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Contents

Map of Ecuador’s NaturalHeritage Sites (PANE)

Cayambe Coca National ParkA network of rivers uniting the jungle and the snow

Geographic map of the Park

Faces and tracesKayambis and Cofanes: “people of the sun” and the “true people”

Tourist map

Not to be missed

Things to do

Getting there

Directory

List of outstanding wildlife species

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This brochure offers a panoramic view of the biological and cultural diversity of Cayambe Coca National Park (CCNP), as well as practical information for the visitor: a geographic and a tourist map, must-see sites, outstanding tourist activities, some useful recommendations for your trip, and a directory of services.

The pretty torrenticola frog, called such for its “painted” toenails, was first spotted by scientists close to Papallacta.

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GALÁPAGOS NATIONAL PARK

GALÁPAGOS MARINE RESERVE

GALERA SAN FRANCISCO MARINE RESERVE

MACHALILLA NATIONAL PARK

MANGLARES CHURUTE ECOLOGICAL RESERVE

MACHE CHINDUL ECOLOGICAL RESERVE

SANTA CLARA ISLAND WILDLIFE REFUGE

MUISNE RIVER ESTUARY MANGROVES WILDLIFE REFUGE

EL SALADO MANGROVES FAUNA PRODUCTION RESERVE

SANTA ELENA PENINSULA MARINE FAUNA WILDLIFE REFUGE

EL MORRO MANGROVES WILDLIFE REFUGE

PACOCHE WILDLIFE REFUGE

PARQUE LAGO NATIONAL RECREATION AREA

ARENILLAS ECOLOGICAL RESERVE

ISLAS CORAZÓN Y FRAGATAS WILDLIFE REFUGE

CAYAPAS MATAJE ECOLOGICAL RESERVE

ESMERALDAS RIVER ESTUARY MANGROVES WILDLIFE REFUGE

LA CHIQUITA WILDLIFE REFUGE

ISLA SANTAY AND ISLA DEL GALLO NATIONAL RECREATION AREA

PAMBILAR WILDLIFE RESERVE

LOS SAMANES NATIONAL RECREATION AREA

PLAYAS DE VILLAMIL NATIONAL RECREATION AREA

EL PELADO MARINE RESERVE

LOS ILINIZAS ECOLOGICAL RESERVE

COTACACHI CAYAPAS ECOLOGICAL RESERVE

EL ÁNGEL ECOLOGICAL RESERVE

PULULAHUA GEOBOTANICAL RESERVE

PASOCHOA WILDLIFE RESERVE

ANTISANA ECOLOGICAL RESERVE

EL BOLICHE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA

COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARK

CHIMBORAZO FAUNA PRODUCTION RESERVE

CAJAS NATIONAL PARK

YACURI NATIONAL PARK

QUIMSACOCHA NATIONAL RECREATION AREA

PODOCARPUS NATIONAL PARK

LLANGANATES NATIONAL PARK

SANGAY NATIONAL PARK

CAYAMBE COCA NATIONAL PARK

CUYABENO FAUNA PRODUCTION RESERVE

LIMONCOCHA BIOLOGICAL RESERVE

YASUNÍ NATIONAL PARK

EL ZARZA WILDLIFE REFUGE

COFÁN BERMEJO ECOLOGICAL RESERVE

SUMACO NAPO-GALERAS NATIONAL PARK

EL CÓNDOR BIOLOGICAL RESERVE

EL QUIMI BIOLOGICAL RESERVE

CERRO PLATEADO BIOLOGICAL RESERVE

GALÁPAGOS

PACIFIC COAST

COAST - ANDES

ANDES

ANDES - AMAZON

AMAZON

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Quito

Tulcán

Ibarra

Nueva Loja

Francisco de Orellana

Esmeraldas

Pto. BaquerizoMoreno

Sto. Domingo

Latacunga

Ambato

Riobamba

Macas

Azogues

Guayaquil

Machala

Portoviejo

Santa Elena

Cuenca

Loja Zamora

Guaranda

Babahoyo

Puyo

Tena

100 km

Perú

Colombia

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MAP ofNATURAL HERITAGE SITES

Patrimonio de Áreas Naturales del Estado, PANE

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Cayambe Coca National Park

A network of rivers uniting the jungle and the snow

T he Andean mountain range in Ecuador creates a mosaic of landscapes with sur-prising biological and cultural diversity.

One example of this diversity is Cayambe Coca National Park (CCNP): a snowy volcano on the equator, mega-diverse páramos only an hour from Quito, cloud forests, and tropical jungles. Even its name points to the Park’s diversity: Cayambe is its highest mountain and Coca is one of the large rivers that flows toward the Amazon.

The highland slopes of the Park’s land area are home to the Kayambi culture, an indig-enous people of great historical and political significance. Farther east is Oyacachi, a village in the páramos without automobile access until recently, but once a hub on the traditional trade routes between the Andes and the Amazon;

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Starting in the glaciers, páramos (high plains) and Andean forests slide down the eastern slopes of the mountain range and meet up with the Amazon. Cayambe Coca has some of the most diverse landscapes of all the protected areas in Ecuador and in the world.

