Cayambe Coca National Park is a protected area in Ecuador, situated near the Equator and approximately 38 kilometers (24 miles) from the city of Quito. The park covers a total area of 4,031.03 square kilometers (996,090 acres).

The reserve

The park includes two very different areas of Ecuador: the high mountain region with Cayambe volcano and the warm, wet rainforest of the Amazon basin, as well as the cloud forest in between. There are three entrances, and the one a visitor chooses depends on which area they want to explore because there are not many paths inside the park. The entrance near the town of Cayambe in Pichincha Province leads to the mountain. The high mountain hut called "Ruales-Oleas-Bergé Refuge" offers lodging for people who want to climb the volcano, while other features include lakes, waterfalls, and forests. An entrance near Papallacta in Napo Province provides access to forests, small lakes, and the Páramo, a special area with tropical plants that grow on mountains, above where trees can grow. A third entrance near Santa Rosa de Quijos leads to San Rafael Falls, which was once the highest waterfall in the country.

Fauna

Large birds, such as the Andean condor and variable hawk, are often seen flying over the reserve. Spectacled bears, foxes, and deer are some of the larger animals found in the reserve. Páramo rabbits and armadillos are among the smaller animals in the reserve. The reserve is home to 106 species of mammals, including the mountain tapir, cougar, and culpeo. There are also 395 species of birds, 70 reptiles, and 116 amphibians.

Flora

The area has different types of habitats, such as the grasslands of the páramo and mountain cloud forests. Common plants in these habitats include bunchgrasses, ferns, and lycopods. More than 100 plant species are found only in this region.

Culture

There are native groups living in a protected region, including the Quechua people of Oyacachi in the Napo Province and the Cofán people of Sinangoé in the Sucumbíos Province.

Tourist attractions

• Papallacta, which has hot springs and highland prairies used for fishing and bird watching.
• Cayambe Canton, which includes the Pambamarca pre-Incan structures, the Sun and Moon temples in Puntiatsil, and part of the Inca Trail.
• The snow-covered Cayambe volcano.
• Lake Puruhanta, which offers trails, camping, and is home to ancient ruins called la Mesa.
• Lago San Marcos.
• San Rafael Waterfall on the Coca River, until recently the tallest waterfall in Ecuador, with a height of 131 metres (430 ft). On February 2, 2020, the water stopped flowing due to a nearby sinkhole, which split the waterfall into three streams that are now difficult to see.
• Quijos Valley.
• The summits Sarahurco (4,725 metres (15,502 ft)) and Cerro Puntas (4,452 metres (14,606 ft)), and the Reventador Volcano (3,485 m).
• The untouched forests of Paquiestancia and the Cascade of Buga (3,500 m).