Picnic in Loja's Botanical Gardens

Loja, Ecuador

Description

A beautiful array of trees, flowers, and Andean cultivation united in one sensory stimulating area.

At the very south of Loja, on the road to Vilcabamba, is Jardín Botánico Reinaldo Espinosa. "Garden" is too calm of a word to describe this botanical sanctuary. It is full of native and exotic plant species only generally organized into an Arboretum, Andean Cultivation, Medicinal plants, an Orchid garden, Xerophytic plants, and a picnic area. While there is a main path that surrounds the entire garden, the only way to see everything is to wander off of it.

Spotted with benches and stone fountains, this garden is a lovely place to stay and enjoy a picnic or just sit and listen to the wind moving through the Pine and Eucalyptus trees.

Nearly empty during the week, this perfect family spot is the place to be on Sunday afternoons.

Cost: foreigners -$1 Ecuadorians- 50c

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Features

Chillin

Photography

Bathrooms

Dog Friendly

Easy Parking

Family Friendly

Food Nearby

Forest

Groups

Picnic Area

Romantic

Scenic

ADA Accessible

Picnic in Loja's Botanical Gardens Reviews

Have you done this adventure? Be the first to leave a review!

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Hike Sendero Los Alisos

In the south of Ecuador, in the culturally rich Andean mountains, lies the generally overlooked city of Loja. What it lacks in backpacker hostels and museums it makes up for in culture and endless mountain trails. Just beyond the southern end of the city is Parque Universitario, a Park used by the city's many university students to study and conduct research. Once inside the park's forest, t...

Hike from Loja to Vilcabamba

While 40 kilometers is quite long, this trek is not difficult. The trail is long, wide, well maintained, well marked, and fairly flat if not downhill. Beginning in Loja's Parque Lineal, this is a true experience of the mountains and Andean life. Follow rivers, jump over streams, walk through the cloud forest, and pass by Eucalyptus trees. And if you decide you're not going to make it the en...

Catch a Sunset from Parque Eólica Villonaco

In the southern Andes of Ecuador, at an elevation of 2,800 m above sea level, on the road joining Catamayo and Loja, a park containing 12 wind turbines provides amazing views of the city of Loja. For 30 cents, a local bus will take you from central Loja to Tierras Coloradas, from there you can take a quick taxi ride for about 1 USD, or enjoy a pleasant walk to the park entrance. Entrance is f...

Hike Mandango "The Sleeping Inca"

In the very south of the Ecuadorian Andes lies a mountain that appears in the form of a giant, sleeping, Inca god. At 1,500 masl, this area is nearly always sunny, with perfect temperatures of around 70-80 F. Information, maps, and access to the Mandango Loop can be obtained at Hostal Izhcayluma. The Mandango Loop, ascending 500 m, winds up and over the entire face of the sleeping Inca, provi...

Explore La Chimosa in Podocarpus National Park

At 970m above sea level in one of the most bio diverse places on earth one entrance to Podocarpus National Park can be reached by way of the small city of Zamora. This side of the park hosts jungle and cloud forest climate and vegetation. ARRIVE: Zamora is about 1.5 hours by bus and 3 USD from the city of Loja. You can take a taxi to the park entrance on the Bombuscaro river from anywhere in ...