Vilcabambans enjoyed a considerably higher than average life expectancy, with a very low incidence of cardiovascular health problems. Soon Vilcabamba was being touted as “the valley of eternal youth” and the “valley of longevity”, as international investigators unearthed a string of sprightly old people claiming to be up to 120 or 130 years old. More rigorous studies revealed these claims to be wildly exaggerated, and to date no hard evidence has been produced to support theories of an abnormally long-living population in Vilcabamba – though scientists acknowledged that villagers in their 70s and 80s tended to be extremely fit and healthy for their age.

Cerro Mandango

A popular destination for tourists in Vilcabamba is Cerro Mandango, which offers fabulous, panoramic views over the valley. The hill resembles a person lying down – with the forehead, nose and chin quite distinct from certain angles – and rises over the village’s southeastern side. There is a good trail to the summit (about an hour’s stiff climb) and you can return the same way or make a longer, trickier descent via a different route. The tourist office has maps indicating the trail, which is fairly straightforward; alternatively, guides can be engaged via one of the local tour operators. Muggings have been an issue in the past, although at the time of writing the tourist office was adamant that this is no longer a problem as the perpetrators are now behind bars – but check the current situation before setting out.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: VILCABAMBA

By bus Buses from Loja’s bus terminal (every 15–30min until 9.15pm; last return bus 8.45pm; 1hr 15min) drop passengers off at Vilcabamba’s bus terminal on the main road running into town, Avenida de la Eterna Juventud, a couple of blocks from the central square.

By taxi Shared taxis provide a faster way to get between Loja and Vilcabamba (40min; $2.25, or $9 for the whole taxi), though they’re not always more comfortable. In Loja head for the taxi office ( tel_icon 07 2570956) on 11 de Mayo; in Vilcabamba the taxis leave from inside the bus terminal. A taxi to the airport in Catamayo costs $40.

GETTING AROUND AND INFORMATION

On foot Most of the hotels and restaurants are within a few blocks off the main square, easily reachable on foot. A few are 2–3km from the centre, along the main road, which is not particularly pleasant to walk along.

By taxi Local taxis (white camionetas) wait outside the bus terminal and in the main square, and charge up to $2/trip.

Tourist office The helpful I-Tur office is opposite the church on the parque central (daily 8am–1pm & 2–6pm; tel_icon 07 2640090).

ACCOMMODATION

There’s an enormous amount of accommodation to choose from for such a small place, most of it very reasonably priced. Where you stay can make a big difference to your experience of Vilcabamba, so consider whether you want to mingle with lots of other travellers, stay somewhere quiet with a local feel to it or just find somewhere private where you can enjoy the countryside.

author_pick Cabañas Río Yambala (aka Charlie’s Cabins) 5km uphill along the road to Yamburara tel_icon 0991062762, web_icon vilcabamba-hotel.com. Delightful, rustic self-catering option for short- and long-term rental, comprising four thatched wooden cabañas in a scenic, secluded location overlooking the Río Yambala and one riverside cottage. The cabins are a very good deal when rented out for the week ($150); no. 2 has the best views. There are one- to three-day horseback and hiking tours (open to non-guests) to their private reserve, Las Palmas, that abuts Parque Nacional Podocarpus. Taxis from the village cost $3–4. Cabins $45; cottage $450/month

Hostal Las Margaritas Corner of Jaramillo and Sucre tel_icon 07 2640051. This locally owned B&B offers six neat, modern en-suite rooms with cable TV in a converted house, providing a friendly family environment. There’s a small garden pool too. An excellent deal, with breakfast included. $30

author_pick Hostería Izhcayluma 2km south of the centre on the road to Zumba tel_icon 07 2640095, web_icon izhcayluma.com. Popular, friendly German-owned hostel set in pretty gardens overlooking the Vilcabamba valley. Dorms (minimum two-night stay) and rooms have large windows and come with porch, hammock and private or shared bathroom. For a private balcony, you’ll pay an extra $13. Plus there’s a gorgeous pool, a spa, a table tennis table and board games, as well as a good restaurant serving Bavarian specialities and a decent buffet breakfast ($4). A taxi from town costs $2, and they also offer a shuttle service from Cuenca. Dorms $9; doubles $36

Hostería de Vilcabamba Main road as it enters the village tel_icon 07 2640272, web_icon hosteriadevilcabamba.com. Large modern bungalows set in wooded grounds containing several well-furnished rooms with mirror wardrobes, large plasma TVs and comfortable beds. Also has a pool, sauna, steam baths, whirlpool and an attractive bar-restaurant; it’s high-end, but not quite as high-end as it thinks. Breakfast included. $72

