Cuenca To Guayaquil One-way Tour With Cajas Park And A Cacao Farm Visit

We had a 4 day tour from Quito to Cuenca with Cotopaxi, Quilotoa, Baños and Chimborazo with a great guide Luis. We spent a day at Cuenca by ourselves. We were fortunate to have Luis again to continue with a one way day tour from Cuenca to Guayaquil with Cajas Park and a Cacao Farm visit. The tour was equally wonderful. We hiked the famous Laguna La Toreadora, visited a fruit market, a Cacao farm, and had late lunch at a seafood restaurant at the coastal region. Luis pointed out many signs of change in ecosystems along the way from the Andes to the coastal. It was fun and educational.

Having guided transportation is a game changer, and we were so lucky this time around to have Luis be our driver and our guide! The ride was super comfortable and Luis made everything convenient and easy - guiding us through Cajas National Park, to an amazing, small cacao family operation, and finally a superb lunch. Will certainly use this company again and request his services again when we return to Ecuador. Highly recommend!

Amazing trip, very pleasant drive through bio diverse zones, beautiful vistas, opportunities to learn about local culture and customs; Wilson is a wonderful guide, very pleasant and eager to share his knowledge.

So it was overall a fun way to travel from Cuenca to Guayaquil, and do some sightseeing along the way. I will preface this by saying that I did this solo, so the cost of $190 was just for me and actively choose not to do the cacao farm, so I admit that my activities were consciously limited. My first guide, Xavier, was fantastic, incredibly knowledgable, and interesting. The drive up into the National Park was incredible, Xavier's knowledge of the fauna and flora was great and it was absolutely stunning. My issue really was that we then had to drive back down the way we came for 20 minutes to go have lunch, rather than continuing in the same direction. Lunch was fine, but the portion side was quite small. We were then waiting around for another 30 minutes, for a new driver to come, the drivers switched, and then we drove the other 20 minutes back into the National Park to where we started off from. It was basically just an hour and a half of wasted time, which could have been solved if there was one driver, who took you to a restaurant which was en route, rather than doubling back on yourself. Also my second driver spoke so loudly he was effectively shouting in my ear which made the journey somewhat unpleaseant. Overall, it's a cool thing to do, Cajas is beautiful and it's a fun way to travel between the two cities, but is it worth $190? I'm not sure.

Wilson was a great guide for our trip. He pointed out lots of interesting information. The coffee farm visit was really fun with a delicious lunch and the short hike at cajas was beautiful. We really liked Wilson’s commentary about nature. Highly recommend.

Wilson was a great guide. Very accommodating to both of us. Safe driver. I highly recommend this tour if you are traveling between Guayaquil and Cuenca.

Reliable professional Service. Easy to work with and good communication. The driver turned up early was helpful and polite.

My husband and I had an amazing time traveling from Cuenca to Guayaquil, making unforgettable stops along the way at iconic places like Cajas National Park and a chocolate factory, where we learned all about how Ecuadorian chocolate is made. Our tour guide, Wilson, was fantastic! He speaks excellent English, has so much knowledge about the local animals and flowers, and was always making sure we were comfortable. He even helped capture special moments throughout the journey. Highly recommend this experience — it was a perfect mix of nature, culture, and fun!

Great way to get to Guayaquil from Cuenca. Visited Cajas Park, stopped off for lunch and visited a cacao farm. Wilson was a great guide, very knowledgeable and really patient with my Spanish

A very good and convenient tour if you need to get from Cuenca to Guayaquil but find a simple 3-hour drive too boring. Our guide, Genero, was amazing! He shared many fascinating facts about the plants in the national park and showed us the most beautiful viewpoints. We decided to skip the lunch stop (plus everything was closed due to Christmas) and pass on the coffee tour since we’d already been on one in Mindo. So, I can’t say much about that part of the tour. But the trip itself was very comfortable and safe. Even when we entered an area with such thick fog that you could barely see a car half a meter away, Genero drove very calmly and confidently. We enjoyed everything 😊

Andres was a great guide. Cajas park is beautiful. Food was great. Cacao farm was interesting. We had a great time. Now off to Galapagos

Pleasant drive from Cuenca to Guayaquil. The stops were nice, lunch was good and our driver, Luis, was excellent, friendly and informative.

Genius trip. Getting from Cuenca to Guayaquil will take 4 hours, so why not make it an adventure. You get to enjoy la sierra y la costa. Lovely hike. The cacao farm has completely changed the way I experience chocolate forever. Our guide was very accommodating to our small children and elderly aunt. ¡Fabuloso!

