Antisana Ecological
Reserve
Located in the provinces of Pichincha and Napo with a surface
area of 125,000 ha. The area takes in regions of paramo down to tropical
forest. We can find two types of vegetation, that of the paramo and
of the semi-tropical forest on the slopes of the mountain range.
The mountain range of the Guacamayos is considered to be a very important
zone for the biological diversity of the park. The volcano of Antisana
dominates the region and almost all of the lakes and the geographical
formation are the product of the explosions of the volcano. In this
park we can find condors, wolves, hummingbirds and others.
The hot baths of Papallacta and the lake of Papallacta are accessible
tourist attractions.
Geo-botanical Reserve
of Pululahua
The Geo-botanical reserve of Pululahua covers 3,383 ha split
between 1,800 and 3,356 meters in altitude. Among the animal species
we find: rabbits, hawks, wolves, bats, opossums, lizards and frogs.
The difficult access into the region has allowed the area to maintain
its flora and fauna. Among the species of flora we have grasses and
bryophytes like bledo, chilca, llanten, peralillo, suro and cat's
claw.
The crater of the Pululahua volcano is not experiencing activity and
the areas surrounding the reserve are inhabited, one of the town is
Nublin.
Mindo-Nambillo Protected
Forest
With an extension that covers 19,200 ha, it is located in
the parish of Mindo in the canton of Quito. The vegetation is mostly
natural cloud forest. Included in the varied plant species are trees
like cedar, wild avocado, red arrayan, white cinnamon, and plants
like black raspberry, wild chilis, and stinging nettles. But maybe
its most characteristic trait is the richness of orchids that reach
a total of more than 4,500 species.
Mindo also houses the richest bird fauna of the country with approximately
350 species including: tinamus, cock of the rock, hummingbirds, woodpeckers,
etc. Its butterflies, bats, squirrels, deer, spectackled bear and
small amphibians are also an attraction.
Walking to the waterfalls, visiting the butterfly farm and orchid
farm and sports like tubing, rapelling, mountain biking are favorites
for hundreds of tourists that visit the area every year with all of
the facilities necessary for lodging and fun in the nearby town.
Pasochoa Wildlife Refuge
The Wildlife Refuge of Pasochoa covers 500 ha. Within the
Refuge are 127 species of birds with 17 species of hummingbirds; 232
species of flora with 23 species of orchids and some 10 species of
mammals.
About 100 thousand years ago it was a volcano that erupted destroying
the majority of its crater and western slope, transforming the ancient
volcanic cone into a collapse bowl with a semi-circular shape whose
base sits in the covered crater. The difficult access and steep slopes
of the forest favor its conservation making it not very useful for
agriculture or cattle. Therefore, Pasochoa is one of the few remnants
of original Andean forest.
It is administrated by Fundacion Natura. In the refuge are beautiful
landscapes that can be enjoyed thanks to the basic infrastructure
in place in the refuge for over nights and family activities and mountain
training.
