Walk through the Clouds to the Moon’s Throne

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The “Moon’s Throne” or “Cotopaxi” in the ancient tongue, is the name given both to the world’s most active volcano and to the national park where it is found. It is the name of a unique place, where the beauty of nature surrounds you and fills you up with a feeling of greatness. A place where Heaven seems closer to Earth, where every landscape gets together to form –right in the middle of Ecuador– one of the most beautiful natural sanctuaries.

The journey begins going south from the city of Quito, or north from the cities of Ambato and Latacunga. Travelling through a road full of impressive landscapes, we get to the entrance of the park, at 3500m (11482 feet) above the sea level. A little handcraft market welcomes us. It is a place full of contrasts where volcanic soil predominates and where the great Cotopaxi rises at 5789m (18992ft)a.s.l. The first part of the road takes us up and down through volcanic formations, with the photogenic Cotopaxi decorating the landscape. It sometimes hides behind the clouds, as if it acted accordingly to the inhabitants’ mood.

The first stop is at an area called Mariscal Sucre, where a 20-30-minute walk takes us to impressive sightseeing spots as we go through South America’s largest pine tree forest and the only one of its kind within the Andean region. A museum found at the entrance of this area gives us some information about the park, its rules and its conservation.

Fifteen minutes going northeast from Mariscal Sucre is found the Limpiopungo Lake, at 3850m (12631ft)a.s.l., reflecting the Rumiñahui (stone face) volcano. Here, the power of Nature can be felt everywhere: the strong, cold wind forces you to make a greater effort to walk while he plays with the golden grass and the transparent waters of the lake; the sun shines even more intensely; the clouds get even closer; and the fauna mostly composed of native bird species seem to enjoy permanently this magical scene. This section of the road splits up into two pathways:

The northwest path will take you –either by foot, horseback or bike– to the peak of the Rumiñahui volcano, found at 4722m (15492ft) above the sea level. From the peak, you are able to see the Cotopaxi volcano. It is, overall, a wonderful experience.

On the other hand, the southeast way is an ascending road surrounded by volcanic landscapes that takes you to the colossal Cotopaxi. Strong winds, low-hanging clouds, light rains and some sunlight are expected throughout this route. On the first stop, found at 4500m (14763ft)a.s.l., cars must be parked and visitors may enjoy a cup of hot chocolate while admiring the beauty of nature. Afterwards, visitors may decide to have a 45-minute walk to the next stop, José F. Ribas, found at 4800m (15748ft)a.s.l. Those with climbing experience can also go up to the white, shiny peak of the Cotopaxi.

The Cotopaxi volcano welcomes visitors from everywhere who want to go back to the world’s origins, to a place where men and nature coexist peacefully. This biologically and culturally outstanding place is waiting for you, enjoy it!

Photo: Gerard Prins

Huairasinchi: One of the World’s Greatest Adventure Races

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Huairasinchi means “the wind’s force” in the ancient Quichua tongue. It is the name given to one of the World’s toughest adventure race that takes place at some of Ecuador’s most amazing spots. It is a three-day long race where the contestant teams from all around the World go beyond their limits and struggle with all their strength to complete the route through different sport disciplines such as mountain bike riding, trail running, paddling and fixed ropes; and good orientation skills.

Each year, this adventure competition takes the teams through remote places full of friendly people, historical richness and natural beauty. This year on its 7th edition, from February 13th to 15th, the 2010 Huairasinchi Race took place at the provinces of Carchi and Imbabura. The route was carefully planned to take the teams through magical places such as the Cuicocha and Yaguarcocha lakes, the humid forest of Apuela, the Piñan and Ángel plateaus, the Guadual area and the Chota Valley, among others. As the race is part of the “AR World Series”, the winners will get a place at the Bimbache Extreme in Spain, a race that gathers the champions from all the different AR races taking place at Argentina, Australia, Costa Rica, France, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and the US.

Jari Kirkland, member of the 2006 Huairasinchi winning team, talking about his experience at the race said: “The view, the scenery and everything else far exceeded my expectations. I honestly believe it could be the most beautiful country. It’s not very big and yet you have many different things so close from one another. We walked in the jungle yesterday and, a couple of hours later, we were already in the hills and mountains.” Considering that statement, we can tell that the Huairasinchi is much more than an adventure race. This race is a way of living that shows how to reach goals, going beyond physical and mental limits and learning to respect and protect nature.

Photo: Jonathan Thorne and Hjvannes

YASUNI ITT: A Big Idea from a Small Country… will the world respond?

