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High páramo & condors · Ecuador

Antisana Ecological Reserve

High Andean páramo beneath the Antisana volcano — the surest place near Quito to see the Andean condor.

Getting there

~2 hr from Quito, in the high páramo east of the city

Best for

Andean condors, high-páramo birds, the Antisana volcano, carunculated caracaras, lakes

The land

High Andean páramo and lakes beneath a glaciated volcano

Good to know

Antisana is the most reliable condor site within reach of Quito

What it is

Antisana is high Andean páramo beneath a glaciated volcano — the surest place near Quito to see the Andean condor.

In the high páramo east of Quito, Antisana Ecological Reserve spreads beneath its glaciated volcano. It is the most reliable place near the capital to watch Andean condors soar, alongside carunculated caracaras, Andean lapwings, silvery grebes on the lakes and a suite of high-altitude birds, in vast open country.

PhotoAntisana Ecological Reserve — high páramo & condors.

The reason to come

Condors of the páramo

Antisana is the high-Andes condor reserve near Quito.

Andean condors

The most reliable condor viewing near the capital.

High-páramo birds

Carunculated caracaras, caracoles and lapwings.

Volcano & lakes

The glaciated Antisana above páramo lakes.

Worth knowing

Condors near the capital

Antisana is the surest place within reach of Quito to watch Andean condors ride the wind.

PhotoAn Andean condor over Antisana.

When to come — honestly

A high-páramo day reserve.

June – September

Best

Drier months — clear volcano views and the best access.

Year-round

Good

A year-round high reserve.

December – May

Good

Greener páramo, with more cloud.

At over 3,500 m it is cold and exposed; weather changes fast on the páramo.

Context

The condor reserve

Antisana adds high-páramo birding and reliable condors near Quito.

It complements the cloud-forest lodges.

We add Antisana for the condors and high-páramo birds, an easy day from Quito or the cloud forest.

Beyond the obvious

More to Antisana Ecological Reserve.

PhotoCondor watching

Condor watching

Over the páramo.

PhotoPáramo birds

Páramo birds

Caracaras and lapwings.

PhotoVolcano & lakes

Volcano & lakes

High Andean scenery.

Why Wild Voyager

We string together cloud forest, Amazon and islands.

Ecuador packs cloud forest, Amazon and the Galápagos into a small country, but the logistics are fiddly. We handle the lodges, river canoes, flights and cruises so the pieces connect smoothly.