F-1.0 Vilcabamba – PNP-Refugio Cajanuma (Car/Moto)

Distance          35.8 km

Time                1.0 hour

Altitude          1510m - 2780m

Ascent             1645m

Descent           440m

Rating             Easy

Start                Terminal Vilcabamba

End                  Refugio Cajanuma, PN Podocarpus

All the hikes on the Cajanuma side of Podocarpus national Park start at the refugio (centro Administrativo Cajanuma) at 2780m, inside the Park.

Getting there from Vilcabamba is easiest, if you have your own transport. If that is not the case, you can take a “Vilcatouris”-bus to Loja and get off at the park-entrance 10 kilometers before Loja. After registering with the park authorities, (there is no entrance fee, but you have to produce a copy of your passport), proceed hiking or hitching the 8 kilometers (2hours) to the Refugio. Getting a ride is more likely on weekends, during the week there is hardly any traffic. Else, you can hire a taxi in Loja to get you directly to the Refugio at a cost of about 10 $.

A Taxi from Vilcabamba directly to the Centro administrativo including 4 hours standby of the driver for the return trip, will cost you around $ 40.-.  Standby time 4-6 hours, will cost you around $ 50.-