El Cajas National Park (Parque Nacional Cajas) is a protected natural area in the Andean Highlands of Ecuador. It is mountainous terrain with grassy plains and 270 lakes that were formed by the last receding ice age.
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Understand
[edit]The park covers an area of about 28,500 hectares.
History
[edit]El Cajas was declared a national park in November 1996. In August 2002, it was designated a Ramsar wetland.
28 archaeological sites within the park bear witness to human habitation in the area for at least the past 1,000 years. Some of the sites are definitely pre-Inca, some are Inca, and a few from settlements established after the Spanish conquest. During the colonial era, livestock were raised on the grasses of the highland fields.
Landscape
[edit]The park is mountainous with jagged peaks, sheer cliffs, and slopes that give way to hilly, grassy areas of vegetation described as paramo. The highest point in the park is the peak of Cerro Arquitectos at 4,450 meters. The park is dotted with cold water lakes. The largest is Laguna Luspa which is almost 70 meters deep. Several rivers have their headwaters in the park, including Rio Tomebamba, Rio Yanuncay, Rio Balao and Rio Cañar. The park lies on the continental divide and two of the rivers flow west towards the Pacific while the other two flow east toward the Amazon.
Flora and fauna
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The cool, humid climate of the park is perfect for grasses, which make up the dominant vegetation of the parameo area. Several different kinds of grasses grow here, including some endemic varieties. The most common species is straw grass. At higher elevations (above 3,300 meters), queñua (or birch paper) becomes common. An endemic plant called flower of the Andes can be found in the park.
157 bird species have been cataloged in the park, including the magnificent Andean condor. One of the coolest birds in the park is the giant hummingbird, which feeds on agave plants.
Over 40 mammal species live in the park. Most visible are the llamas but probably more numerous are smaller mammals and rodents, including weasels, skunks, foxes, oppossums, coatimundis, pacas, rabbits and porcupines. A couple of endemic species that you're unlikely to encounter anywhere other than this park are the Cajas water mouse and the Tate shrew oppossum. Puma are also found in the park.
There are also plenty of reptiles and amphibians, particularly various species of frogs found around the lakes and lagoons.
Climate
[edit]Get in
[edit]The park is about 30 km west of Cuenca via highway 582. By car, it's a direct route with scenic mountain views. The trip will probably take 30 minutes. The easiest way to make the trip is to just take a local taxi. The fare will likely be US$10-15.
By bus
[edit]Transporte Occidental operates frequent buses from Cuenca. The fare will be about US$1 for the half-hour trip. The bus will let you off at the eastern entrance ranger station.