Copyright By Ayacop (public domain), via Wikimedia Commons
Cayambe-Coca is a dramatic National Reserve, mostly known for the massive snow capped volcano standing at 18.994 ft that gives the park its name. The reserve features hundreds of rivers and streams and the famous San Rafael Waterfall: a 525 ft drop, making it the highest waterfall in the country. The trail to reach the falls is well maintained and takes about one hour, round-trip. There are also famous hot and mineral water springs such as Papallacta and Oyacachi situated in the higher portion of the reserve. If you are planning to hike Cayambe Volcano, you can spend the night at Ruales-Oleas-Bergé Refuge which is a hostel-like cabin, built to hold up to 80 overnight guests before reaching the summit.
From the city of Quito you can take the two and a half hour bus trip to Cayambe-Coca National Reserve. There are several tour operators that offer single or multi-day trips to the reserve. If you have a personal vehicle or a rental in the area, you can easily drive there yourself.
The best way to get to Las Grietas is via water taxi from the main port on the Santa Cruz
From the city of Guayaquil, you can take the bus to Montanita, which takes around 3 hours and costs approximately
To visit, the majority of the islands will require that you hire a guide licensed within the Galapagos National Park.
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