Jardín Escondido Sucre, just north of the parque central tel_icon 07 2640281, web_icon facebook.com/jardinescondido.vilcabamba. Gaily painted three-bed dorms and en-suite rooms, with hard beds set around a beautiful walled garden with a small pool (made even smaller by the presence of its pump), jacuzzi and hammocks and an excellent restaurant, El Jardín. There are kitchen and laundry facilities too. Breakfast included. Dorms $14; doubles $33

Le Rendez Vous Diego Vaca de Vega 06-43 and La Paz tel_icon 0992191180, web_icon rendezvousecuador.com. Friendly, French-owned hotel offering cheerful rooms for one to four people, with patios, hammocks and shared or private bathrooms facing a pretty, central garden. The price includes a good breakfast, with home-made bread, plenty of fresh fruit and proper coffee brought to your room. Washing facilities, book exchange and board games are also available, and they can arrange Spanish lessons. Prices hiked for festivals. $35

Madre Tierra Resort & Spa 2km before town, above the main road from Loja tel_icon 07 2640269, web_icon madretierra.com.ec. There’s creative use of stone and wood in these individually priced rooms, from a “hobbit hole” through to comfortable mid-priced rooms (some with private bathroom) to stylish suites with fabulous views of the valley. There’s also a popular patio restaurant, a renowned spa and a small, attractive pool. It can feel a little cramped if full and the noise from the road does sometimes drift up to disturb the tranquillity. It’s always popular, though, so book ahead. $39

author_pick Rumi Wilco Ecolodge 15min walk northeast of the centre tel_icon 07 2640186, web_icon rumiwilco.com. A genuine, simple, low-impact ecolodge set in a private reserve, offering several self-catering accommodation options at varying rates: secluded traditional wooden cabins on stilts (for up to four); a cluster of adobe buildings with shared facilities and outdoor fire-pit, nearer the entrance; and camping, including fire-pit and use of kitchen and bathroom facilities. Guests have free access to the reserve. Discounts are available for long stays, as well as credits for volunteer work. Adobe rooms $8/person; cabins $28; camping $4/person

TOURS AND ACTIVITIES AROUND VILCABAMBA

Vilcabamba affords great opportunities for hiking, horse riding and birding up to the cloudforests around Parque Nacional Podocarpus, and several outfits and guides offer tours of the area. Note that horses are not allowed within the park boundaries, so excursions on horseback are in the private reserves adjacent to the national park. If you’re keen to go hiking independently, and don’t want to go as far as the national park, there are two important private buffer reserves nearby. One is 8km up the valley, belonging to Cabañas Río Yambala; entry costs $10 and guide services are available. A colour-coded trail system leads to swimming holes on the river and viewpoints, with the five-hour “red trail” particularly rewarding. Rumi Wilco Reserve ($2 entry) also has well-signposted trails across the mountainside. If you fancy mountain biking, you can rent a bike for $10–15/day from Angel (daily 8am–6pm) on Sucre, just off the park.

If all the above sounds too energetic, you can top up your hammock reading material at Craig’s Bookstore (Mon–Fri 7am–6pm, Sat 6–11am), 1km along the road to Yamburara, which boasts a wide range of books (to buy or exchange) in English and fourteen other languages. And given the valley’s mythology, there’s no end of ways to attend to your wellbeing: in addition to the spas attached to various lodgings, there are opportunities for meditation, yoga, psychic readings, flotation therapy and angelic healing – to name just a few. Check out the Centro de Meditación ( web_icon mindfulnessmeditationinecuador.org) and notice boards around the village.

TOUR OPERATORS

Caballos de Holgar Diego Vaca de la Vega and Valle Sagrado tel_icon 0982961238. Leads one- or two-day excursions to the cloudforest (in English, Spanish or German) on foot or on horseback ($50 for one day). The circular tour of Mandango ($35–40) takes in Holgar’s family farm en route. Also offers bike tours with Angel.

Gavilán Tours Sucre and Diego Vaca de la Vega tel_icon 07 2640158, email_icon gavilanhorse@yahoo.com. Run by New Zealander Gavin Moore, who offers excellent combined hiking and horse riding tours up to the cloudforest bordering Podocarpus from $50/day/person, including food and lodging in the owner’s bunk house, or day-rides from $30–45 for 4–6hr, taking in a waterfall.

La Tasca Tours Diego Vaca de la Vega and Sucre tel_icon 07 2640404 or 09895562299. Experienced company run by brothers Rene and Alvaro León, who lead a variety of half- or one-day tours involving biking, horse riding and/or hiking – to a waterfall, a panela factory or a coffee farm ($35–50 depending on numbers). They also organize highly recommended all-inclusive multi-day excursions in their private reserve (where they have cabins) and to Podocarpus.

