Visits to the reserve must be arranged beforehand through the office of the Jocotoco Foundation in Quito (www.fjocotoco.org).
The road from Cuenca to Machala passes by Girón and later, some 5 km before Santa Isabel, by a small town called La Unión (Cataviña on maps). From La Unión follow the roads indicated on this map. Only smaller buses and cars can get there. Local taxis that can take you there, can be hired on the corner of the main road and the western turnoff into La Unión (north is up on the map). Arrange to meet the park ranger at his house or where the arrow on the map indicates that you can leave the bus next to a water tank.