Adventure Tours

Podocarpus National Park

5 Day Trekking

The Podocarpus National Park is located in the South of Ecuador and stretches over three provinces - Loja, Zamora and Morona Santiago - and two main regions; the Andean highlands and the Amazon Basin. The park can be clearly divided into five life zones, each rich in biodiversity and characterised by different flora and fauna. Unique flora includes Podocarpus, the only indigenous Andean conifer and the famous Cinchona plant from which quinine was obtained to combat malaria.

The fauna is equally exotic and plentiful: woolly mountain tapirs, spectacled bears, cock of the rock, parrots and mountain toucans are common. Within Podocarpus is a beautiful collection of over one hundred glacial lakes and torrential waterfalls, which make up the lake complex. Due to the area's rich biodiversity, Podocarpus has become a hotspot for biological and ecological research, in addition to a popular trekking and bird watching destination.

Flight or land information

Included in price

Podocarpus National Park - 5 Day Trekking

Day 01: Flight to Catamayo - walk from Cerro Toledo to Esmeralda

06:00 flight to Loja. We will pick you up from the airport in Catamayo and bring you to Loja. We will have breakfast in Loja at the Libertador Hotel. From there we will travel to Yangana. Lunch in Cerro Toledo. From here we will do a 3-hour hike, crossing the tropical forest of Podocarpus Park and areas of colonisation. We will also cross-beautiful landscapes we will reach the small village of Esmeralda. There we will set up a camp. B/L/D

Day 02: Esmeralda - Las Peñas

After breakfast we will hike to Las Peñas stream. Mules will carry the heavy gear and we will have a picnic lunch on the way. We will arrive at the stream late in the afternoon and we will set up our campsite there in the tropical forest. B/L/D

Day 03: Las Peñas - Margaritas lagoon - Capamaco Refuge

After breakfast we will hike to Lagunas Margaritas and we will go up from 1800 m. to 3200 m. We will eat lunch on the way. The highest point of the mountain, which we will cross, is at 3400 m. above sea level. We will stay in the Capamaco refuge, have dinner and spend the night. B/L/D

Day 04: Ride - refuge - Vilcabamba-Valley - Hostal Madre Tierra

In the morning we will do some horseback riding from the refuge at 2500m. to the Vilcabamba valley at 1600m. We will have lunch in the valley. Later we will be going to the Hostal Madre Tierra. In the afternoon we will have time to relax and enjoy the Hostal, which has a spa. We will also have dinner there and spend the night. B/L/D

Day 05: Flight back to Quito

Early in the morning we will drive to Loja and then to La Toma and fly back to Quito! B/-/-
B= Breakfast L= Lunch D= Dinner