Birdwatching Tour In Cajas National Park From Cuenca

Edison is a very knowledgeable birding guide. We saw hummingbirds endemic to the Caja NP. He is very well acquainted with the environment and spotted many birds. In an altitude of 10,000-14,500 ft, to be able to see birds in their native habitats is truly gratifying. Hint: For those from a low altitude, give yourself time to acclimate to high altitude.

Edison was the most attentive guide: he optimised the day out in and around Cajas, and made sure we’d manage all my target species!

Edison was knowlegdeable , patiant , and nice with great english andvwas able to find and id many bird speicies. I highly recommend

We had an excellent day trip to El Alto mountain and Cajas National Park, which are both close to Cuenca. Edison knew all the right spots for birds and we saw 39 different species on our trip including some rarities. Edison’s knowledge of birds is impeccable and his expertise extends to plants, habitats, history and culture. He was also very good at enabling us to get the best views possible.

This trip was a lot of fun and I saw tons of new birds. Edison is a top bird guide and he really knows his stuff. He is very friendly and will add more than just birding into the trip. If you visit Cuenca and want to find birds look him up, you won’t be disappointed!

I had the pleasure of visiting the Andes Mountains with the renowned birdwatching expert, tour guide Ed, in Cuenca. Ed provided me with binoculars, which proved invaluable in spotting several Andean bird species. We embarked on a journey across different areas, diligently searching for various bird species. Ed also had a bird calling device that effectively attracted the birds to our location. Despite this being my first time with an expert birdwatcher, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

We went on a birding tour of El Cajas with Edison Juca from Polylepsis Tours. I can’t recommend him enough. He knew exactly where to go to find the top birds for the area, great eyes and ears, and a real enthusiasm for what he was doing. My non birdwatching wife also enjoyed herself. A very nicely paced day.

It was a rainy day in Cajas NP but Eddy’s expertise made the day amazing. He can hear and see the birds quickly and ensures you see them too. Eddy shared information about the park, the bird list and fantastic photos. Pictures don’t do the park justice, you have to see the beauty yourself.

Eddy is a great guide! Very helpful getting onto the bird and very friendly. He came prepared with food and drinks if needed and he is very flexible! Saw more than expected and had a great time while doing so!

Great trip to the Cajas. Seen many species. Highly recommend.

When you get up before dawn on a cold and soggy Saturday, you can only hope that a day trip to El Cajas National Park goes as planned. We could not have done better by booking with Edison Juca & Polylepis Tours as our guide. With decades of personal knowledge, Edison (Eddy) knew every spot in Caja National Park as a bird guide and naturalist. He also had the education/training to back up his field experience. So, yes, under lousy conditions (rain, fog and chilly cold) we saw nearly 3 dozen species, including target birds -- plus we heard the noisy Turquoise Jay. Cajas's weather is notoriously unpredictable, but Eddy anticipated an incoming downpour in time to find us shelter so that we could continue birding. We expect that any booking with Polylepis Tours would be equally successful.

Edison is a very experienced bird guide and also a nice person! He took me on a tour of Cajas National Park to see Andean birds including endemics. He knows just where to look, including side roads and private properties. At the end we had a delicious grilled trout lunch by a warm fire. Dress in layers, it is cold at high elevations and rain is possible.

