El Cajas National Park
Highland park of lakes, wet grassland and rocky peaks west of the city. Trails of different lengths pass through cool, misty scenery and offer a chance to see Andean birds.
Cuenca
In the southern Andes, this graceful UNESCO-listed colonial city is known for Panama-hat workshops, rivers and a blue-domed cathedral.
Attractive locations
New Cathedral of Cuenca
Large church on the main square, topped by shining blue and white domes. The domes are the best-known feature of the city skyline.
Parque Calderón
Main square of Cuenca, shaded by trees and surrounded by the cathedrals and old buildings. Locals meet here, and cafés nearby are a good place to rest.
Pumapungo Museum
Museum and archaeological park on the site of an Inca-era settlement. Displays cover the cultures of Ecuador, and the grounds hold ruins, a garden of native plants and an aviary.
Old Cathedral of Cuenca
Colonial church on the main square, no longer used as the main cathedral and now open as a museum. Its plain stone walls and simple interior contrast with the grand church next door.
Ingapirca
Largest known Inca ruin in Ecuador, where a stone oval temple was built over earlier Cañari remains. Guides explain the Sun Temple and the site layout, and the road from Cuenca crosses open highland.
Airports
Mariscal Lamar Airport CUE
It is about 2 km in a straight line from Cuenca.
José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport GYE
It is about 128 km in a straight line from Cuenca.
Coronel E Carvajal Airport XMS
It is about 119 km in a straight line from Cuenca.
Scams and safe taxis
Taxi and scam advice for this country is on the Ecuador page
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan14.0 °C85 mm
- Feb14.0 °C97 mm
- Mar13.8 °C124 mm
- Apr13.5 °C107 mm
- May13.0 °C89 mm
- Jun11.8 °C79 mm
- Jul11.5 °C58 mm
- Aug11.9 °C51 mm
- Sep12.8 °C49 mm
- Oct13.8 °C80 mm
- Nov14.2 °C86 mm
- Dec14.0 °C82 mm
Driest months: Jul, Aug, Sep. Wettest months: Feb, Mar, Apr.
Costs
Prices here are about 43% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Who can help
Emergency
911 for all emergencies.
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Ecuador
Helps with: The UN migration agency in Ecuador. It works to protect people on the move, supports lasting solutions to displacement, and does emergency preparedness work with government and partners.
Who qualifies: Migrants and displaced people in Ecuador, and government or other partners. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +593 2 393 4400
Address: Julio Alarcón Ayala E5A y Alfonso Pereira, Edificio Zaigen, piso 12, Quito, Ecuador
local government
Emergency number 911 (police, ambulance and fire)
Helps with: Reaches the police, ambulance and fire services in Ecuador. The number comes from UK government travel advice.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors, can call this number.
Phone: 911