Cayambe-Coca - Private Birdwatching Tour

Cayambe-Coca Reserve

The Cayambe-Coca Reserve can be accessed near the Papallacta hot springs (Termas de Papallacta). There is a restricted access road behind the hot springs spa where a guard monitors the private entrance to the reserve. This entrance begins with farmland that belongs to the spa and then enters and areas of elfin forest where the giant conebill has been reported. Further uphill you will find the park registration office that has some maps of the trails. If you do not have a special permit you cannot continue by car any further. The main road to the north reaches one of the water intake lakes and continues to Oyacatchi. Just after the park offices there is a road to the left (west) that leads to a network of lakes and further trails that end-up at the other entrance by the papallacta pass antenna. If you are an avid trekker then you can begin at the antenna and descend (4 to 6 hours) to the Papallacta entrance.

This is an extensive reserve of 403,000 hectares surrounded by the provinces of Pichincha to the east, Imbabura to the north east, Sucumdbios to the northwest, and Napo to the Southwest. Most of the reserve is not easily accessible since the southwest portion of it provides drinking water to the city of Quito. There is an access road that crosses north-to-south but it is required to obtain permits in advance from the ministry of ambient. This road can be accessed near the town of Cayambe at the small town of Oyacachi, crosses the reserve to the south and exits at the Papallacta Spa. It can be traveled in one day about 4 hours drive, of course if you plant to bird this road you would need two days and would require camping above 3500 meters.

Birds of Cayambe-Coca Reserve



Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant	Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant	Pale-naped Brush-Finch	Andean Gull

Hummingbird SP	Grass Wren	Spinetail-sp	Brown-bellied Swallow

White-collared Swift	Bar-winged Cinclodes	Shining Sunbeam	White-sided Flowerpiercer