I had a spare day in Cuenca and decided to go on a private birding photography tour in El Cajas National Park with Polylepis Tours. Right from the first contact, Edison was very clear and correct in his pre-tour communication. He answered every question clearly and timely, so the contents of the tour were completely clear to me before departure. On the day of the tour, Edison arrived in time for the pickup and gave a short briefing while also inquiring about my expectations. A tour tailored to photographers or birders is a very different thing and it's important to get on the same line. Edison is an experienced guide and great person to be around. For people who struggle with Spanish, he also speaks English very well. Throughout the day we visited a couple of locations looking for specific species. Edison made sure to explain very well which birds to expect (based on the vegetation and altitude) and kept us informed. He adapted to unexpected conditions, for example it was a very warm day in El Cajas, so most of the birds remained in the shadow. This means lighting for proper photography isn’t optimal, so Edison promptly proposed to focus on unique hummingbird species, which are less affected by the weather. He also tailored the pace to whatever I wanted or needed. If I wanted to stick around to photograph an individual hummingbird, he let me. If I wanted to move on to the next location, he also let me. All the while explaining the reasoning and expectations from a guides point of view. I don’t have a single complaint about the day trip and thoroughly enjoyed it. Yes, all the locations we visited can also be visited without a guide as well, but if you’re looking for a natural guide, it's because you already know there’s so much more to see when someone with knowledge of the ecosystem, habitat and species is around to help. On top of the great experience, the included lunch was delicious as well. In summary, Edison went above and beyond to provide a tailor-made experience. In nature, there’s always factors you can’t control, but I feel happy and confident that we managed to explore and see as much as the day allowed. I have no problem to highly recommend Polylepis Tours to anyone looking for a similar experience. For any guided activity do keep in mind that in nature and wildlife, no sightings or photos can be guaranteed. Always focus on the experience, guide interaction and tour contents over actual results.

We went with Eddie to El Cajas for bird watching. He guided us to places not just Cajas, but also nearby areas where different targets are. He knows exactly where birds are in the region. Besides birds, Cajas is a fantastic place for hiking and sightseeing. Lakes are the best in Ecuador. Very enjoyable trip.

We had a fantastic day tip to Cajas National Park with Edison of Polylepis Tours. I was mainly looking for the amazing local species; we found them and with some persistence got excellent photos. Also greatly enjoyed Edison's knowledge of the local legends, geography, and especially the flora. As a bonus, I ran into Edison the next day when I was looking for the Purple-throated Sunangel and he was able to tell me the exact tree to stake out. What a hero! Very highly recommend a tour with Edison.

My friend and I spent an absolutely fantastic day birdwatching in the breathtaking Cajas National Park with Edison (Eddie) as our private guide, and it was hands-down one of the best experiences of our entire trip to Ecuador. Eddie is an outstanding guide – incredibly knowledgeable, passionate, and patient. His ability to spot and identify birds (even the tiniest, fastest hummingbirds!) is nothing short of magical. Thanks to his expertise and perfectly chosen spots, we were lucky enough to see several rare and dazzling hummingbird species, along with many other high-altitude Andean specialties we’d only dreamed of seeing. He’s equally impressive when it comes to plants and the whole páramo ecosystem – every question we had was answered in detail. We arranged the tour on a national holiday because of our tight schedule, and Eddie happily accommodated us without hesitation (and the price remained very fair and excellent value for a full private day). We started at 6 a.m. and finished around 4 p.m., with exactly the right amount of gentle-to-moderate hiking based on what we felt like doing – no pressure at all, just pure enjoyment. Eddie’s English is flawless, which made the whole day even more enjoyable – he shared stories, conservation, insights, and plenty of laughs along the way. To top it all off, he took us to an amazing family-run trout restaurant – the perfect way to end a perfect day. If you love birds, nature, or just want an authentic, personalized experience in one of Ecuador’s most stunning national parks, book with Eddie. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide – he made our day in Cajas truly memorable. Thank you, Eddie – we hope to bird with you again someday! (Private birding tour – full day – Cajas National Park)

I had a wonderful and insightful day with our tour guide Eddy and another traveler. We were able to spot many different birds, including the Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan — my personal favorite. But we didn’t just admire beautiful birds and listen to their calls; we also learned a lot about the plants and the landscape of Cajas National Park. Eddy always had an answer to our questions and has a deep understanding of the environment. A tour with him is definitely worthwhile — no matter what topic you’re interested in learning more about. He also helped me with planning the next steps of my journey and gave me some excellent tips along the way. I’m very grateful for this experience and will remember it for a long time.