EATING AND DRINKING

Most hotels offer food as well as rooms, sometimes as a package with the room rate. Vilcabamba offers an appealing range of international cuisines alongside the more usual comida típica.

author_pick El Jardín In Jardín Escondido tel_icon 07 2640281. Very good Mexican-owned restaurant in the garden of the hotel, serving authentic home-made cooking, including vegetarian dishes using plenty of organic, home-grown produce. Daily 8am–8pm.

Katherine Sucre and Jaramillo. Cheap and tasty Ecuadorian food (mains from $3) and friendly service are offered by this simple local restaurant, with seco de chivo (goat stew) at weekends. Mon–Sat 8.30am–4pm & 6–9pm.

author_pick Madre Tierra 2km before town, above the main road from Loja tel_icon 07 2640269. Enjoy tasty, international organic cuisine at Madre Tierra Resort & Spa – try one of the Indian and Sri Lankan dishes – while gazing out over the valley from the patio terrace. Only takes outside diners when not full. Daily 8.30am–8.30pm.

Midas Touch Sucre, on the main square tel_icon 0980970227. The place for a long indulgent breakfast ($4–5) – bags of inventive, healthy, mainly organic offerings, including plenty of vegan and veggie fare, served up on their patio. Mon, Wed & Thurs 8am–5pm, Fri–Sun 8am–10pm.

Natural Yoghurt Bolívar and Diego Vaca de la Vega. Tiny café serving excellent-value fresh, organic food: healthy breakfasts, such as yoghurt, fruit and granola, plus soups, sandwiches, and sweet and savoury crêpes at ridiculously low prices. Daily 8am–10pm.

Shanta’s Over the bridge on Diego Vaca de la Vega tel_icon 0985627802. Reliable, inexpensive bar-restaurant, with funky saddle-topped bar stools, serving up trout, frogs’ legs, filet mignon and immensely popular pizzas ($7–10). Leave room for the crêpes in chocolate sauce, and down a shot of the house snake liqueur if you dare. Tues–Sun 1–9pm.

La Terraza Corner of Diego Vaca de la Vega and Bolívar tel_icon 0991667995. Very popular restaurant – even attracting lojanos on weekend evenings – with colourful decor and a lively atmosphere, serving well-prepared Mexican, Thai and Italian dishes. Service can be very slow when it’s busy. Daily 11am–9pm.

HIKING NEAR VILCABAMBA

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South to Peru

The most convenient border crossing into Peru from the southern sierra is via a paved road from Loja to the frontier town of MACARÁ 190km to the southwest, a much more pleasant and efficient alternative to the frenetic Huaquillas crossing on the coast, though those based in Vilcabamba or looking for an interesting route into the thick of the Peruvian highlands might consider the remote and adventurous frontier passage at Zumba, due south.

Macará

A surprisingly pleasant, though hot, border town, Macará sits in a fertile agricultural valley noted for its rice production. The few tourists that pass this way and who are not simply transiting to or from Peru are usually keen bird watchers, drawn by the nearby dry tropical forest populated by giant ceiba trees, and inhabited by the likes of the henna-hooded foliage gleaner, in the Reserva Jorupe, 10km along the road to Sozoranga. The reserve is managed by the Fundación Jocotoco ( web_icon jocotoursecuador.com) and is open to day-visitors ($15), though it also has a birding lodge there.

CROSSING THE PERUVIAN BORDER: MACARÁ

BY BUS

From Loja Regular buses make the journey to Macará from the terminal in Loja; the faster ones (8 daily; 5hr; marked “via Catacocha”) travel down the Panamerican highway, while Union Cariamanga buses, via Cariamanga, are slower (around 5hr 30min). In addition, three daily direct buses also go all the way from Loja to Piura in Peru (7am & 11pm; from Piura 1pm & 9pm; 8–9hr; $14, tickets best bought a day before travel), via Catacocha and Macará, operated by Cooperativa Loja Internacional ( tel_icon 07 2579014, web_icon cooperativaloja.com.ec).

In Peru In La Tina, the little settlement on the Peruvian side, you’ll be whisked away by colectivo to Sullana (2hr), from where there is easy transport to the larger city of Piura (40min further). You could also hop on one of the international buses direct to Piura as they pass through Macará; check for times at the Cooperativa Loja office on Jaramillo and Vaca, Barrio Velasco Ibarra in Macará.

BANKS AND MONEY

The banks at Macará do not change currency but you can find moneychangers with Peruvian soles at the border and around the park, where taxis to the border are ranked. The Banco de Loja has an ATM but it is temperamental.

IMMIGRATION

Through buses to Piura from will simply wait while passengers have their passports checked and stamped. Remember you need exit and entry stamps. If you’ve taken the bus to Macará, and you don’t want to wait for one of the international buses, you’ll need to get to the international bridge between Ecuador and Peru, a little over 2km southwest of town, which you can walk to in about forty minutes, or you could take a taxi ($2) or colectivo from 10 de Agosto at the park near the market. Either side of the bridge, the Ecuadorian and Peruvian immigration offices, where you get your exit and entry stamps and show proof of onward travel, are open 24hr.

