After two months of inactivity we returned to the hill. The river Machángara, one of the four rivers that cross the city of Cuenca from west to east born in the lagoon Machángaracocha. It is necessary to walk three hours from Chanlud.

In Chanlud is the dam that feeds the hydroelectric hydroelectric power stations of Saucay and Saymirín of which are owned by the public company ELECAUSTRO SA. From there we started walking up to the Machángaracocha lagoon .

The landscape is a typical Andean landscape of height: grasses, quinoa, streams and springs, the drizzle and fog that often is present. The singing of birds and the swift passage of a rabbit. Beautiful and fascinating to anyone who has not known (and for those who know this place, too)

After a long journey we reached the Machángaracocha lagoon , where the river Machángara is born . The lagoon is located at an altitude of 3850 meters above sea level. We were able to relax after a long walk.

Sometimes the cold, mist, rain, the walk between exhaustion straw, any fall in the mud, the height and the sun burning you, you wanted to "be at home." But then we always want to go back to those wonderful places, as we have returned many times.

Photos: Javier Crespo and Patricio Altamirano

Editor: Marco A. Bermeo, webmaster and owner of www.CajasPark.com

We appreciate the cooperation of Javier Alvarez, operator of the Chanlud dam, Arturo Valdivieso, guardian of Chanlud and Fernando Agudo, forester of Machángara.