What an excellent trip including tour of Cajas national park . Our private guide Pedro spoke fluent English and was knowledgeable and personable. The whole day was enjoyable and we highly recommend taking this trip as a means to getting from Cuenca to Guayaquil.

Our one-way tour from Cuenca to Guayaquil was fantastic! Communication from the company was proactive and clear. Our guide, Javier, was a delight - very friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. Our driver, Homero, made us feel safe the whole time. We were picked up and dropped off at our hotels. We did an hour hike in Cajas National Park, which was beautiful. The lunch stop was delicious with nice views. The stop at the cacao farm was a real highlight - it was a small family operation on the roadside, not a big industrial one. So glad we opted for this tour rather than taking the bus.

We had a great experience with our guide Wilson. The tour was organised very well, from the moment of pick up until drop off. Our guide shared to us a lot of interesting historical facts about the area and he was extremely knowledgeable about local plants. The visit to cacao farm was so lovely! We highly recommend this tour!

Our guide, Sebastian, was pleasant and knew plants, animals, culture and politics and shared his knowledge. I wish we had him on the rest of our trips.

Genero was a fantastic tour guide. The care he took driving , finding a good restaurant, hiking thru the national park, and visiting the cacao farm was all quite excellent. He was interesting and really open to answering our millions of questions. Very respectful. He was also on time. The road conditions were not great through the mountains but his kill at driving was amazing. We strongly recommend this tour guide and the tour. Initially I was mildly interested in the cacao farm. He assured me it would be a good tour. He did not disappoint. I liked that it was a small family run farm as it made it more personal.

From the booking to the en drop off this tour was timely, professional and very organized. Thank you.

Excellent trip with great service! Our guide Diego was very professional, extremely knowledgeable and helpful. We enjoyed learning lots from him, and thoroughly enjoyed the whole day. The company are also very professional, accommodating and very prompt with replies and ensuring that all went smoothly. Thank you!

The Driver Fernando was on Time (10 min early) which we loved .. He was knowledgeable of the Areas we visited on our trip from Guayaquil to Cuenca.. had picture stops and awesome cocoa making experience.. the lunch stop was very good with fresh trout .. good driver, clean van Worth the Fare Communication via WhatsApp app at time of Reservation until follow up was flawless

The booking of the tour was super easy via WhatsApp, we were informed almost immediately about everything we needed to know. Our guide Sebastian picked us up from our hotel in Cuenca and we went to the Cajas National Park. During the ride he gave us lots of information about Cuenca, the National Park and everything about Ecuador and the people that could be interesting for us. In the Cajas National Park we went for a hike for about 2 hours, which was really nice. Our guide informed us about all the plants and animals that live there. We then had a little stop for having lunch at a small restaurant with really good Ecuadorian food before we continued our way to Guayaquil. We stopped at a family, who is operating a cacao farm and got an insight of the cacao production. Sebastian than dropped us off at our hotel in Guayaquil and gave us some tipps about what to do there. All in all, this day trip was one of the best when exploring ecuador. We would definitely do it again!

Wilson was an excellent guide and made appropriate accommodations to the trip based on the poor weather so I could still enjoy the tour.

This worked perfectly for us to get from Cuenca for a flight in Guayaquil that evening! They picked us up around 7:30am and we arrived in Guayaquil around 3:00. We asked to skip the chocolate in order to do a longer hike of around 3.5 hours, which allowed us to see a lot more of Cajas park. It was incredible, the guide and driver were both really nice and knowledgeable about local species and landscape, and we would definitely do it again. Fue perfecto para viajar desde cuenca a Guayaquil para un vuelo. Nos recogemos del hotel a las 7:30, y llegamos en Guayaquil a las 3:00. Saltamos el chocolate para hacer una caminata más largo de 3.5 horas, así pudimos ver mucho más del parque. Fue increíble, y el guía y el conductor eran muy amables y sabían mucho sobre los animales, plantas, y paisaje de Cajas. Definitivamente lo haríamos otra vez.

We hesitated to do this due to cost, but I can say it was worth every penny. My family was much more comfortable with the private shuttle. It was roomy and clean, and the people that drove us there- Fernando and Sonya- were great! We definitely felt we were in the hands of safe drivers. They pointed out interesting things all along the way, making the long drive enjoyable instead of tedious. The restaurant we stopped at was delicious and had a great view. Our favorite stop was the cacao farm, where we learned how to make chocolate and got to taste the cacao fruit (we had no idea the actual fruit was good to eat!) and then the chocolate that we helped make. We will think of the experience each time we eat chocolate from now on. Highly recommend as a fun way to get to or from Cuenca and to get to know the area better!

