national park
Cajas National Park
A hauntingly beautiful highland park near Cuenca with over 200 glacial lakes, páramo grasslands, and quinoa trees at 4,000 meters.
27 km · about 30 min drive
South AmericaEcuadorAzuay
Cuenca
Azuay, Ecuador · South America
About Cuenca
Cuenca is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Ricaurte, 27km from Cajas National Park.
Cuenca is in Azuay, Ecuador, with about 640,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Ricaurte, about 5 km away.
Where to Stay in Cuenca
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Filter presets
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Cuenca.
Explore the Area
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Cuenca.
Loading map...
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Cuenca?
Within an hour or so of Cuenca: Cajas National Park (27 km), Ingapirca (41 km).
Where is Cuenca?
Cuenca is in Azuay, Ecuador, about 5 km from Ricaurte.
Road trip
Drive to Cuenca
Add it as a stop and the planner works out the driving, the nights and what's worth seeing on the way.
Start planningWhat's nearby?
Swipe through places to go
Places within a drive of Cuenca. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
Explore now
Quick Information
- Population
- 636,996
- Continent
- South America
- Country
- Ecuador
- Region
- Azuay
- Timezone
- America/Guayaquil
- Coordinates
- -2.8953, -78.9963
Tags
Worth the detour from Cuenca
2 notable places within an hour's drive.
ancient ruins
Ingapirca
Ecuador's most important Inca archaeological site featuring the Temple of the Sun, a perfectly fitted stone structure built without mortar.
41 km · about 45 min drive
Driving roads near Cuenca
- 73 kmMirador Nariz del DiabloA viewpoint at Pistishi over the Devil's Nose, the near-vertical rock face the Guayaquil-Quito railway descends by a zig-zag of switchbacks cut into the cliff in 1902.
When to drive here
Year-round
Tropical latitude: plan around the wet season rather than temperature.
Nearby Destinations
Other places to explore near Cuenca.
Your trip starts here
Plan a road trip from Cuenca.
Pick the days, drop in the stops, and share it with whoever's coming.