We had an excellent birding and natural history day. Edison arrived on time and in a very clean and accommodating car. We first birded Alto Road where we saw a number of species including Purple-throated Sunangel, Rainbow Starfrontlet, Equatorial Antpitta, and the Gray-breasted Mountain Toucan among 25+ more. Edison is a great spotter and birder; not only did we spot birds but also watched what they were doing. Edison also talked about the native plants and environment. After a breakfast snack and we headed up to Cajas National Park where we saw the Tit-like Dacnis, Ecuadorian Hillstar and the Violet-throated Metaltail. We had a wonderful lunch at a rustic restaurant in the páramo and Edison also talked about the plants, natural history, and cultural history of the area. He is very knowledgeable about the area around Cuenca and other birding areas in Ecuador The entire day exceeded my expectations for birding, natural history, and professionalism. Additionally I wanted to practice my Spanish and Edison was an enthusiastic listener and teacher. I would highly recommend a trip with Edison and Polylepsis Tours and hope to join him again.

Amazing birdwatching and nature tour in Cajas National Park! I had a fantastic private tour of Cajas National Park with Edison from Polylepis Tours. He knows every detail about the park — from the birds and plants to the unique ecosystems and landscapes. His passion and deep knowledge made the experience truly special. The tour was a perfect combination of birdwatching, nature, and breathtaking scenery, with plenty of time to enjoy each moment. What made it even better was the flexibility — Edison tailored the day perfectly to my personal interests and pace. Highly recommended for anyone who wants a meaningful and personalized experience in Cajas National Park!

Although the weather was uncooperative on my second day of birding Cajas National Park, I still enjoyed the professional, knowledgeable and friendly service of this bird guiding tour company. There are some beautiful birds in the area in different eco systems, and I'd love to come back and explore more. I would definitely book again with them !

Eddy Juca is a great field birder. He is remarkably quick and precise with his identifying, especially of the difficult hummingbirds. He scheduled a smart itinerary outside the park given that parts of Cajas are closed currently. We ended with a great trout lunch. A satisfying day birding out of Cuenca.

So fantastic! We saw a ton of new species, and got to enjoy the gorgeous scenery of the park as well. Edwin was a fabulous guide, and even gave us tips re Cuenca too! Thank you for a great trip!

Andrés was an excellent Ird guide. He knew where to find some of the birds I wanted to meet and add to my life list. He was extremely knowledgeable about the environment and habitats in Ecuador and Cajas national park. Andres was very kind and friendly, easy to talk with about nature and the management of parks and even water and sewage in Cuenca. I learned so much. I would definitely contact this tour company again and have Andres as my guide.

The whole tour from start to finish was fantastic! The guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining, we saw a lot of species including the endangered Giant Conebill and the endemic Violet-throated Metailtail. I would recommend this to anyone wanting to birdwatch in Cajas National Park. Such a unique and beautiful place!

I highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in exploring the bird life of Cajas National Park, an indispensable day trip from Cuenca. My tour guide Edison Juca was excellent, making sure I saw all of the endemic targets despite numerous bouts of rainy, chilly weather. He is very good at both locating the birds and providing clear guidance to make sure you see the bird as well. Cajas National Park is a must see in the Cuenca area, with a glaciated volcanic landscape unlike anyplace else I've seen and is recommended whether or not on a birding tour, but the birding tour allows you to more fully appreciate the native species. If you go, wear warm clothes and rain gear because you will be traveling up to 15,000 feet and mountain whether is unpredictable.

What a wonderful day with Edison and Luis of Polylepis Tours of Cuenca and my friend! We saw so many birds and explored a couple of very special places both near and within the exceptional Cajas Park. We were treated to some rare bird sightings as well as getting a taste of the wild weather changes of Cajas. The knowledge Edison shared about bird behaviors and about this unique environment was helpful for making the day even more interesting and enhancing my knowledge about this precious place. I spent the whole weekend with them and I was completely impressed with the quality of this birding experience.

