Zamora Ecuador

It is located 64 Km from Loja City and was first founded in 1549 by the Spanish.

It has experienced a boom in growth attributed to the discovery of gold in the surrounding areas.

Because of this the city has been known as the Mining Capital of Ecuador and actually as well as City of Birds and Waterfalls.

There's a constant presence of various types of birds and several waterfalls which emerge from the streams that surround the city.

Zamora Ecuador was originally a colonial town founded by the Spanish but was attacked by the Indians and reclaimed by the indigenous Indian groups that include the Shuar and Saraguro Indians

Zamora Ecuador Attractions

The area itself is cut up into two main areas, an upper pre-mountain section which has sensational walking routes, the tropical cloud forest that is superb for birdwatching and the lower subtropical section, with remoter areas including virgin forest and endemic species of flora and fauna. The park entrance fee is $5.

The entrance to the Podocarpus National Park is via the Bombuscara River and makes for a most memorable hike with its plethora subtropical birds including the rare Coppery-chested Jacamar, White-breasted Parakeet along with various others.

Do not cross the river; take the road that follows the river upstream. The road ends in a car park, where the trail begins.

A thirty minute hike will take you to the visitors' center and more trails, including a river trail and a 30 minute loop trail.

The trail to the visitors center is virtually flat, unlike almost all other trails at this elevation in Ecuador.

It is highly recommended for nature lovers, especially those who might have difficulty walking on steep trails.

Orquideario Paphinia, located 2 km away from Zamora is a greenhouse which is actually developing a great collection of over 3000 native plants including orchids and aroids.

You will also see living samples of useful timber trees, medicinal plants, edible native plants and many other ornamental plants and shrubs.

Orquideario Tzanka is home to over 1,000 different plant types. It is located just one block over from the city's main square.

Nambija is a gold mining small village, which has also boosted the area considerably while Zumbi village north of Nambija is accessible via bus 8:00 from Zamora Ecuador with the last one departing at 15:00

You can enjoy the great scenery during the trip. The road continues north to Yantzaza and El Pangui and onto Gualaquiza.

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Ecuador Recommended Reading

Fodor's South America, 8th Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides)
Explore the hidden treasures of the Amazon, travel through wine country, climb a volcano or wander through ancient ruins. This guide offers all these experiences and more! Countries like: Argentina, Chile, Peru, and ECUADOR are covered extensively in this book. Prepare yourself for a journey of stunning variety. (This is an excellent travel guide because it's researched and written by resident experts.)

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