The Northern Highlands - Adventure Guide to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands - page 118

Flora & Fauna

A

long the western slopes of the Andes, in places like
the lower west side of the Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecolog-
ical Reserve, are moist tropical forests born of the Pacific
Coastal mist. Prolific vegetation and bird life exists in
these areas (see The Western Slopes , page 236). Most of the Northern
Highlands, however, are given over to dairy farms, agriculture, and
the cultivation of flowers for export toNorthAmerica andEurope. Mt.
Cayambe (18,933 feet), the third-highest peak in Ecuador, is home to
páramo grassland and a snow-capped peak. The area surrounding
the volcanic caldera of Lago Cuicocha offers a variety of dwarf trees,
shrubs, and mosses. Wildlife consists of shrub-dwelling birds and
other animals, as most of the area lacks forest cover. Flowering
plants, especially orchids, attract a variety of hummingbirds.

Getting Here &
Getting Around

T

he Sierras continue north fromQuito, descending into
lush river valleys and fertile farmland. The Pan-
AmericanHighway provides the main route to the sought-
after market town of Otavalo and farther north to the city
of Ibarra, the quaint colonial capital of the Imbabura province.
Traveling beyond Ibarra generally means heading to a specific re-
serve, into Colombia or northwest toward the coast via SanLorenzo.

From Quito, the highway stretches northwest through Calderón,
then descends along the historically rich Guayllabamba River
Gorge , before ascending again to the lush and productive valleys far-
ther north. Passing through Cayambe , the gateway to the
Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve , the highway reaches
Otavalo within two hours from Quito. From there, numerous oppor-
tunities exist to explore the surrounding region, including indigenous
villages, the town of Cotacachi , the Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecologi-
cal Reserve and Laguna Quicocha . Heading back to the north-
east, the Pan-American Highway reaches Ibarra and additional
opportunities for exploring new areas. Continuing, the highway