This reserve connects the Cayambe-Coca Reserve with the Sumaco – Galeras National Park. The three nature areas together thus belong to one of the ten so-called ecological hotspots in the world.

Access to the park is quite difficult, but the park is still accessible by a paved road that leaves from Pintag (east of Quito) and leads to the Laguna de la Mica. There are also some entrances along unpaved paths in the lower areas of the park.

Due to the large height differences within the park, there are many different climate zones and the flora and fauna is therefore very varied.

In the higher areas there are several rivers and lakes where fishing is good (the lakes Micacocha, Muerte Pungu, Santa Lucía or Mauca Machay). The very active Antisana volcano is located in the reserve.

Climbing the Antisana is not easy; a two-day climbing tour with a mountain guide is described in our chapter “mountain climbing”.