Unidas Lagoon

The name of these water bodies, Lagunas Unidas (the United Lagoons), is a metaphor. They are actually linked, hence their name. They are part of a very close group of lagoons, such as: La Toreadora, Toreador, Riñoncocha, Totoras and Patoquinoas. They are located in the northern limit of the Cajas National Park, which is crossed by the Qhapaq Ñan (Andean Royal Road), declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

 

Very close to the Lagunas Unidas, you can also find Tres Cruces Continental Water Divide, San Luis Hill and its Polylepis (or Paper Tree) forest. Due to its easy access from Toreadora Lagoon, on the Cuenca-Molleturo road at km 31, it is ideal for hiking, mountaineering, outdoor and adventure activities.

 

Depending on the weather, the difficulty of the hike is medium with a duration of three hours. Warm clothes and comfortable shoes are required. Complementary activities are bird watching, nature photography, sport fishing. The beauty of the landscape is exceptional.

 

To camp, you must be properly prepared (tent, warm waterproof clothing) and ask permission from the Park rangers, who require strict compliance with some rules. In the nearby Toreadora Lagoon there is a shelter, a cafeteria and an information point. Lagunas Unidas is located at 3,500 meters above sea level.

 

A trail connects Toreadora Lagoon with Lagunas Unidas, bordering the slopes of San Luis Hill and crossing the forest of Polylepis, a tree species better known as “paper tree”. A charming place. With moss carpets. You can feel an atmosphere of fairy tales and elves. This is an ancient forest, estimated to be between 2 and 4 million years old. Unique in its genre because of the exclusivity of the species. It also serves as a refuge for different species of Andean mammals such as deer.