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

Los Arrozales 10 de Agosto and Amazonas tel_icon 07 2695381. Cheerful new hotel offering the best rooms in town (en suite, with a/c and cable TV) at modest rates. Breakfast included. $32

Caña & Tapa Amazonas, opposite the park tel_icon 07 2694970. This unlikely Spanish–Ecuadorian culinary gem has indoor and outdoor patio seating at nice wooden tables. As well as tapas ($4–8), there are good cakes. Mon–Sat 11am until late.

D’Marcos Jaime Roldos and Amazonas tel_icon 07 2695111. Brightly tiled bar-restaurant on two floors, serving decent, moderately priced mains (around $6) for lunch and dinner. Daily 8am–10pm.

Terra Verde Vaca A couple of blocks west of the Cooperativa Loja Internacional terminus tel_icon 07 2694540. Respectable budget hotel with clean, air-conditioned rooms (and cheaper ones with fans), private hot-water bathrooms and a rooftop terrace. $16

Urraca Lodge Reserva Jorupe tel_icon 02 505212 in Quito, web_icon jocotoursecuador.com; 10km along the road to Sozoranga. Six simple wooden cabins in peaceful forest surroundings, with large windows and wraparound verandas from which to watch the birdlife. Reserve entry and all meals included. $280

Via Zumba

There’s a less-used border crossing in the tiny village of La Balsa, near ZUMBA, over 145km due south of Vilcabamba. The road from Vilcabamba is slowly being paved, but for now you can expect most of the journey to be rough and slow, through you will pass through remote and beautiful scenery.

CROSSING THE PERUVIAN BORDER: ZUMBA

BY BUS AND CAMIONETA

To Zumba Zumba is serviced by regular buses from Loja (8 daily; 6–7hr) via Vilcabamba (5–6hr). Additionally, Transporte Suroriente runs four buses a day.

To the border From Zumba, where there are a few simple hotels, board one of the infrequent rancheras (8am, 2pm, and, less reliably, 5.30pm; 1hr 30min) or hire a private camioneta to La Balsa ($20) – it’s 15km on a potholed road, which is prone to landslides and closures in the rainy season.

In Peru Shared-taxi camionetas leave for San Ignacio (2hr; $7–15 depending on the number of passengers), a nice enough place to spend the night, and one that has banking facilities with ATMs.

IMMIGRATION

Immigration, not far from the international bridge over the Río Canchis, is open 24hr, though you may have to search around for an official at quiet times.

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The southern sierra

Highlights

Ingapirca and around

Brief history

The Temple of the Sun

Baños del Inca

THE INCA TRAIL TO INGAPIRCA

MAPS AND EQUIPMENT

THE ROUTE

ARRIVAL

ACCOMMODATION

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: INGAPIRCA AND AROUND

BY BUS

BY CAMIONETA

ACCOMMODATION

Cuenca

Brief history

Parque Calderón

Catedral Nueva

Museo Catedral Vieja

Plaza de las Flores

Plaza San Francisco

Iglesia Santo Domingo

Museo Municipal Casa del Sombrero

Iglesia San Sebastián

Museo de Arte Moderno

Museo del Sombrero

Museo Remigio Crespo Toral

Museo de las Conceptas

Museo de las Culturas Aborígenes

Along the Río Tomebamba

Museo de Artes Populares

Iglesia Todos los Santos

Puente Roto

Museo de Pumapungo

The ground floor

The Sala Etnográfica Nacional

Mirador de Turi

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: CUENCA

BY PLANE

BY BUS

GETTING AROUND

TOURS AROUND CUENCA

INFORMATION AND TOURS

ACCOMMODATION

EATING

CAFÉS

RESTAURANTS

DRINKING AND NIGHTLIFE

BARS

CLUBS AND LIVE MUSIC

CINEMA

SHOPPING

ARTESANÍA

BOOKS

CERAMICS

PANAMA HATS

CUENCA LANGUAGE SCHOOLS

DIRECTORY

Around Cuenca

Parque Nacional El Cajas

HIKING IN PARQUE NACIONAL EL CAJAS

LAGUNA TOTORAS AND LAGUNA PATOQUINUAS HIKE

TRES CRUCES HIKE

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: PARQUE NACIONAL EL CAJAS

NORTHERN SECTOR

SOUTHERN SECTOR

INFORMATION

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

Baños de Cuenca

The Ruta Santa Bárbara

Gualaceo

Chordeleg

Museo Municipal

Sigsig

Museo Municipal

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: THE RUTA SANTA BÁRBARA

BY BUS

TOURIST OFFICES

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING