Shortly
after Calderon,
the Panamericana
begins to
climb, finally
sweeping over
a pass to
reveal astounding
views on your
right of the
dry Guayllabamba
gorge. Lower
and warmer
than Quito,
the gorge
provides ideal
conditions
for horticulture,
and wherever
there's water
you see bursts
of colourful
flowers, trees
and orchards.
Places
to visit
Guayllabamba,
32km from
Quito,
is couched
in a vibrant
oasis of green.
Street vendors
line the road,
their stalls
laden with
outsized avocados
and fruits.
Until 1997
Guallyabamba
had little
to recommend
it to visitors,
but it now
boasts one
of Ecuador's
newest zoos,
Zoologico
Guayllabamba,
off the Panamericana
about 1km
before the
town [Tues-Sun
10am-5pm;
$0.70*,
guides free,
English spoken].
The emphasis
here is strongly
on native
fauna with
a good range
of animals
from the sierra
and Oriente.
Animals include
pumas, ocelots,
sloths, monkeys
and parrots
- the only
gesture to
the rest of
the world's
species are
its four African
lions. All
the animals
are well cared
for, but the
sight of seven
condors
[there
are thought
to be only
sixty in the
country]
hopping from
branch to
stump in an
enclosure
too small
for flight
might rankle.
The aim of
the zoo, however,
is to alert
the mostly
Quiteno visitors
to Ecuador's
diverse but
often endangered
wildlife.
It also has
farm animals,
a botanical
garden, and
a tree nursery
for reforestation
programmes
around Quito.
Getting
there
Buses
on their way
from Quito
to Cayambe
usually stop
at Guayllabamba
[a
45min-1hr
trip; $0.35*],
leaving either
from the main
terminal or
from the new
town at Avenida
America and
Colon. Ask
the driver
to drop you
at the signed
turnoff for
"el zoologico",
1km before
the town.
From here
it's a thirty-minute
walk up a
cobbled road
to the zoo
itself. At
weekends,
a free bus
service regularly
ferries people
to the zoo
from the turn-off,
or you could
take a camioneta
for about
$0.50*.
You're unlikely
to want to
stay here,
but accommodation
is available
nearby.
*Prices
are approximate
Last
updated 14th
July 2006
