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| Other sites of Interest |
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 Pasochoa
Wildlife Sanctuary
The
Pasochoa Wildlife
Sanctuary is believed
to have been produced
by a volcanic eruption
about a hundred
thousand years ago.
Physical and
biological agents
acted on the lava and
enriched these lands.
Today it is one of the
most popular tourist
destinations due to
its abundant fauna and
flora. There are two
kinds of paths in the
sanctuary: the
self-guided and the
guided. The former are
the
"Hummingbird"
and "Friendly
Nature" paths
that can be covered in
30 minutes. Another
route, taking about an
hour is the
"Forest for
everyone" path.
The
"Mayguayacu",
"Wax Palm"
and "Los
Pantzas" routes
offer two, four and
eight-hour hikes.
Another of the
sanctuary’s
attractions is the
Pasochoa volcano,
whose crater can be
reached by the longest
route. The temperature
ranges from 3 to 21
degrees centigrade and
its altitude climbs
from 2 700 to 4 200
masl.
The flora in the
Sanctuaryis
characterized by the
presence of trees such
as the alder, pumamaqui
and cedrillo.
Other species include
laurel, Andean cedar
and podocarpus.
There are also
medicinal plants, such
as the caballo
chuipa, yerba
mora and culantrillo
del pozo. A
variety of palm (palma
de ramos), gunneras,
multihued orchids and
ferns are also to be
found there.
Insofar as animal life
is concerned, some 120
types of birds have
been identified.
Hummingbirds,
blackbirds, semilleros,
tanagers, plateros,
turtledoves, doves and
wild turkeys are only
a few. There are also
mammals, like the
skunk, fox and shrew
that are difficult to
find in the highlands.
Other inhabitants
include butterflies,
beetles and toads.
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The
large biodiversity of Ecuador’s four regions
shelters thousands of plant and animal species
amid lush national territories. The country
has about 1 640 varieties of birds, roughly 4
500 species of butterflies, 345 of reptiles,
358 of amphibians and 258 species of mammals.
For that reason, Ecuador is considered to be
one of the planet’s 17 megadiverse
countries. This Andean country with its area
of 256 370 km2 possesses more than 25 natural
areas that are equivalent to about 20% of its
territory.
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Access |
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Inasmuch
as each of the national parks is located in a
different part of the country, in reporting on
the main ones, their location in relation to
the capital city of Quito has been indicated.
Most have well-marked roads to make their
visit simpler for tourists.
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Tourist attractions |
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 El
Angel Ecological Reserve.
In El
Angel Ecological Reserve springs, channels,
and lakes emerge and cross the Angel, Bobo,
Grande, Chiquito and la Plata Rivers. Where
the rivers come together, they form the Mira
and Carchi Basins. The upland moors in this
beautiful landscape are considered among
Ecuador’s most humid. The temperature there
ranges from 7 to 11 degrees centigrade. During
the winter months, from November to May, it is
more drizzly and foggy, while in the summer,
from June to October, the sun and winds are
constant elements, with frost in the evenings.
The reserve is located at an altitude of
between 3 644 and 4 768 masl.
The plant life is dominated by arquitectas,
chaquilulos, colorados, poppies,
mortiños, orchids, romerillo
and moor straw. The frailejones,
beautiful flowers endemic to the Andes with
their warm velvety leaves, reach several
meters in height at the reserve. There are
also forests of polilepys with their
peculiar reddish hued trunks.
The lakes of the reserve are teeming with
trout. Other members of the typical fauna
there are the jambato and the marsupial
toad. The birds that can be found most
frequently around the beautiful lakes are moor
partridges, a species of duck known as pato
punteado, the curiquingue, the
Andean seagull and the zumbador.
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 Los
Illinizas Ecological Reserve.
The
majestic Northern and Southern Illinizas are
the main attraction of Los Illinizas
Ecological Reserve. The former displays
reddish sandy expanses and reaches 5 116 masl,
while the latter, with its eternal snow, soars
5 305 masl. The main tributaries of the
Esmeraldas River Basin are born there. Another
beautiful destination in this protected
territory is the Quilotoa crater lake located
in the volcano of the same name. Emerald green
in color, it stands out amidst the only
mountainous landscapes. The altitudes in this
reserve range from 800 to approximately 5 300
masl. Their temperature varies from 0 to 24
degrees centigrade, depending upon the
altitude of the area.
The arrayán, quishuar, pumamaqui
and romerillo are some of the plants to
be found in the reserve. Towards the
southwestern side, where the lands are lower
lying, there are certain plant species that
are more typical of the coast, such as coffee
and sugar cane.
Among the most plentiful animals are the
foxes, skunks, guantas, agoutis,
anteaters, pumas and ocelots. There are also
snakes of the equis species,
particularly in the northwestern sector, and a
type of frog known as jambato. Certain
kinds of birds can also be found, such as, for
example, the so-called estrella ecuatoriana.
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