Cayambe, with an altitude of 5,790 masl, is the third highest mountain in Ecuador. It’s the only point on land at which the equator passes through a glacier or, in other words, where the latitude and the temperature are both zero.

to the south and east of the Park, hot baths in Papallacta, boating in Baeza and El Chaco, and the awe-inspiring sight of San Rafael Falls. Below, in the mystical jungle atmosphere, sits the Cofán village Sinangüé above the Aguarico River, a gate to the Amazon.

This area has only been a national park since 2010, as Cayambe Coca was an eco-logical reserve up until then. The topography in the higher altitudes is very rough, domi-nated by Cayambe (5,790 masl) and other mountains such as Saraúrco (4,725 masl) and Puntas (4,452 masl). Toward the east,

Biodiversity and endemic species in CCNP*

Flora MammalsBirdsReptilesAmphibians

CCNPno. of species

2,500200900140

15,306380

1,616350

16.352.055.640.0

Ecuador / no. of species

n/d2.9 - 4.32.9 - 8.1

n/d116 464 23.74.7 - 44.6

% endemism

% of national total

* These figures are, of necessity, estimates and subject to change.• Between the altitudes with the lowest and highest concentrations of endemic species. Source: MAE, 2010.

Cayambe (5,790 masl) seen from the slopes of Saraúrco (4,725 masl).

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the topography is less rugged, although it includes El Reventador (3,482 masl), an iso-lated volcano that erupts almost continuously.

More than eighty lagoons sprinkle the páramos among the mountains, most of them in the Ñucanchi Turupamba area, near Papallacta. There and in Oyacachi, the hot baths testify to the region’s volcanic soul.

The area’s biodiversity is not only immense (900 species of birds!) but also unique: 100 endemic plant species and various frogs of the genera Eleutherodactylus and Hyloxalus abound in the Park and its surrounding regions. In terms of variety of ecosystems –several types of páramos, Andean forests, and high Amazon jungles– perhaps only Sangay National Park, farther south, can compete.

The area can be accessed from two points: in the Andes, the Pan-American Highway stretches from the city of Cayambe to the vol-cano of the same name, to San Marcos Lagoon,

CAYAMBE COCA IN BRIEFLocation: El Chaco county (Napo province), Gonzalo Pizarro county (Sucumbíos), Cayambe county (Pichincha), and Pimampiro county (Imbabura) Area: 403,103 hectares

Altitude range: 600 to 5,790 maslClimate: 5 to 25 °C

Nearby settlements: Baeza, El Chaco, Papallacta (Napo), Lumbaqui (Sucumbíos), Cayambe, El Quinche, Olmedo (Pichincha), Ibarra, Mariano Acosta (Imbabura)

Established in: 1970 (changed to national park status in 2010)

and to Oyacachi. From the south, there are various points of access from the Interoceanic Highway between Quito and the Amazon, such as La Virgen, Papallacta, Baeza, or El Chaco. This enormous territory offers innumerable experiences for those who choose to visit.

The Ecosystems of Cayambe Coca National Park

Grassy páramo: the most common páramo, dominated by course grass but spotted with shrubs and soft grasses, located on the west side (ex. outskirts of Cayambe); marshy páramo: in the eastern foothills, swampy areas with species such as Neurolepis and Cortaderia (ex. Oyacachi); high-mountain evergreen forest: also known as low pára-mo, dominated by shrubs and small trees; high-mountain humid thicket: lower re-gion of the marshy páramo, with more shrub species (ex. remnants in Papallacta); cloud forest: many twisting trees and frequent fog (ex. Polyepis forests along the ascent to Papallacta); low-mountain evergreen forest: taller trees with larger leaves; mountain-base evergreen forest: region above the Amazon forests with very tall trees (up to 40 meters) and many palms (ex. Sinangüé).

Cayambe Coca forms part of a dense network of protected areas in the southern Andes: it’s surrounded by Antisana, Cofán Bermejo, El Ángel, and Cotacachi Cayapas. In addition, along with the areas of Cotopaxi, Llanganates, Sumaco Napo-Galeras, Antisana, and Pasochoa, it is part of the Condor Bio-Reserve.

The Aguarico River, one of the largest waterways of the Ecuadorean

Amazon, has its source in CCNP.

Glaciers on the volcano of Cayambe are the only ones that sit atop the equator. Here, both the latitude and the temperature are zero.

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Cotacachi 4, 944

Cuicocha

Atuntaqui

Cotacachi

Otavalo

Tangalí

L. San Pablo

Imbabura 4, 610 m

L. Mojanda

L. Puruhanta

Cubi

La Chimba

Pisque

CayambeTabacundo

Cayambe5, 790 m

Pambamarca(Quito Loma)

4, 075 mCangahua

El Quinche

Yaruquí

Oyacachi

Oyacachi

Pifo

Guayllabamba

Chiche

Guam

bi

L. Nunalviro

Paracocha

L. Sucus

L. Encantada

Papallacta

CuyujaL. Papallacta

L. Muerte Pungu

L. Tucurrasín

Antisana 5, 720 mL. Miracocha

Papallacta

Quijos

Baeza

Cosa

nga

Borja

Quijos

Pan de Azúcar

Cerro Negro

Suno

Molino

Negro

Murallas

Yaguana

Malo

Reventador3, 560 m

Saraúrco4, 676 m

San Rafael

Salado

Azuela

Due G

rande

Anango

Dué

Coca

Tigre

Dashino

Lumbaqui

SunoPayamino

Divino

Cabeno

CabenoAguarico

La Rinconada

Shanshipamba

Blanco

Fuya Fuya 4, 290m

Cusín 3,990 m

Ilaló 3, 185 m

Puntas4, 452 m

PROVINCE OF PICHINCHA

to Quito

to Q

uito

to Ib

arra

PROVINCE OF IMBABURA

Olmedo (Pesillo)

to P

imam

piro

El Chaco

3, 830 m

Reventador

Sinangüé

Puerto Libre

Cofanes

PROVINCE OF SUCUMBÍOS

PROVINCE OF NAPO

to Lago Agrio

N

S

O E

main road

riverprovince limitrailway

summitReserve limit

Sources: ETI, 2011; Jarvis, 2008; MAE, 2011Credits: S. Crespo, P. Cabrera, X. Cordovez

Ecuador Terra Incognita

villageinterest site

access to Reserve

CAYAMBE COCANATIONAL PARK MAP

access to Reserve

secondary road

Elevation

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History tells us that, in pre-Columbian times, the heart of what is today the national park was then densely populated. The inhabitants were

the Quijos, cultural and commercial inter-mediaries between the Amazon plains and the Andes. During the period of coloniza-tion, these populations were decimated, and a space that was once a center of activity became marginalized.

There has, however, been continuity in the occupation of the more western and eastern regions. The Kayambi people have dwelt in the inter-Andean range since at least 2500 B.C., according to archaeological evidence such as that from Puntiatzil, in the urban area

Kayambis and Cofanes: the “people ofthe sun” and the “true people”

Cayambe Coca sits in a region that has for centuries enabled dialogue between human beings and nature, a focal point of the dynamics of interchange between the Andes and the Amazon.

Faces and traces

There are various sites of archaeological significance in Cayambe Coca and nearby areas, such as in the Caranqui ruins of Cochasquí and Zuleta and Quijo petroglyphs in El Chaco, Baeza, and Borja.

of Cayambe. Kayambi traditions and festivals are in many cases connected to sun worship and to the peculiarity of the community’s prox-imity to the equator (which crosses through the Park). During the Festival of the Sun or Inti Raymi, which takes place in Cayambe around the summer solstice (from June 16th to July 2nd), they give thanks for the year’s harvest. The festivals of San Pedro and San Pablo, June 29th throughout the region, seem to have a similar origin, as well as Octavas,

which is celebrated in Juan Montalvo with bulls and dancing at the end of July.

At the other extreme of the Park, the community of Sinangüé on the shores of the Aguarico River heralds the beginning of the Cofán territory. In fact, Sinangüé, which to-day is this people’s westernmost community, marks what was once their original territory. The current distribution of their other com-munities, lower in the Amazon, is a result of displacement by oil drilling in the 1970s.

The community of Sinangüé, in the Park, remains within what was once the traditional territory of this group of people.

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Diversely flavored food: corn, trout, and fava beans with cheese in the Andes; peach palm, chucula (fresh plaintains), and maito (wrapped fish) in the east.

The a’i, or “true people” as they call themselves, are known throughout the jungle for their shamans’ knowledge of the medicinal uses of native plants (in contrast with other ethnic groups, who stand out for their command of magic powers). Their traditional dress includes striking headbands made with bird feathers and the cushma, a long garment inherited from the missionaries of the 18th century.

Perhaps the group that best embodies the shared nature of the Quijos is the indigenous community of Oyacachi, resting in a hidden pocket between the Quito basin and the Quijos River valley in the Amazon.

The legend of the community’s origin tells of a Kayambi and a Cofán family who met there and adopted Kichwa as their common language. Up un-til 1995, the only way to get to the town was on foot. After the construction of a highway, the region has become well-known for its landscape, thermal baths, handicrafts, and curious history.

Oyacachi has many tales related to native wildlife, such as those that tell of the worship of bear and tapir heads. For these practices, the church punished the population by moving the Virgen del Quinche, originally situated in Oyacachi, to its current sanctuary, recently declared one of the “seven wonders of Quito.” Another tradition is crafting utensils and notable wildlife sculp-tures from alder wood. These can be seen in the Expoferia, which occurs once a year on a flexible date, and which also offers natural products and local dishes such as guinea pig and maito (trout cooked in pompano leaves). Activities also occur every January 28th for the Festival of the Virgen.

Maito, grilled plaintain, and chucula are some of the

delicious Amazon dishes that can be enjoyed in the Park.

Mantises are part of the immense diversity of insects that tourists can explore.

South American or ring-tailed coati.

Cofanes Dantupam

ba

Azuela

Salado

Papallacta

Dué

Aguarico

Quijos

Quijo

s

Atuntaqui

Cayambe

Cangahua

La Rinconada

Sigsipamba

L. Encantada

L. Papallacta

El Quinche

Yaruquí

Pifo

Papallacta

Baeza

El Chaco

San RafaelSan Rafaelwaterfall

El Reventador

To Quito

Puerto Libre

Saraúrco4, 676 m

Cayambe5, 790 m

Ilaló3, 185 m

Fuya Fuya4, 290 m

Pambamarca(Quito Loma)

4, 075 m

L. de Puruhanta

L. San Marcos

Cotacachi

Otavalo

Imbabura4, 610 m

Reventador3, 560 m

Cotacachi4, 944 m

L. de Mojanda

L.Cuicocha

Ibarra

PROVINCE

OF PICHICHA

PROVINCE OF NAPO

PROVINCE OF IMBABURA

PROVINCE OF SUCUMBÍOS

To Quito

Oyacachi

ToPimampiro

N

S

O E

Olmedo

Tabacundo

L. San Pablo

Cusín 3, 990 m

Puntas4, 452 m

Cuyuja

Sinangüé

Quito

Tulcán

Ibarra

PapallactaBaeza

Lumbaqui

Nueva Loja(Lago Agrio)

Tulcán-Ibarra: 125 km Ibarra-Quito: 115 km Quito-Nueva Loja: 265 km

Oyacachi

L. Nunalviro

L. Paracocha

l. Sucus

Azu

ela

ACCESS TORESERVE

ACCESS TORESERVE

Sigsipamba

information lodging restaurant camping

birdwatching

lookoutpoint

forest excursion refuge

communitytourism

�ora touristcycling

volcano

horsebackriding

climbing

handicraftlagoonfauna

hot springpanoramicview

Andesarchaeological

zone

waterfall

rafting

kayak

To Lago Agrio

Railway

trail

main roadsecondary road

province limit

Sources: ETI 2011; Jarvis et al. 2008; MAE 2011Credits: Esteban Garcés and Ximena Cordovez

Ecuador Terra Incognita

river

summit

protected area

TOURIST MAP OF CAYAMBE COCA

NATIONAL PARK

villageinterest point

Tulcán-Parque: 106 km

Ibarra-Parque: 94 km

Quito-Parque: 100 km Papallacta-Parque: 8 km

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Oyacachi

Hot baths and bears in the mist

O yacachi is an indigenous community within the Park, situated 3,200 meters

above sea level in a valley that opens to-ward the Amazon. For centuries, the people of Oyacachi have connected and shared their culture with many other east-ern Andean communities by traveling on foot. Today, visitors can arrive via a road from Guachalá, next to the Pan-American Highway, crossing through the páramos of Cangahua. Oyacachi has a spectacled bear conservation program and a community tourism project (telephone: 0985071925) that offers hikes, lodging, and meals. Visi-tors can hike the trail to El Chaco, which takes two to three days. The thermal baths (entrance fee of US$ 3) retain their natural atmosphere by being located near the river.

Thermal baths in Papallacta

Lagoons and forests an hour and a half from Quito

M oving along the Interoceanic Highway toward Cayambe Coca National Park,

agricultural and suburban valleys give way to Andean forests and páramos speck-led with lagoons. The largest of these is Papallacta, where some of the water con-sumed in Quito comes from. After crossing seemingly enchanted forests of polylepis (“paper trees”), myrtle, and asters, one ar-rives in the town of Papallacta, where there are thermal pool options for all budgets and tastes. These pools, with tempera-tures between 36 and 40 °C, are known to cure intestinal, muscular, respiratory, and nervous maladies. On clear days, the vol-cano Antisana makes the landscape even more breathtaking.

San Marcos Lagoon

Sacred waters that irrigate the fields

F rom the town of Olmedo toward snowy Cayambe lie fields that are watered

by ancient irrigation systems. They are lands that once belonged to large estates of the past but now are the property of indigenous communities. Near the commu-nity of La Chimba –where the pioneering indigenous leader Tránsito Amaguaña was born– is the San Marcos Lagoon, still within the Park. It’s the most easily accessible of the many lagoons and marshes surround-ing the great mountain. In San Marcos, 3,400 meters in altitude and formed by thawing waters from Cayambe, visitors can observe ducks, condors, carunculated caracaras, black-chested buzzard-eagles, and hummingbirds. There are good sites for camping and a trail between the high Andean forests and the páramos, whose

In the lower part of the Park, visitors can walk among the giants of the moist tropical forest.

The spectacled bear is one of the emblems of this protected area.

Of all the forms of tourism, camping is the friendliest to nature.

Not to be missed

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difficulty varies with the moisture and the season (dryer between July and September and at the beginning of the calendar year).

San Rafael Falls

An Amazon flow plunging 160 meters

A t the point where the provinces of Napo and Sucumbíos meet, 50 kilometers be-

low El Chaco, we find this site where water from the Quijos River forms three waterfalls and explodes into mist in the middle of a for-est full of birds, to then continue its course with the name Coca. Cocks-of-the-rock can be spotted with some ease, although one must take a special hike to observe their mating dance. Other iconic birds are the Ecuadorean piedtail, the blue-gray tanager, and the Amazon umbrellabird. To observe the waterfall, walk 600 meters from the road to the Environmental Ministry’s guard station in San Rafael and then two more kilometers to the observation point.

Sinangüé

Coexisting with nature on the banks of the Aguarico River

This Cofán community is in the lowest region of the Park, at 600 meters of al-

titude. Here, visitors can learn something of this people’s worldview, sharing with them shaman ceremonies, preparation of

traditional foods and crafts, and celebrations. Walking forest trails with an indigenous guide is an amazing and entertaining way of learning about the Park’s flora and fauna and the ways in which the natives make use of them. To get there, travel toward La Bonita on the Quito-Lago Agrio road. Buses leave from Lago Agrio and can also be picked up on the bridge above the Aguarico.

The areas surrounding San Rafael Falls are an excellent place to spot the cock-of-the-rock (above).

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Visit and climb Cayambe

C ayambe’s bulk is divided between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, as

the equator lies close to its peak (5,790 masl). From the city of Cayambe, one can reach the comfortable Ruales Oleas Berge refuge, which is close to the Hermoso glacier (4,700 masl) and has the capacity to sleep up to 80 people. From there, climbers begin their ascent to the top, with specialized guides only. The climb is of medium difficulty, but there are stretches of séracs (places where the glacier becomes brittle and breaks) that require technical knowledge and caution. From the refuge, one can enjoy this paradoxically icy landscape above the tropics.

There is a road for four-wheel-drive vehicles from Cayambe. From there, transport can be hired for US$ 50.

Mountaineering Group of San Gabriel High School: http://cotopaxi.8m.com

Sleeping in the refuge: US$ 10. Climbs: between US$ 300 and 500 per person.

Ascend El Reventador

El Reventador is an isolated, smoking cone to the east of Ecuador’s eastern mountain range.

On a good day, one can glimpse from its peak a magnificent view of volcanoes and the Amazonian plains. Its last forceful eruption occurred in 2002, when ash covered the surrounding area all the way to Quito. Climbing the volcano isn’t difficult in technical terms, but hikers must cross muddy zones carrying their backpacks. It’s necessary

to go with an authorized tour operator and to investigate the probability of an eruption (climb-ing can sometimes be prohibited). Getting to the peak requires two days and one night of camping. Hikers cross forests with many orchids and birds before reaching the summit.

The climb starts at San Rafael Falls (see above).

Cayambe Coca NP: (06) 301 9208 / Quijos County Council: (06) 232 0112

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Hiking through the high Andes

The páramos and forests of the Park offer hiking and trekking options for the day (La Virgen to

Sucus lagoon and Oyacachi to Papallacta) or for multiple days (Oyacachi to El Chaco and El Cóndor). The eight kilometers (three hours) from La Virgen to the glacial lagoon of Sucus is an ideal trek for beginning hikers. Oyacachi to Papallacta is a trail of 36 kilometers through waterfalls and páramo lagoons (one or two days). From Oyacachi, it’s also possible to descend to El Chaco on a path that

local people use to travel east. The path stretches 42 kilometers (three to five days) through a canyon with forested slopes, one of the most interesting routes within the Park. Another captivating trek begins along the southern edge of the Park, in El Tambo, next to the lagoon of Papallacta, and crosses 60 kilometers (three to five days) through the Antisana Reserve until arriving at Limpiopungo in Cotopaxi National Park.

Hikes should be taken only with accredited guides.

See Directory. Cayambe Coca N.P.: (02) 211 0370Starting at US$ 65 per person.

El Reventador (3,485 masl) is one of the country’s most active volcanoes.Things to do

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Bird watching

Ecuador is famous for its diversity of birds, and Cayambe Coca offers a sen-

sational sample: from condors, carunculated caracaras, and ibises in the high altitudes, to parrots and toucans in the Amazon. Al-most any site in the Park is exceptional for bird watching. San Rafael Falls has already been mentioned, with its eastern subspe-cies of the cock-of-the-rock. Hummingbirds such as the sword-billed hummingbird, the tourmaline sunangel, the chestnut-breasted coronet, and the gorgeted woodstar are only four of the many species that can easily be observed from the eastern hills. The San Marcos Lagoon is a highly regarded spot for seeing high Andean birds, and Sinangüé is valued for seeing tropical birds. Various places in the area of Quijos are well-known destinations for special tours.

See Directory

Water sports in El Quijos

Bordering the Park to the south, the Quijos River offers particularly good

conditions for Class IV (very difficult) white-water sports; important interna-tional rafting events have taken place here, including the world championship of 2005, and, every year at the beginning of November, there is a national rafting and kayaking competition. Trips should be taken with qualified tour guides.

Tours generally include transportation from Quito; the Quijos River is entered from the Interoceanic Highway on the second Quijos bridge, from the bypass or from the parish of Borja.

Quijos County Council: (06) 232 0112From US$ 150 to 400 per person.

Rock climbing

F ive minutes from Pifo toward Papallacta is Sigsipamba, the location of the

Machuco climbing rock. Another interesting destination is Cuyuja, between Papallata and Baeza. This spot has become a mecca for climbers. The vertical rock, up to 75 meters high, is first-class and offers many routes and variations. Specialized equip-ment should be used.

Cuyuja is 16.4 kilometers to the east of Papallacta on the Interoceanic Highway. To reach the wall, cross the Papallacta River.

monodedo.com/web/paginas/topos/cuyuja.html Use of the climbing wall is free.

The Pifo-Baeza road offers many magnificent places, such as Sigsipamba, ideal for rock climbing.

The carunculated caracara inhabits the páramos as well as Andean legends and songs.

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started sustainable tourism projects that help to improve their livelihoods and, at the same time, make visitors more aware of the neces-sity of conserving this irreplaceable environment. Choosing these options is recommended.• Indigenous communities like Oyacachi and Sinangüé are experiencing rapid cultural changes due to the recent appearance of high-ways. It’s of utmost importance that visitors be respectful of and sensitive to this reality.

Money matters

In Cayambe and Lago Agrio, travelers can use credit cards in many establish-ments; there are banks and ATMs in the city centers. Payments for various activi-ties can be made via phone or online. In the smaller cities and in villages, it’s nec-essary to use cash. Transportation must almost always be paid for in cash.

Important contact information

- 1 800 TURISMO (1 800 887 4766)- Cayambe Coca N.P.: (02) 211 0370- San Rafael guard station: (06) 301 9208- El Chaco guard station: (06) 232 9743- Quijos County Council: (06) 232 0112 (06) 232 0002- Baeza Hospital: (06) 232 0117- Cayambe Hospital: (02) 236 1150- Baeza Police: (06) 232 0430- Cayambe Police: (02) 278 4071

Getting there

Transportation

• To get to the city of Cayambe, take a bus that leaves from Quito (US$ 1.25) from the Carcelén or the Ofelia terminal (Cooperative Flor del Valle). From Ibarra, the fares are the same in the opposite direction.• From Cayambe, take a Cayambe company bus to La Chimba (US$ 0.60) to get to the San Marcos Lagoon. From there, one can rent a pickup truck to the lagoon (≈US$ 5); passengers should request that the driver wait at the site for the ride back. A pickup truck to the lagoon can also be rented from Cayambe (US$ 15).• To get to the refuge from Cayambe, one can rent a pickup truck, but the road is sometimes impassable. Trucks can take up to 10 people (≈US$ 50). The chauffer must also be contracted for the return trip.• For the Amazon zone, Lago Agrio is a good base from which to continue to the Park. TAME (02 396 3239) and Aerogal (1 800 AEROGAL) fly from Quito to Lago Agrio every day between 7:00 am and 4:00 pm (≈US$ 160 round trip, discounts for minors and senior citizens).• Certain bus cooperatives (Baños, Loja, Occidental, Putumayo, Transesmeraldas, among others) travel every day at vari-ous times from Quito’s main bus terminal to Lago Agrio (US$ 8). It’s possible to

disembark at any of the intermediate points: Baeza, El Chaco, San Rafael Falls, El Reventador, La Bonita (to go to Sinangüé), and Cascales.

Security and health

In the higher zones

• Take precautions against the cold and the altitude, especially when mountain climbing.• Lemon balm tea can ease the effects of altitude sickness.• Hikers must be prepared with warm clothing, including hats and gloves, but should also be prepared to shed some lay-ers; at certain times of day, the highland heat can be intense. Visitors should use goggles in the snow and hiking books on irregular surfaces.• Because of the intensity of ultraviolet rays even on cloudy days, it is essential to use sunblock.• While there are no pests or dangerous plants in the páramo, visitors should always take care not to eat unfamiliar wild fruits or hurt themselves on sharp or spiky leaves.• It is recommended that visitors carry durable bottles or canteens with plenty of water and avoid using disposable plastic bottles.

In the lower zones

• Use tall rubber boots to protect yourself from mud, from thorns and branches, and from possible stings.• Visitors should use insect repellent and, while sleeping, a mosquito net (malaria has been reported in certain areas).• For water sports, it’s necessary to be familiar with the difficulty of the passages you want to traverse and to be aware of possible flooding.

When to visit

Even though traditional weather cycles have changed in the last decades, the least rainy season continues to be between June and September and near the beginning of the calendar year. This is true both for the páramos and the Andean forests, as well as for the lower regions. Nevertheless, one can visit at any time of year. To predict rain in the short term, it’s useful to know that winds carry water from the Amazon, and as such clouds from the east signal potential bad weather. Other criteria for planning a visit are local festival dates.

Sustainable tourism practices

• The páramos and the Andean forest are fragile ecosystems where one must be very cautious; walk only on marked trails, always collect trash, and put out fires completely (if it’s permitted to build one). We shouldn’t leave any signs of our presence.• We may not remove anything from the Park except for crafts or foods that we find in the communities.• Various communities throughout the Park have

Entrance to all PANE continental protected areas is free for residents and foreigners.

26 27

CAYAMBE

Hostal Mitad del Mundo Natalia Jarrín S57-74 and Córdova Galarza 7.50 (breakfast not included, shared bathroom) (02) 236 0226 second

Hostal Imperial Ascázubi 62 and pasaje La Libertad 9.50 (breakfast not included) (02) 236 4417 second

Hostal Miraflores de Yasnan Pan-American Highway South and Rosalía Arteaga, Miraflores sector 10 (breakfast not included) 099 990 5854 third

Pensión El Sol de Cayambe Rocafuerte S9-016 and 29 de Septiembre 15 (breakfast not included) (02) 211 0420 second

Hostería Jatun Huasi Pan-American Highway North, kilometer 1.5 33.50 (02) 236 3777 / 098 269 2702marketing@hosteriajatunhuasi.comwww.hosteriajatunhuasi.com first

Hostería Guachalá La Bola district, San Luis de Guachalá Street 44.50 (breakfast not included) (02) 236 3042 / (02) 236 2426info@guachala.comwww.guachala.com first

EL CHACO

Pensión El Chaco 13 de Junio and 13 de Enero streets 8.96 (breakfast not included) (06) 232 9165 third

Hostería La Guarida del Coyote Bellavista Los Guabos development 10 (06) 232 9421 second

Pensión Katheryne Marco Chacón and Quito 11.20 (breakfast not included) (06) 232 9146 third

Pensión Carlita Between La Revolución and Quito streets 8.96 (breakfast not included) (06) 232 9055 third

GONZALO PIZARRO

Hostal Paladines Cristóbol Colón and Los Cofanes Ave. 11.20 (breakfast not included) (06) 234 0222 third

Hostal Sandrita Chiriboga Alcalá and Río Dorado 16.80 (private bathroom); 5.60 (sha-red bathroom) (breakfast not included) (06) 234 0192 third

1. Thermal baths 2. Horseback riding 3. Guided tours 4. Cycling 5. Tree climbing 6. Mountaineering

7. River boating 8. Rafting and kayaking 9. Cultural tours 10. Community tourism

Tour operators

Activities

Quito

Ecoandes Travel Andesadventure(02) 222 0892quito@ecoandestravel.comwww.ecoandestravel.com1 2 3 4 5 9

Ecomontes Tour(02) 290 3629 / 099 709 4453info@ecomontestour.comwww.ecomontestour.com1 3 5 6 7 9

Ecuadorian Alpine Institute(02) 256 5465eai@andinanet.netwww.volcanoclimbing.com1 3 4 6 9 10

Ecuadorian Tours(02) 256 0488info@ecuadoriantours.comwww.ecuadoriantours.com1 3 5 6 7 8 9

Explorandes(02) 222 2699 / 255 6936explorandes@explorandes.com.ecwww.explorandes-ecuador.com1 3 6 7 8 9

Julio Verne(03) 296 3436 / 099 416 7350info@julioverne-travel.comwww.julioverne-travel.com1 3 4 5 6 7

Sierra Nevada Expeditions(02) 255 3658info@sierranevada.ecwww.sierranevada.ec1 3 4 6 9

South American Tours(02) 227 7365ecuador@southamericantours.comwww.southamericantours.com/sat_ecuador.html1 3 5 6 7

Wayra Routers(02) 604 6800 / 099 500 1495mlanusse@wayrarouters.comwww.wayrarouters.com1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Zona Travel Ecuador(02) 333 0005contacto@aventuraecuador.comwww.aventuraecuador.com/turismo_kichwa_shayari.html1 3 5 6 7 8 9 10

Surtrek(02) 250 0530info@surtrek.comwww.surtrek.com1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Cayambe

Cayambe Explorer(02) 211 0813wernercbc@hotmail.com3 6 9

Inti Explorer(02) 236 0564intiexplorer@yahoo.com3 6 8 9 10

U&A Cayambitours(02) 236 48453 6 9

Quijos

Small World Adventures099 792 0120 / 098 963 7865info@smallworldadventures.comwww.smallworldadventures.com3 8

Termas de Papallacta(02) 256 8989 / (06) 289 5060termasuio@termaspapallacta.comwww.papallacta.com.ec1 3 8

QUIJOS

Pensión La Casa de Gina Baeza Vieja 8 (breakfast not included) (06) 232 0471 third

Hostal Coturpa Papallacta 20.30 (06) 289 5000 / 098 628 0274info@ hostalcoturpa.comwww.hostalcoturpa.com second

Hostería La Campiña del Quijos Interoceanic Highway, Atanasio Minda Street 22 (06) 232 0701info@campquijos.com first Hostería Termas de Papallacta Papallacta 139 (three-person room, breakfast not included) Entrance to thermal baths: US$ 7 adults; 3.50 children (02) 256 8989 / (06) 289 5060termasuio@termaspapallacta.comwww.papallacta.com.ec first

Hostería Guango Lodge Pifo-Baeza road, kilometer 53 140.30 (includes three meals) (02) 382 2310 / 099 358 1250info@cabanasanisidro.comwww. cabanasanisidro.com second

Lodging

address categoryreference price contact

Prices are per guest and include taxes but not breakfast, unless otherwise indicated.

Directory

Series director: Andrés VallejoEditorial design and edition: Nadesha MontalvoTexts: Patricio MenaDesign: Esteban GarcésPhotographic research: Martina Avilés and Alegría AcostaMaps: Susana Crespo and Pablo CabreraMap coordination: Ximena CordovezEnglish translation: Amanda BlewittText revision: David Padgham

Photo credits:Andrés Vallejo (content); Pablo Larrea (5); Enrique de la Montaña (7:canoe);Gustavo Proaño (7:glacier); Elliot Smith (11); Juan Pablo Verdesoto E. (12:food, 17:forest);Rafael Cárdenas / biographica.com.ec (12:mantis); Murray Cooper (12: coati, 17:bears, 23:curunculated caracara); Joe Italiano / .lahesperia.com (17:campsite); Richard Parsons / Bellavista Lodge (17:bird); Pete Oxford (17:waterfall, 21); Esteban Barrera (23:climber)

Coordination, Ministry of Tourism: Mónica Burbano Montalvo and Liliam FigueroaRevision, Ministry of Tourism: Undersecretaryship for Tourism Management, Undersecretaryship for Tourism Promotion and Undersecretaryship for Information and CommunicationRevision, Ministry of the Environment: National Biodiversity Directorate and Area Chief

References • Coloma-Santos, Andrea, 2007. Reserva Ecológica Cayambe Coca. En: ECOLAP and MAE. Guía del Patrimonio de Áreas Naturales Protegidas del Ecuador. ECOFUND / FAN / DarwinNet / IGM, Quito• Fundación Antisana, 1998. Plan de manejo de la Reserva Ecológica Cayambe Coca. Ministerio del Ambiente, Quito• Instituto Geofísico, 2012. Reventador. Escuela Politécnica Nacional (www.igepn.edu.ec/index.php/volcan-reventador.html)• Kohn, Eduardo, 2002. Infidels, virgins, and the black-robed priest: a backwoods history of Ecuador’s montaña region. Ethnohistory 49(3):545-582• Lasso, Geovanna, 2009. Guión turístico de la Reserva Ecológica Cayambe Coca. Ministerio del Ambiente, Quito• MAE, 2010. Propuesta de manejo para el Parque Nacional Cayambe Coca. Ministerio del Ambiente, manuscrito, Quito• Mena, Patricio, Galo Medina and Robert Hofstede (eds.), 2001. Los Páramos del Ecuador: Particularidades, Problemas y Perspectivas. Proyecto Páramo and Abya Yala, Quito• Rachowiecki, Rob and Mark Thurber, 2008. Ecuador: Climbing and Hiking Guide. Viva Travel Guides, Poulsbo

This document may be cited as:Ecuador Terra Incognita, 2012. Informative brochure for sustainable tourism in Cayambe Coca National Park. Ministry of Tourism / Ministry of the Environment, Quito

© Ministry of Tourism of Ecuador, 2012

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pártalo

Mammals Mountain pacaCuniculus taczanowskii

Humboldt’s woolly monkeyLagothrix lagothricha

White-bellied spider monkeyAteles belzebuth

JaguarundiPuma yagouaroundi

South American coati •Nasua nasua

Little red brocket deerMazama rufina

JaguarPanthera onca

Collared anteaterTamandua tetradactyla

Silky anteaterCyclopes didactylus

Mountain tapir •Tapirus pinchaque

South American tapir •Tapirus terrestris

Spectacled bear •Tremarctos ornatus

Birds

Black-billed mountain toucan •Andigena nigrirostris

Cobalt-winged parakeetBrotogeris cyanoptera

Sickle-winged guanChamaepetes goudotii

Black-chested buzzard-eagle •Geranoaetus melanoleucus

Speckled chachalacaOrtalis guttata

Andean guanPenelope montagnii

Black-headed parrot •Pionites melanocephalus

Variable hawkButeo polyosoma

Salvin’s curassowMitu salvini

Andean cock-of-the-rock •Rupicola peruviana peruviana

Golden-collared toucanet •Selenidera reinwardtii

Andean condor •Vultur gryphus

Carunculated caracara •Phalcoboenus carunculatus

Black-faced ibis •Theristicus melanopis

Sword-billed hummingbird •Ensifera ensifera

Tourmaline sunangel •Heliangelus exortis

Chestnut-breasted coronet •Boissonneaua matthewsii

Gorgeted woodstar •Chaetocercus heliodor

Ecuadorean piedtail •Phlogophilus hemileucurus

Blue-gray tanager •Thraupis episcopus

Amazon umbrellabird •Cephalopterus ornatus

Aquatic birds

Black-bellied whistling-duck •Dendrocygna autumnalis

Torrent duck •Merganetta armata

Amphibians and reptiles

Peter’s stubfoot toad †Atelopus petersi

Cosanga rocket frog •Hyloxalus pulchellus

Pretty torrenticola frog •Hyloscirtus lindae

Glass cochran frogCochranella resplendens

Napo plump toad*Osornophryne antisana

Robber frogEleutherodactylus spp. •various species

Spectacled caimanCaiman crocodilus

Yellow-spotted river turtlePodocnemis unifilis

Plants Alder •Alnus acuminata

Burret*Astrocaryum urostachys

Peach palm •Bactris gasipaes

Myrtle •Myrcianthes rhopaloides

Polylepis •Polylepis incana

Pampas grass •Cortaderia spp.

South American bamboo •Neurolepis spp.

Pampano •Calathea lutea

Aster* •Gynoxys hallii

* species endemic to Ecuador • species mentioned in the text † possibly extinct

Below is a short list of some outstanding wildlife found in Cayambe Coca. Given the extraordinary diversity in this area, it is, of necessity, an incomplete list. Enjoy filling it in!

CONSCIOUS TOURISMIs Love for Life

Conscious tourism is a life-transforming experience that leads to personal growth, making us better human beings.

This new concept is based on principles of sustainability and ethics, and promotes peace, friendship, respect, and love for life as the essence of tourism.

It is a pact to live together in a responsible, mutually respectful fashion, in communion with tour agents from sending and receiving communities, the tourist, and the natural and cultural heritage.

Conscious tourism is a living, dynamic concept in constant development. It is an experience in giving and receiving.

Distributed

free of charge

El Telégrafo E7-58 and Av. de los ShyrisAv. 6 de Diciembre N59-161 and Manuel Zambrano

Quito-EcuadorTelephone: (02) 399 9333