Quito in the face of Diversity

Biodiversity is a word that gets bandied about a lot these days. Everything, it seems, is biodiverse. Nature reserves, national parks, urban parks – even my neighbour’s garden is reputedly biodiverse. In today’s jargon, places of truly astounding biological diversity are known as ‘hotspots’ – which, in the case of Ecuador, is extremely apt: the country gingerly straddles one of the most volcanically active parts of the planet.

Ecuador is the size of Great Britain; nonetheless, measured in species per square kilometre this small South American country is the most biologically diverse country on Earth. It is home to some 1,650 bird species, 4,500 butterflies, 345 reptiles, 358 amphibians and 258 species of mammals, to merely scratch the surface. What’s more, a huge proportion of the world’s ecosystems can be found within a three- or four-hour drive of Quito.

The capital lies at the heart of the ‘Avenue of Volcanoes’, the parallel lines of volcanoes running along the Andes’ spine, so it’s perfectly placed to take advantage of all that biodiversity. The city itself offers two quick-fix introductions. The Botanical Garden lies inside the Parque La Carolina, and recreates many of the country’s ecosystems in one place, as well as hosting two orchidaria. Elsewhere, the hill called Itchimbia rises to the east of Quito’s World Heritage-listed Old Town, and is topped with an urban park and a beautiful crystal palace which functions as a cultural centre. From here you can appreciate the city’s elongated shape, stretching along the valley at the foot of the looming Pichincha Volcano. If you’re lucky you might also glimpse the snowcapped Cayambe Volcano to the north-east.

The city’s logo is a hummingbird, and it won’t take you long to spot a species or four in the Botanical Garden, flitting from flower to flower. But that’s just a taste of the riot of ‘hummers’ awaiting those who venture to the cloud forests west of Quito. Here, in the watersheds of the Mindo, Nambillo and Tandayapa Rivers, you can spot some 385 bird species, more than 50 of which are hummingbirds. Dozens of lodges dot this area, many secluded in their own private reserves with marked trails that make exploring straightforward, if you don’t mind the odd downpour and a bit of good old-fashioned welly squelching. Many lodges also boast dramatic locations from which to admire the magical dance of the clouds as they thread and weave their way through the mountain scenery.

While you could reach the ecosystems of the coast – including the world’s tallest mangroves – in little over three hours from the Mindo area, the hardcore biodiversity seeker should head over the eastern range of the Andes and down to the Amazon Basin. On the way, there are the pampering hot springs of the Papallacta Spa and Resort to enjoy, as well as a high-altitude lake ecosystem close to the Antisana Volcano. This is great horseriding country, too.

Although wildlife tends to flee human activity, a mere three hours’ drive from Quito you can be swinging in a hammock while listening to the eerie calls of howler monkeys in the distance, paddling down Amazon tributaries for some bird-spotting, or taking a night walk beneath the shadowy canopy. For the brave-hearted, the rivers on this side of the Andes provide some of the best white-water rafting in the Americas, dirt roads to descend on mountain bike, and waterfalls to abseil.

Volcanoes rise at every cardinal point from Quito. Visitors regularly battle the effects of altitude to attempt to summit nearly all the peaks – snow-capped or otherwise. But there is an easier way to get high in the Andes. Cotopaxi, about 65km south-east of Quito, ranks among the world’s highest active volcanoes, towering just shy of 6,000m. Fortunately, due to the fact that it is active and scientists like to study it (and people like to climb it), the Ecuadorians have carved a dirt road all the way up to a car park at 4,600m – so you don’t even have to break into a sweat to stand three-and-a-half Ben Nevises above sea-level. Though biodiversity isn’t the main attraction at these heights, you might spot a condor soaring past – one way or another, there will be something to leave you breathless.

Combine your visit with a Galapagos cruise, todiscuss your plans for the perfect Ecuador encounter, see our Latin America 2009/10 brochure, call our specialists on 08456 345 118 or visit www.balesworldwide.com.