Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve

Pululahua is a protected area 17 km north of Quito, near La Mitad del Mundo. It was declared a geobotanical reserve because of its biological diversity with around 2000 species of flora and a great diversity of birds.

The Pululuhua is an active volcano, although there has been no eruption for 2000 years. It is the second largest inhabited crater in the world - 12 km in diameter. There are around 30 families living in this community. They have a school there but no TV or cell phone signals. When I asked the guide if they had a police station there he told me it was not needed because they were very peaceful and explained that in small communities the punishments were given by the neighbours. For instance if someone committed a crime, people took off his/her clothes and made the criminal walk around the village naked while he/she was beaten with nettles.

Holding a piece of Tagua

There are some shops at the entrance. They sell many products made of Tagua, the seed of a tree from Ecuador.

With our very nice guide and driver, Giovanny