We had a great day birding at Cajas National Park ( 12,000 ft) and at 10,000 feet along the way. Edison, a local from Cuenca Ecuador, is great. He is a very experienced birder, friendly, patient, a safe driver and he speaks English well. He would be perfect for any birder from the novice to the most experienced. He is also knowledgable about the local geology, flora and fauna of the area. Lunch was included in the package and we had a great meal of trout and the local potato and cheese soup. I highly recommend Edison for anyone wanting a nice tour in the area of Cuenca and especially for birders. He also does birding tours in other areas of Ecuador and Peru.

Excelent bird watching tour with Polylepis Tours. Edison Juca picked me up at 0615 in a very nice SUV and off we went to the Cajas mountains, about 45-minutes west of Cuenca. Edison is a licensed tour guide and extremely knowledgeable of the various species and their habitats. We made five or six stops during the seven hours, with no strenuous hiking required. In total, we saw different 21 species and enjoyed fabulous mountain vistas. Highly recommend Polylepis Tours.

Eddy, my guide, was excellent. He lead me to great views of all the specialties of the area and I got great photos of the Ecuadorian Hillstar. I wouldn’t have seen any of it without him

It is a really excellent choice for those who are interested in birds. Fantastic tour guide, knows everything about the birds. Absolute flexible, helps a lot!

We had a great day birding with Edison in Cajas NP. He knows his birds and we were able to add new species seen. If you are looking for a birding guide around Cuenca Edison is the best.

A great day tour to Cajas national park. Edison was a friendly and knowledgeable bird guide. He tailored the day towards the birds we wanted to see, which is always appreciated. Would definitely recommend this tour and Edison as a guide to anyone visiting the area.

We booked a group tour to Cajas national park, with a focus on birding. Edison was really responsive and helpful. We had an amazing day, the park itself is staggeringly beautiful and Edison took my (rather ambitious) target species list and set to work, really focussing on the birds I wanted to see and allowing enough time to see the scenery. I was amazed at the success of the day - we saw much more than I thought we would. Also a delicious lunch included! 100% recommend - Edison is a top quality birder.

Enjoyed a great first day in Ecuador at the Cajas NP with Eddie. Friendly and extremely knowledgeable about the local flora, fauna, and history, he guided us to see some dream birds such as Sword-billed Hummingbird and Tawny Antpitta and the local endemic Violet-throated Metaltail amongst many others. Great lunch of fried trout in a local restaurant, too. Highly recommended.

I spent a full day on a birding tour with Eddy in Cajas. I would highly recommend him. He was not only knowledgeable about the birds and the park but spent extra time finding those hard to find birds. Very personable and great English too.

Excellent trip into fabulous Cajas National Park. Visiting both the lower lying parts and the higher altitudes of the park with their spectacular bird species. Including the endemic Violet-throated metaltail. Over 40 different species of birds observed under guidance of an excellent and very knowledgeable guide. Highly recommended!

Absolutely loved this tour! Edison had everything very well organized. We saw so many species (officially 36), and I know much of that is due to Edison’s local knowledge. Cajas is such a beautiful park with a variety of landscapes that we were able to explore. I would do this tour again and hope to invite my family to accompany me in the future.

I did a solo birding day tour in the Cajas National Park with Edison. We had a great day of birding and I was able to see and identify (with Edison’s help) 30 species of birds. Edison heard and saw additional species but I only log the birds for which I had a gook look. I am a beginner birder with eyesight that is not great at a distance, so I missed several of the birds. We saw 4 different species of hummingbird, including the endemic Violet-throated Metaltail. We looked for birds in 3 different areas - Lake Lluvioca, above Lake Toreadora, and on the western slope near Rancho Hermanos Pradas. Each area had different species. Edison is very knowledgeable about the birds and can identify them by their call and then helped me to see them. He also brought a high quality spotting scope. Edison picked me up promptly at 6:10 am at my apartment and then we drove up to the Cajas National Park. He provided water, bread, fruit, and cold coffee to eat in the morning. Then, we ended the day with a lunch of fried trout before returning the Cuenca at 3 pm. Overall, it was a successful and enjoyable day of birding.

