Ecuador Travel

San Rafael cascade

Overview

El Reventador Volcano stands at 3562 meters high and has been rather volatile since 2003, which is when it started erupting from time to time. This makes it dangerous to climb at the time of writing. There are regularly new lava flows and the volcano also spouts ash quite frequently. It is important to know that the lava flow moves really slowly, however, professional guiding and IGEPN alerts are a must if you plan to get near to it.

You can in fact get very close to the lava flow, but you need to take care because in addition to lava flow, sometimes there are pyroclastic clouds (rocks and ashes descending at high speed from the crater). The name of the volcano means “Exploder” which seems very apt, given its behavior in recent years. El Reventador is quite a sight, towering above the jungle which surrounds it.

The landscape of El Reventador is unusual and diverse. It is in a continual cycle of change due to the regular eruptions of the volcano. Since it is inside the Ecuador Amazon Rainforest, there is a lot of wildlife surrounding the volcano, and on the lower flanks. Higher up the ground is somewhat mossy, and the vegetation is destroyed and reestablishes itself again after each eruption. When it was possible to climb this mountain, some of the route was on rock that was not particularly stable, such as recent lava flows, so great care was needed while climbing. The climb took several days to ascend and return. The start of the climb follows a giant oil pipeline up a steep hill. Quite a lot of the climb involves trudging through mud in the rainforest slopes, later emerging to several scrambles over lava flows.

The San Rafael Falls can be found close to the base of the climb up El Reventador. These thundering falls are very attractive and worth a visit. There is a short but easy walk to the falls. Visitors should bring their cameras to capture the giant falls digitally. There is interesting wildlife in the area to be observed.

Due to the considerable flora in the area, this part of the country has outstanding bird watching opportunities. Those visiting for these reasons are likely to see a wide variety of different birds, living in the rain/cloud-forested areas lower down on the mountain and near the waterfalls.

The area is extremely wet with high levels of rainfall on a daily basis. The wetter months are June and July, and the driest are December and January. That said, it can rain at any time and the traveler should be prepared for this.

Highlights

Hiking – the foothills of the El Reventador volcano offer the traveler significant opportunities for hiking, particularly through rainforest areas. It is recommended to hire a guide before setting out, as trails are not always very clear to follow. Travelers will benefit from wearing rubber boots rather than hiking boots or shoes due to the generally wet climate in this area. Sometimes the guide will carry a machete due to the rapid growth of vegetation along the trails that occasionally needs cutting back.

Lava flows from recent eruptions – after hiking up through the rainforest for a few hours, eventually reach an area where rainforest stops and vegetation is lower, thinner and patchier. Hiking a bit further up from this area, it is possible to observe large lava flow areas that were incurred during recent eruptions. It is not possible to actually climb the volcano at this time due to its high level of activity and the associated danger associated with this.

Birdwatching – due to the rainforest, this area has a large variety of bird life to be observed. All kinds of colorful and interesting species live in this area, which is a bird enthusiast’s delight. Hiring a knowledgeable guide can help the visitor to get to the areas that are most rich with an unusual array of species.

San Rafael Waterfalls – one of the largest falls in Ecuador, the San Rafael Waterfalls are worth a trip in their own right. From the entrance, it is a short walk to the waterfalls themselves. The thundering San Rafael Waterfalls are set in an area of spectacular beauty, where it is possible to partake in bird watching, as well as taking pictures of the falls and just chilling out.

Rainforest – for travelers who want to see something of Ecuador’s rainforest in fairly close proximity to Quito, the El Reventador region is a pretty good bet. Just a few hours from the bus or in a private car from Quito, the visitor can head to the village of El Chaco and the surrounding areas and enjoy the sights and sounds of the jungle, including winding rivers and greenery as far as the eyes can see.

Photography – the San Rafael Waterfalls and El Reventador volcano area offer up some excellent photographic opportunities. In addition to the rainforest, the volcano and the falls themselves, the area has interesting birdlife and up closer to the volcano, very unusual flora that has settled since the last eruption.

Getting there

To get there, travelers should first head to the Quitumbe bus terminal to the south of Quito. This is accessible either by taking a taxi directly to the terminal, a journey of half an hour at a cost of $10 or so, or alternatively taking the Trolebus to its final stop and alighting for the terminal. The cost of this route is $0.25. Allow an hour on the Trole.

From the southern terminal, a bus can be taken in the direction of Lago Agrio. However, the visitor will not need to go all of the way to this town. Instead, two thirds of the way along, the traveler will get off the bust. The cost is the same as going all the way to Lago Agrio. The price is usually from $7 to 10. The conductor should be advised that the traveler wishes to alight at the Cascada San Rafael (the waterfalls). He or she should then point out the place at which the traveler should get off the bus. The journey is something of a highlight itself, since it passes from Quito into the mountains and then drops down through glaciated valleys down to cloud and rain forest, all in the space of a few hours. It is during routes like this that the traveler can really see just how amazing Ecuador is.