Pasochoa Wildlife Refuge

Pasochoa is an extinct volcano south of Quito whose crater collapsed on one side, and the sheltered bowl that remains held onto something almost gone from the inter-Andean valley: a stand of native highland forest, polylepis, podocarpus and pumamaqui, that was never cleared for farming as the surrounding valley was, and which now stands as a reference for what the whole basin once looked like. Trails of different lengths run from the visitor area up through the forest into paramo, with the longest reaching the crater rim at about 4,200 metres. Over a hundred bird species have been recorded, including hummingbirds, tanagers and the occasional condor, and the reserve is a standard school and day trip from Quito.

What you actually see

• Surviving native Andean forest - polylepis and podocarpus never cleared.
• The collapsed crater bowl - the shelter that preserved the woodland.
• Trails from forest to paramo - routes up toward the 4,200-metre rim.
• A hundred bird species - hummingbirds and tanagers through the trees.

When to go

June to September for the driest trails; mornings for birds. Half a day, a full day for the rim. Weekends bring Quito families and school groups.

Honest expectations

The access road from Amaguana is rough and taxis charge accordingly. The rim trail is long and steep with real altitude gain. Facilities are basic. Cloud closes in most afternoons.

Nearby

Quito is north; Cotopaxi lies south.