Safari to Cuenca

one of the best preserved Spanish colonial cities

Set amongst the southern peaks of the Ecuadorian Andes, around 300 km south of the capital Quito, Cuenca is an attractive and historic city.

The incredibly stable and amenable climate in these high valleys has long proved attractive to settlers, with evidence of human presence dating back over 10,000 years.

The original city on this site, Guapondeleg, is thought to have been established by the Cañari people around 500 AD and became a major centre for agriculture, architecture and religion.

When the Inca invaded around 1480, they renamed the place Tomebamba and developed it to such an extent that it was said to rival their magnificent capital of Cusco (in southern Peru).

Tomebamba is thought to be the El Dorado of Spanish legend, a place fabled to be literally built of gold. But by the time the conquistadors arrived during the 1550s, the city had been abandoned and lay in ruins.

The Spanish invaders established the city of Cuenca in 1557 and it swiftly grew to become the capital of one of the three provinces which would eventually be combined to make up the Republic of Ecuador. (the other two being Guayaquil and Quito).

Modern day Cuenca is generally considered to be the most charming city in the country and one of the best preserved Spanish colonial cities in South America.

It’s a pleasantly small and intimate place, whose historic centre is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The heart of the city is filled with narrow cobblestone streets, picturesque plazas, beautiful churches and historic monasteries.

There are also some interesting and colourful markets, including a lovely daily flower market in the main square. Amongst these streets you can encounter highly-skilled local artisans, not least the makers of Panama hats, which actually originate from here rather than the eponymous country in Central America.

Of course, the city also contains the requisite array of historic buildings, churches and museums to explore, as well as a reasonable selection of boutique hotels and interesting restaurants.

Cuenca is usually visited as part of an overland exploration, travelling south by road from Quito, through the Avenue of the Volcánoes, to arrive in the city. From here it is possible to turn west and travel down to the coastal city of Guayaquil, usually to pick up a flight to Galapagos.

The best time to visit Cuenca is generally considered to be during the Jun-Sep dry season.

Cuenca has a subtropical highland climate. Temperatures are almost constant year round, with the two seasons being largely defined by the variation in rainfall.

Although the weather patterns are essentially similar to those in Quito, the extremes are less and the place remains attractive year round.

During the Jun-Sep dry season conditions are usually warm and dry, with lots of sunshine. Average daytime temperatures usually reach around 20C/68F, with nighttime lows dropping to around 10C/50F. Rainfall is moderate, at around 50mm (2”) per month. Sunshine is up around 7 hours per day, which is around 60% of daylight hours.

During the Oct-May rainy season conditions are usually slightly more warm and wet, with more overcast skies. Average daytime temperatures usually reach around 23C/74F, with nighttime lows holding up around 11C/52F. Rainfall is slightly higher, at around 75mm (3”) per month, rising to 100mm (4”) in Mar-Apr. Sunshine drops to around 5 hours per day, which is around 40% of daylight hours, but can be even lower during that core Mar-Apr period.

Getting there

Although there are regular direct flights between Quito and Cuenca, most visitors choose to do the journey by road, since it passes through the Avenue of the Volcánoes, a fertile valley that runs along the spine of the Andes, flanked by dramatic snow-capped peaks.

Rather than drive or fly back to the capital, the best way to continue from Cuenca is usually to continue by road to the west, down to the coastal plain and the city of Guayaquil, to pick up a flight out to Galapagos.

Where to stay

There are a handful of decent hotels in Cuenca, all of which are located in and around the historic quarter.

easily worth two nights, longer if you have the time