This was a lovely way to spend a day. Andres was an amazing guide, knowledgeable about the ecosystems and the birds in the two different locations of the parks we visited. I learned so much from him about El Cajas NP and its importance to Cuenca. He helped me find some birds I was really hoping to see, and even when the birds didn’t cooperate, the scenery is beautiful and interesting. It was for me a perfect balance of birding and hiking. How incredible that this place is so close to Cuenca-an easy and delightful day trip.

Great day in the field. Cajas NP is spectacular. Andres, my guide was excellent and knowledgeable about the ecosystem as well as the birds. I heartily recommend Polylepis Tours!

A really amazing day treking route1 at Cajas. Our guide Luis was very accommodating and knowledgable about the plants and birds that we encountered. The weather was also on our side, not always the case in Cajas. The service of Polylepis tous both before, during and after the tour was excellent. I would highly recommend them!

Our trip to Cajas with Edison was a day well spent. Edison knew where to find several of endemic species we were looking for and worked hard to make sure we got good looks at each.Edison is a wonderful guide.

Edison was super accommodating from beginning to end! He was early for our 5a pick up from the hotel (as requested by us), his vehicle was more than adequate for our day trip. He provided historical background of Cuenca and Cajas NP on the way. VERY knowledgeable on the birds in the area and super enthusiastic! Brought snacks for us, also made a stop to a local Hostel for a warm breakfast! Had a wonderful time checking off birds! He also completed and shared the bird list on eBird! Highly recommend this valuable guide. A+

If you are looking for a local guide around Cuenca area who is highly knowledgeable about birds, Edison is who you want as a guide. I spent 2 days with him in Cajas and provided a very targeted list of birds to see. Edison came up with a well-thought-out itinerary for the 2 days and we saw almost all of my target birds. I really enjoyed my 2 days of birding in Cajas and highly recommend Edison as a birding guide.

We spent a beautiful day in Cajas National Park with our guide Edi. He took us to hotspots for birding in the lower and middle part of Cajas. Edi faultlessly recognized the birds by their sound and called them, sometimes by voice and whistle. Twenty years of experience shows ! He explained the link between the species and the habitat. The spots we visited were at comfortable distance from the car, no need for physical exertion at these high altitudes... We had amazing sightings and beautiful pictures, an intense experience. Very good tour, outstanding friendly, kind and passionate guide.

An amazing birdwatching tour with Edi. Totally recommended guide, excellent tour and great places that we visited. Edi is the best guide you can find. He went above and beyond with helping me with my camera which stopped working. Edi found a technician in Cuenca that fixed it quickly. He took me there and waited with me until the technician solved the issue. The Cajas national park is a must and even perfect if you are with Edi, he is super knowledgable and goes above and beyond to make the best experience. Do not hesitate booking with him

A great tour. Edison the guide is competent, friendly, well-equipped and very knowledgeable. Polylepis Tours is your best choice if you really want to see birds in Ecuador.

I had a great day with Edison exploring all the hidden birding hotspots in and around Cajas National Park. We got all our target birds with some nice surprises thrown in. Edison knows his birds very well and has a wealth of knowledge about the natural and cultural history of the area too. If you are not a Spanish speaker, no worries, his English is excellent. I highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in birding one of the most beautiful areas near Cuenca.

First off, Ecuador is beautiful, and El Cajas is a gem. Edison was a fantastic guide. He knows the birds, where to find them, how to call them, and customized our time based on my interests. He understood the needs of a bird photographer, beyond the needs of a birder. The ride up and back was full of interesting conversation and he shared his knowledge of the region's culture and natural history. Also lunch was delicious.