Andres was our guide and he was AMAZING! He was more than accommodating and truly wanted to give us the best experience possible and properly introduce us to Cuenca's' culture. His English was impeccable, he was personable, and a ton of fun! Andres wore a mask the whole time, in the car and outside, except for this one pic we wanted with him - and he had hand sanitizer ready at every stop. We felt super safe with him! Andres has a background in history from his prior studies and his knowledge and passion for it shined through during the tour and transfer. We also did a day tour with him prior to this chocolate tour and that was equally, if not more, amazing! The chocolate farm is literally in this lady's backyard. We got to taste cacao fruit, roast beans, and make our own chocolate! It was truly a bucket list item for me! I'm only sad it didn't last longer! The shuttle was comfortable and had AC. When we stopped for lunch and snacks, Andres was there to help translate and point out local items to try. The National Park was breathtaking! Coming from Acadia National Park, I see a lot of mountains, but this was truly special. Andres was able to point out different birds and plants that have historical significance. Super cool! He even took us to the highest crossable point of the continental divide! He took pics for us and gave our group time but kept us on track. We're planning on another trip to Ecuador in September and we will defiantly be calling Andres for more tours! Also, his boss, Javier, was also super easy to work with and flexible with our group. Overall, an excellent experience and I highly recommend booking this!

Sebastian was an awesome driver and guide. We also had another tour with him to the Giron waterfall and the Yunguilla valley. Not only was he knowledgeable about the places we went, but he also had answers to all of our general questions about Cuenca and Ecuador. After spending two days with Sebastian, we felt like we made a friend and can't wait to get back to Cuenca to do more tours with him.

Great experience, experienced and absolutely friendly driver . We felt very safe all the time.( thank you Javier) . We stop for a snack in a scenic location and the food we had was absolutely delicious . The only thing I would recommend to the operator is to send a confirmation e mail ( or text) the day before the transfer with a summary ( data, location, meeting point and name of the driver) this would make the full experience even better . I would definitely recommend this operator and I will book again in the future 😊

Wilson is an excellent tour guide! Gave us a great guide of El Cajas, very knowledgeable and polite.

We have used Cuenca Bestours several times over the last year and we have been so impressed with their customer service. Javier doesn’t just treat you like a customer but he treats you like a friend. I’ve traveled a ton in my lifetime and I’ve never taken the time to write a review but I cannot brag on this company enough. On our last trip, we traveled from Guayaquil to Cuenca and we took a short tour through Cajas National Park. My family and I have contemplated stopping at the park several times before we are so glad that we didn’t without our tour guide. Sebastian was our guide and he was a wealth of knowledge. Cajas was breathtaking in and of itself, but our guide made everything come alive. This company is a 10/10. From the moment you book the tour to the moment your tour ends, you will be impressed.

Reaching Guayaquil from Cuenca is quite a trip, first rising 5,000 feet and then heading downwards from the 14,000 peak to sea level. This tour made it the best part of the trip. Cajas Nationl Park is fascinating with a good guide - and Sebastian was a good guide! He knew every plant, bird, flower and tree, as well as all the tricky parts of the path. The lunch was delicious and right for the region, and the visit to the cacao farm was information and endearing. I really recommend this as a finish to a Cuenca trip.

Andres was an amazing tour guide. He was very kind, knowledgeable, and funny. Andres also informed us about Cuenca’s history and nature. We were just blown away. This was an amazing tour and I highly recommend including the lunch! It was a great view and delicious view. I would recommend this to anyone! So happy and thankful we did this tour!

Best trip to the airport EVER! My driver, Wilson, was not only an excellant, thoughtful driver, he is an experienced tour guide. He pointed out geographical features throughout the trip. I learned a great deal about beautiful Ecuador. Thank you!

Incredible guides who really care about what you are trying to get out of each experience. They went above and beyond in every capacity - even driving me 3 hours further than agreed upon because all the buses were closed due to Covid. I did the half day walking tour of Cuenca as well as the transfer from Cuenca to Guayaquil with a stop at the beautiful Cajas National Park as well as a local coco farm. Look no further!