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The best things in life do come in small packages, and such is the case of an idea that came from a little package: a country called Ecuador. As some may already know, Ecuador’s economy depends directly on oil resources whose gains are then invested on health, education and housing. This is the reason why, even though the planet is experiencing a climate crisis, the Ecuadorian and worldwide oil industry are expanding to new frontiers.

One of these oil industry’s new horizon is located in the heart of the Amazon basin: the Yasuni Forest. Declared a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1999, Yasuni is the most biologically diverse place on earth, with 13.000 species of mammals, amphibious, reptiles, birds and fish; and more than 100.000 species of insects. Just one hectare of this forest has as many as 655 tree species, more than what the United States and Canada combined have.

The Yasuni forest is also home to some of the last indigenous people still living in voluntary isolation. These people are now waiting for a miracle for the deforestation to stop, since they happen to live above Ecuador’s largest undeveloped oil reserve: the “Ishpingo-Tambococha-Tiputini“(ITT) Oil Block. This block contains 20% of all the oil reserves in Ecuador (850 million barrels), representing 407 million metric tons of CO₂ to the atmosphere, a 7 billion dollars gain and an extra 7.2 billion dollar for the carbon market.



Two decades ago, the Yasuni forest got considerably reduced from 1.476.000 hectares to only 625.000 due to the pressure of the oil companies, so the Ecuador government is facing now a huge dilemma: should it keep deforesting the reserve and drill for the oil, which would provide the country with the economic sources it needs to develop; or should it help preserve the environment by not deforesting the world’s biggest ecological reserve? Looking for the best possible solution, the Ecuadorian government came up with a revolutionary idea and started to contribute to this race for life: “The Yasuní ITT Project”.

The idea is quite simple: The government will leave the Yasuní oil underground and request, as a compensation for having avoided environmental pollution, a 50% of what the Country would have gained if the area had been exploited ($350 million a year) for a period of 10 years, giving up the rest of the gains.

To better understand the foundations of this project, it’s essential to know that there is something called the “Carbon Market”, regulated by the Kyoto Protocol. The program has created First and Second Generation bonds (G1 and G2) to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. The G1 bonds are given to companies with environment generating practices, while the G2 bonds are given to the companies that reduce their deforestation and pollution levels. These bonds are placed into the Carbon Market so that the companies with environment polluting practices can buy them. Depending on the amount of bonds they buy, these companies are allowed to pollute the environment.



Yasuní-ITT from Santiago del Hierro on Vimeo.

All these been said, Ecuador’s Yasuní ITT Proyect is proposing the European Union to place into the Carbon Market bonds called “Yasuní Certificates of Guaranty (CGY)”, that would be Third Generation bonds given to countries that avoid or prevent environmental pollution, something that would keep millions of tons of CO₂ from being emitted to the atmosphere. The money raised from these “green bonds” would be placed into an international trust foundation to support local environmental and social development programs that would help Ecuador move towards a sustainable economy, while preserving the rainforest and recognizing the rights of the indigenous communities in Yasuní. This preventive model is the Ecuadorian’s major initiative to become supporters and contributors to the preservation of the planet.

From 2007 until today, this historical initiative has been supported by the Medicine laureate Rita Levi-Montalcini and several Nobel Peace Prices such as Muhamad Yunus, Desmond Tutu, Rigoberta Menchú; as well as by various countries such as France, Germany, Norway, Spain and Switzerland. If the plan succeeds, it could even become a worldwide accepted model.

With the current Kyoto Protocol model resulting in global emissions 40 percent above the ones registered in 1990 (the basis year), this is an alternative that has already being considered as effective not only for Ecuador, but for countries with similar conditions such as Bolivia, Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Peru, the Philippines, the Republic of Congo and Venezuela.

For Ecuador’s plan to succeed, the international community has to get engaged with the initiative in a significant way. Will the world respond? Perhaps the following letter, written by a Yasuní native to the former Ecuadorian president, back in 1995, could motivate the countries provide an answer:

"What will happen when our children grow up?
Where will they live when they are older? 
Our rivers are peaceful and in our forests we find the food, the medicines and everything that we need.
What will happen when the oil companies finish destroying what we have?" 

More Information on:
•    www.yasuni-itt.gov.ec
•    www.liveyasuni.org
•    www.sosyasuni.org
•    www.amazoniaporlavida.org

Photo: Yasuni ITT

The Colta Lake: Natural Beauty among Conquests and Ruins

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In the Pan-American Highway, 17km (10 miles) south of Riobamba, among beautiful landscapes where green and blue tones predominate, we get to a place full of history, culture and natural beauty. A place inhabited by friendly people who live among hills and volcanoes. Its name is Colta, an extraordinary spot that, seen from the highway, could be described as a big, crystal clear lake that beautifully reflects Ecuador’s highest volcano; and in whose shores the country’s oldest village was erected. It is a perfect mix of Nature and History what makes this place magical.

