- Address: 170 kilometers from Quito, Ecuador;
- Foundation date: 1992;
- Area: 16,000 hectares.
The El-Angel Nature Reserve is a 16,000-hectare nature conservation zone in the province of Carcía, on the border with Colombia. It is located high in the mountains, about 5 thousand meters above sea level. The main attractions are high-mountain meadows with a unique endemic flora, a system of unusually beautiful lakes.
Features of the climate and soils of the reserve
This is a truly amazing park with a natural high mountain landscape. The area in the reserve is marshy, typical for the ecosystem of paramo-moist high-mountain meadows and uplands with a large number of lakes covered with evergreen vegetation and rare trees. The climate is severe, although in summer the temperature rises to 18 degrees, but the winters are cold. Very rarely the thermometer shows a plus temperature, it usually stops at zero. Complex climatic conditions have led to the fact that in this area the process of decomposition of organic remains is almost absent, and they basically accumulate. The reserve is rich in water, there are many lakes, the largest of them - Voladero. Mountain streams originating in the reserve, provide water to nearby villages and at the foot of the mountains form the rivers El Angel and Mira. Wildlife animals are abundant in the reserve, such as wolves, deer, wild rabbits, there are a lot of trout in lakes, which ducks and gulls like to hunt. Occurs on the territory of the Andean condor reserves. This large predatory bird lives only in the South American Andes and is considered the largest flying bird of the Western Hemisphere.
Amazing inhabitants of the reserve El-Angel
More than 60% of all park plants are endemic and do not occur anywhere else. Almost 85% of the park's area is covered with an amazing plant freylekhon from the family of daisies. These huge, taller than human growth pillars are very similar to garlands. Spectacular shrubs of freylekhon, with large piley leaves of light gray hue (called "hare ears") and huge yellow flowers are the object of close attention of scientists and are popular with tourists. Other types of plants are interesting for polyplepis - paper tree, various orchids, huge pumamaki trees and other varieties of local flora.
How to get there?
On the intercity bus from the north of Quito to Tulkan , in Tulkan, you can hire a bus or truck and drive another 15 km to the park.
In the park of El-Angel laid comfortable mountain paths with signs, which indicate places for camping and other tourist information. From entertainment - sport fishing, rock climbing, hiking.
It is recommended that you take warm clothes, a poncho or a waterproof jacket in case of rain and appropriate shoes.
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