Cayambe Coca National Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cayambe Coca National Park |
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IUCN Category II (National Park)
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Cayambe volcano, the park's namesake
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| Location |  Ecuador:Sucumbíos, Napo, Pichincha, Imbabura |
| Nearest city | Quito |
| Area | 4031.03 km2 |
| Established | 1970 |
Cayambe Coca National Park is a special national park in Ecuador. It's located right on the Equator. This amazing park is about 38 miles (61 km) from Quito, the capital city. It covers a huge area of over 4,000 square kilometers (about 1,550 square miles). The park was created in 1970 to protect its unique nature.
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Exploring the Park's Different Worlds
This park is super cool because it has two very different types of land. You can find tall mountains and the Cayambe volcano here. It also has hot, wet rainforests that are part of the Amazon basin. In between, there are cooler, misty cloud forests.
There are three main ways to enter the park. The entrance you choose depends on what you want to see.
- Near the town of Cayambe, you can get to the big mountain. There's a mountain hut called "Ruales-Oleas-Bergé Refuge." It's a place for climbers to stay. You can also find lakes, waterfalls, and forests here.
- Near Papallacta, you can explore beautiful forests and small lakes. This area is called the Páramo. It's a special kind of tropical mountain grassland above the trees.
- A third entrance near Santa Rosa de Quijos used to lead to the amazing San Rafael Falls.
Animals of Cayambe Coca
The park is home to many different animals. In the sky, you might spot large birds like the Andean condor. You could also see the variable hawk flying high above.
Bigger animals in the park include spectacled bears, foxes, and deer. Smaller creatures like Páramo rabbits and armadillos also live here. The park has 106 types of mammals, including the mountain tapir and cougar. There are also 395 kinds of birds, 70 reptiles, and 116 amphibians.
Plants of Cayambe Coca
The park has different types of plant life. You'll find grasslands in the páramo areas. There are also misty mountain cloud forests. Common plants include bunchgrasses, ferns, and lycopods. The park is special because it has over 100 kinds of plants found nowhere else in the world.
People and Culture
Some indigenous people live inside the park. These are communities like the Quechua people of Oyacachi. They live in the Napo Province part of the park. The Cofán people of Sinangoé live in the Sucumbíos Province area.
Fun Things to Do and See
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There are many exciting places to visit in Cayambe Coca National Park:
- Papallacta is famous for its hot springs. It's also a great spot for fishing and watching birds.
- Cayambe Canton has ancient structures built by the Pambamarca people. You can also find Sun and Moon temples there. Part of the famous Inca Trail runs through this area.
- The snow-covered Cayambe volcano is a stunning sight.
- Lake Puruhanta has trails for hiking and places to camp. You can also see old ruins called la Mesa there.
- Lago San Marcos is another beautiful lake to visit.
- The San Rafael Waterfall on the Coca River was once Ecuador's tallest waterfall. It was 131 meters (430 feet) high! But in February 2020, the water stopped flowing in the same way. A sinkhole nearby changed the waterfall into three smaller streams. It's not the same spectacular sight anymore.
- You can explore the Quijos Valley.
- There are also tall mountain peaks like Sarahurco (4,725 m or 15,502 ft) and Cerro Puntas (4,452 m or 14,606 ft). The Reventador Volcano (3,485 m or 11,434 ft) is also in the park.
- You can visit the untouched forests of Paquiestancia and the Cascade of Buga (3,500 m or 11,483 ft).
See also
In Spanish: Parque nacional Cayambe-Coca para niños
- List of national parks in Ecuador
