Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Eco-Travel
Reserves
Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve
The
Pululahua Crater
is an excellent day-excursion
from Quito. Just a couple of miles beyond the Mitad del
Mundo monument lies this 8,250-acre reserve, protected
primarily by the steep slopes of the extinct volcanic cal-
dera.When the volcano collapsed in ancient times, it left an enormous
cone over 1,000 feet deep. Agriculture dominates the flat and fertile
crater valley, corn and sugarcane being the predominant crops. Moist
Pacific winds from the west provide a variety of microclimates and
blanket Puluhahua's slopes with thick native vegetation.
Visit the reserve early in the day for the best views, before the after-
noon clouds engulf the crater. Views or not, the experience is breath-
taking. There are two cones within the crater:
Loma Pondona
, the
larger of the two, and
Loma El Chio
. A good way to see both cones is
by driving along the rim, which offers magnificent views of the entire
caldera, or you can take a trail down to the valley floor, where there
are opportunities for bird-watching in the thick vegetation. It may
seem like an easy descent, but don't forget about the return climb.
Bring some water. You can also arrange for a tour from Quito in con-
junction with a trip to the Mitad del Mundo monument. See
Adven-
tures on Horseback
page 93 for an exciting way to visit the crater.
Just a couple of miles north of Mitad del Mundo on the road to
Calacalí is a marked turnout to the right that accesses the crater's
rim. This is the entry point for most tour buses. Closer to Calacalí is a
small, unmarked dirt road on the right, which is the entrance road
down into the crater. It is obscure, as well as being a very rough road.
Ask around or go with a guide. Admission is about US$5.
Pasochoa Forest Reserve
Pasochoa has one of the few remaining stands of native Andean hu-
mid forest. It's a private reserve just 45 minutes southeast of Quito.
Although small (only 988 acres), it is a great place to find nature in
close proximity to Quito and to try out that new set of high-altitude
lungs. Pasochoa is one of the only areas near Quito with trails
through relatively untouched forest and is a popular destination for
Search WWH ::
Custom Search