Cajas National Park · Walking route

Cajas Route 3: Quinuas Valley

Across the páramo from the Pallcacocha lakes, past Perro Grande and the Lagunas Unidas, toward the Quinuas valley.

Mapped distance: 7.9 km
Walking time: 6 h 55ETAPA estimate for the full route
Difficulty: Moderate
Average altitude: 3,951 m

The route

A full day of open páramo and lakes. Start early: no walk may start or continue after 16:00. Ask at the control where the route ends and how you will get back.

Relief map of Ruta 3 · Valle de Quinuas — Map: © OpenStreetMap · Relief: Copernicus

Highlight this route on the map

Elevation profile

≈ 3,723–4,118 m

Total gain: ≈ 190 m
Total loss: ≈ 520 m

In the direction shown below. Walking in reverse swaps gain and loss.

4,150 m3,700 m

0 km4.0 km7.9 km

Approximate terrain elevation · Copernicus GLO-30

If returning along the same path

15.9 km · gain ≈ 700 m · loss ≈ 700 m

These totals include walking the highlighted path both ways. For a crossing, arrange onward travel from the end.

By car, allow time to get back to your parking place. By bus, plan your finishing stop and the last service before setting out.

Download GPX

Lagunas PallcacochaStart
Perro Grande
Lagunas Unidas
Sector de QuinuasEnd

Before you walk

Register at the control
Ask which way the route is marked that day, and stay on it.
Start early
No walk may start or continue after 16:00.
Dress for cold and rain
Warm waterproof layers, good shoes, water and food. The weather changes fast at this altitude.
Stay out of the lakes
Swimming and wading are not allowed.

Getting there: Start in the Toreadora area. Plan your walk back or transport from the finish before setting out. Transport and registration

More Cajas routes

1Nature and Human History5.5 km · 5 h 05 · Moderate
2Cerro San Luis Summit2.6 km · 3 h 50 · High
3Quinuas Valley7.9 km · 6 h 55 · Moderate
4Historic Paths3.6 km · 4 h 05 · Moderate
5Avilahuaycu Summit1.8 km · 6 h 20 · High
6Burines Valley6.1 km · 5 h 50 · High
7Inca Road and Great Lakes15 km · 14 h 10 · High
8Gran Osohuaycu12.4 km · 7 h 00 · High
9García Moreno Road1.6 km · 1 h 00 · Moderate

Compare all nine routes →

Plan your visit

Sources

Path and distance from OpenStreetMap, checked 16 October 2026. Route name, difficulty, average altitude and estimated walking time from ETAPA; its published distance may differ.

The OSM alignment uses the existing Vía a Patul access and continues through the numbered Ruta 3 paths. It measures about 7.9 km, compared with 8.94 km in ETAPA’s current catalogue; the older guide shows a different approach to Pallcacocha.

OSM paths checked 16 October 2026. The 2012 ETAPA guide covers Routes 1–6.

Elevation profiles use Copernicus GLO-30 terrain, approximately 31 m resolution, sampled every 50 m or less and smoothed over three samples. Gain and loss sum the changes within each section and are rounded to 10 m. Disconnected sections remain separate; gaps add no distance or elevation change.

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