Pululahua Nature Reserve

Pululahua, or cloud of water, is a collapsed volcano designated as a National Park in 1966. Later, in 1978, it was declared a Geobotanical Reserve because of its geological uniqueness and great diversity of flora, birds, mammals and insects. Pululahua’s caldera is one of only two inhabited calderas in the world and the only caldera to support agriculture, making it a unique destination and our first destination in Ecuador.

The weather in Pululahua is constantly changing and unpredictable. We decided to stay for two nights, which gave us more time to explore the crater and allowed us to experience the many different light and weather conditions.

We arrived at the Pululahua Ecolodge early in the afternoon after a long, bumpy ride down the only dirt road into the crater. During check-in, we got our first taste of the laid-back lifestyle of the Ecuadorian tourism industry. We were not on record as having a reservation, so we arranged a room with the owner and started our food tab. The view from our room was perfect. The ecolodge’s farm was framed by the steep mountains off in the distance, and we discovered the resident hummingbird who loved to perch right outside our door. The crater was quiet, serene and isolated, but at the same time bustling with activity; dogs barking, farmers farming, birds tweeting, birders birding. It was a wonderful combination of agriculture, nature, and small village life rolled into a beautiful setting with hiking trails leading off in every direction.

Exploring the village was a perfect way to spend the afternoon, until the rain came. Near the end of our hike we experienced our first Ecuadorian rainstorm.

I might upset serious birders by saying this, but we began our birding experience in Ecuador stalking some chickens on the farms of Pululahua.

After a short nap and a little time spent at the ecolodge, we headed out for our first hike in the crater. We hiked two and a half miles up to the viewpoint on the edge of the crater. On this hike we witnessed how quickly the weather can change in Pululahua. Early on we caught some nice views of the village and farms down below, but by the time we reached the viewpoint it was completely clouded over, reminding us of a hike we did in China.

All wasn’t lost, though. We weren’t here just for the views. We needed to begin our acclimitization and these hikes were the perfect start. We were around 6,000 feet, and the trails were steep and poorly maintained. So even though we didn’t get the views we were hoping for, our training for Chimborazo had officially begun. After the hike we had a delicious dinner which was prepared by the owner’s daughter, and got to know the dogs. This wasn’t bad for a first day!

Our second day in Pululahua was a partial success. We awoke to beautiful blue skies, but because we left a little later than planned, the fog began to roll in very quickly. We hiked in the thick fog up to the viewpoint for a second time for another cloudy view. After a quick break we hiked back down, through the crater, and up a different trail leading to the summit of Cerro el Chivo, a small peak within the crater. The hike was relatively strenuous as the trail was steep and rocky. We reached the summit and stood at the peak. The crater beneath was completely obscured by clouds. We decided we would try once again the following day, knowing the views would be worth it if the sun came out.

After spending a short time at the summit of Cerro el Chivo wondering what the views were like, we hiked down through the clouds back into the crater. The lower part of this trail was surrounded by pastures where horses were leisurely chewing their way through the grass and enjoying the cool, foggy air.

The views from up high were a disappointment because of the dense fog, but down in the crater the fog created an eerie atmosphere that completely altered the landscape. This tree-lined path through the pastures was something we would normally pass through without taking much notice. With the fog, however, we spent at least a half hour lost in this dreamy landscape.

After reaching the village we wandered along the dirt roads passing by farms and small homes. We were surrounded by animal noises; cows, pigs, chickens, and especially dogs. The dogs were everywhere. Some lived on the farms, some were roaming as packs, and some were out solo, looking for a pack to call their own.

We woke up early to beat the clouds for our final morning in Pululahua, . The rainstorm had stopped. The sky was blue, the sun was out, and it was the perfect morning to retry the climb up Cerro el Chivo. Luckily our decision to stay multiple nights payed off. Exploring the crater at different times of day with different weather conditions allowed us to take our time, retrace our steps, and really enjoy this unique location.

Our hike began on level ground walking past farms, homes, and this abandoned monastery. We turned down the tree-lined path from the day before and began the steep, tiring climb up to the summit.

Along the way we had a little time to stop and enjoy some of the unique plants along the path. We were hoping to see butterflies, but instead we found a tarantula hawk. The last time we encountered a tarantula hawk was on a backpacking trip in California. At the time we didn’t know how painful their bite can be. Luckily, this time I knew how much trouble a bite would be, so we left him alone to go about his business. The weather remained clear as we climbed, and we were optimistic about getting a nice view once we reached the summit.

We reached the summit and were rewarded with spectacular views of the surrounding caldera and far off past the farms and into the cloud forests to the north. The landscape in Pululahua is extremely rugged, and it was fascinating to see how the farmers worked within the terrain to create these colorful patches of agriculture. The viewpoint at the peak of Cerro el Chivo is about half the height of the highest peak in Pululahua. Even though we felt like we had conquered a massive peak, we were still dwarfed by the surrounding mountains, making us feel like tiny specs among giants.

We knew that the perfect weather wouldn’t last. It was approaching mid-morning and that was the time of day when the clouds and fog would roll in. We were expected back at the hotel where our ride would be arriving shortly, so we had to scramble down the mountain as quickly as we could. That seems easy, but we always have trouble stopping ourselves from taking picture breaks and enjoying the scenery despite knowing there is a tight deadline to finish the hike. We made it down in what may be record time for us, and had just enough time to shower, pack, and eat a little breakfast before our ride showed up. We were a little sad to be leaving such a beautiful place.