Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
El Ángel is about four hours north of Quito. There are a few access
routes into the reserve. One main (paved) road is Ibarra-Mira-El
Ángel; the other is Ibarra-Pimampiro-Bolívar-San Gabriel-Tulcán.
For the former, the paved road from the town of El Ángel to Tulcán
quickly becomes deteriorated. Follow it north about 10 miles to El
Voladero, where you can park, as long as you know you are there, and
follow the trail to nearby lagoons (under an hour, camping available).
FromTulcán, you can hire a truck or hop on a bus that will take you to
the beginning of the reserve's trail system and out to the El Voladero
Lagoons. Inquire in town. Always bring a good map and preferably a
local guide. Adventures into this region are often done in conjunction
with the
Cerro Golondrinas Cloudforest Trek
(see page 136).
Guided Trips
For guided trips to El Ángel, try contacting
Neblina For-
est
in Quito at Centro Comercial La Galería Local No.65;
2-2460-189, fax 9-703-939, mrivaden@pi.pro.ec. Weekly
departures cost about $50 per person per day and require a
minimum of six people. Guide services, tents, and food are
included. Bring your own sleeping bag, rain gear, and rub-
ber boots. The dry season between June and September is
best.
Jatun Sacha & the Guandera
Cloud Forest Reserve
The 2,590-acre Guandera Biological Reserve and Station was pur-
chased in the 1990s by the Jatun Sacha Foundation. The project is
dedicated to preserving one of the last intact inter-Andean valley for-
ests remaining in this part of Ecuador. The land is important for its
relatively high biological diversity for a forest at such high elevation.
Named after a characteristic tree species of the northern inter-
Andean forests of Ecuador, Guandera is also a center for research, ed-
ucation, and community service. More information and volunteer op-
portunities are available through Jatun Sacha and can be viewed
online at www.jatunsacha.org or www.jatunsacha.org/english/
guandera.html.
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