To get to the lake’s shores, the road goes another 2km (1 mile) forward. Before arriving to the village we find the ruins of what once was the city of Riobamba —currently known as Cajabamba or Sicalpa— destroyed during the Colonial period (1797) by a big earthquake that took the life of 5000 people. The remains are those of their streets, their temples and their handcrafts. Arriving to the place, the big cracks caused by the earthquake can still be observed at the hills.

Going a little further in the way to the village (or taking the alternative road, right beside the lake, aboard the train that goes to the “Devil’s Nose”) we find the Colta Lake. In the indigenous language, the lake is called kulta kucha, which means “Duck’s Lake”. Here, the senses are awakened by a colorful parade: the indigenes navigating in their “Caballitos de Totora” (reed watercrafts), the wildlife, the multicolor little houses, the animals, the kids playing, and the great Chimborazo volcano… They are all part of the autumn-like landscape of this historical lake.

At the end of the road and facing the lake, we find the population known as “Santiago de Quito”, name whose similarity to that of Ecuador’s capital, San Francisco de Quito, is not just a coincidence. In 1534, with the arrival of the conquistadors to the land that is nowadays the country of Ecuador; the Colta area was designated as the place to build the capital of the region, since the lake would provide water for the village. The area received the name of “Santiago de Quito”. Later on, the place was subject of confrontations between the conquistadors. To prevent more fights, the capital was moved further to the North. Even as time went by, the settlement found at the shores of the Colta Lake is still known as Santiago de Quito. The village’s parish, called the Balbanera, is the first Catholic Church ever built in Ecuador, and it was erected more than 475 years ago.

Colonial ruins, spectacular landscapes and the history of the beginnings of the Republic is what visitors will find at this magical, edifying place. The Colta Lake and the Santiago de Quito Parish have been fitted out so that they support responsible, sustainable and ecological tourism, offering their visitors activities such as hiking, horseback riding, camping, photography, fauna and flora observation, sightseeing, adventure tourism and the amazing indigenous fair that takes place every Sunday.

Photo: Kangrex

Of Love Stories and Preservation of Species

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The kingdom of birds in the Galapagos Islands is always full of surprises. Studying the birds, naturists have observed some behaviors that result very interesting and even funny to us, but the truth is that these behaviors could be compared to those of Men. In this article, you will learn more about the reproductive rituals of the Blue-Footed Booby, the Frigatebird and the Albatross, three unusual birds that inhabit the Galapagos Islands whose unique mating behaviors attract tourists from all around the world.

For the male Blue-Footed Booby, finding a mate can be a complicated task due to the low number of female individuals. The male must start by getting the female’s attention, and the best way to do it is by dancing for her: Standing in front of an interested female, the male shakes his wings, whistles and performs a little dance with his big, blue legs. If the movements are good enough, the young male is ready to take the next step on his struggle to be picked. Once he gets the female’s attention, he has to win her heart with a present. If the female doesn’t like it, she will let him know with a loud squawk, turn her back on him and wait for the next male. Sometimes, when the present is very unpleasant for the female, she will lean down and squirt the male with her feces. Nevertheless, if the present pleases the female, the male will surely be among those who will have a partner for the season.

The female, as it usually happens among all animal species, is the one who picks her partner. This is also the case of the Frigatebird, who searches for the best partner among lots of suitors.  To be picked, the male must first find a good spot in the bushes to alight. Here, the female’s taste in architecture is of great importance, since a poorly-constructed nest will go unnoticed. Once the male has found the best place, he will alight on it, inflate his red chest as much as he can and exhibit it to the female, who will pick the individual with the biggest and reddest chest. They will then mate, passing the best genes to their brood to preserve the species.

Finally, the Albatross’ mating ritual is probably the most longed for and witnessed by tourist, perhaps due to the truly romantic story involving a couple of Albatross. Once he has found a partner, a young adult with stay with her for the rest of his life, and both of them will take care of their chicks until they die. Season by season, from April to December, the couples meet at the Española (Hood) Island, where the love stories begin. The courtship lasts a few days, in which the couples dance before mating, rub their beaks continuously and sing all day long.

To watch these beautiful marine birds of the Galapagos during their mating rituals, visitors must be attentive and silent, and they must have a good camera in hand (no flash). Visitors are welcomed throughout the whole mating season, so join the party and enjoy this wonderful experience!

Photo: Mike Weston