Wilson is a very professional guide. The trip was very interesting, the NP CAJAS is an amazing place with beautiful nature that is worth a visit. An excellent lunch and a visit to the garden with tropical fruits was included. I can highly recommend this trip for travelers from Cuenca to Guayaquil

My wife and I visited the Devil’s nose and Ingapirca on one tour and on a separate day we visited the Cajas National Park. Our guide Wilson was excellent, quite possibly the most well educated guide we have ever had. He was also good fun which is a great combination. The company helped us find solutions during the pandemic so that we could enjoy the surrounding areas of Cuenca. Thanks guys!

Javier was a great guide and very knowledgeable and informative on vegetation and wildlife. We loved the hike through the Cajas and Polylippis forest. The restaurant Javier brought us to for lunch for amazing. We really enjoyed the Cacao farm experience and to participate in the process of making chocolate. It was unique experience to meet the family and see their way of life. We also enjoyed stopping at the fruit market.

I am so glad I chose Cuenca Best Tours. Javier was very efficient with email communication and I was able to pay the deposit via PayPal. When I return with my parents I will book him again. He made our trip memorable. He is not only very knowledgable; he customized the tour to our tastes. We would mention something we liked and he would be on the phone planing for us to have an added experience. We booked two tours with him, a one way tour from Cuenca to Guayaquil and a Cuenca day tour. Being a local he knows the best places to go and the restaurants he picks gives you a taste of delicious local cuisine. We appreciated his extensive knowledge of the city's history and appreciated that he gave just enough and not too much so we were not overwhelmed with facts. The highlights of our tours were Cajas National Park and driving through the cloud forest. I highly recommend this tour company for anyone visiting Ecuador. I am looking forward to taking other tours that explore different parts of Ecuador, the next time I visit. Don't forget to ask for Javier. You can relax and he will take good care of you.

We used Cuenca Bestours for a local Cuenca day tour and the Cuenca to Guayaquil one way tour, and we are very happy we did. They are very easy to communicate with to book the tours, and Javier was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. We had the best experience with him and will recommend this company to anyone planning on visiting Cuenca.

Our guide, a certified national tour guide, was extremely knowledgeable about the culture and traditions of Ecuador. The visit to Cajas and a cocoa farm was wonderful. We recommend using Viator anywhere in the world! This was a stress-free and engaging day!

Sebastian came to pick us up promptly and took us on a two hour hike in the Cajas National Park. He was patient with our huffing and puffing (our youthful years are way behind us) and told us a great deal about the plants and animals we were seeing. The lunch was in a tiny restaurant with a breathtaking view and some of the best food in our entire trip. He was attentive to our every need and dropped us off at our rental with no hitch. I highly recommend this tour both for convenience and the beautiful scenery.

We did a 2 hour hiking in Cajas National Park. The scenery, the small lakes, lagunas, the perennial forest at 3900 m are ethereally beautiful. We were afraid of the altitude and the hiking because we don’t belong to the youngest generation but Javier, our guide was very patient and allowed us time to rest and look around. We met lamas and alpacas and Javier explained a lot about the interesting and beautiful flora and fauna (and culture, people, regions as well). We enjoyed it a lot. We had a wonderful lunch and we visited a cacao farm too. It was great to see a family run small farm. This day was one of our most beuatiful days in Ecuador. Thank you Javier! Zsuzsa and Peter

Super nice guide knew a lot and was mega enthusiastic, safely brought from A to B with fun stops. I would definitely recommend this.

I did this experiment with Guia Pedro. It was excellent, since the trekking in the national park of Cajas, the passage by the family cocoa grower, it went very well! Upon arrival in Guayaquil was super attentive staying with us until the check in to be complete and giving us guidance on the q was safe and what was not...

Everything was perfect. Wilson was very friendly and very patient as we were hanging out with a three-year-old girl. Very rich lunch and very chevere cacao hacienda. Thanks for everything.

Muy bueno todo, el guia Luis 10 puntos siempre atento y brindando toda la información.Linda experiencia

Zuverlässiger und pünktliche Fahrer. Ein Transfer mit tollen Ausblicken und einem routinierter Fahrer

Wenn man von Cuenca nach Guayaquil fahren will ist dies eine super Alternative mit dem Besuch des Cajas Nationalparkes,Besichtigung einer familiären Kakaofarm sowie Stop an einem Fruchtmarkt.

The tour is perfect to get from Guayaquil to Cuenca. The cacao plantation was a great experience. The tasting of the roasted cacao beans was so delicious! Lunch was very good and the restaurant really nice. The tour through the national park was very interesting. My tour guide was fluent in English (which is not a given in Ecuador) and has a wide expertise! Was then safely driven to the hotel in Cuenca. A real recommendation!