Located at the northernmost province of the Ecuadorian sierra (Carchi), the 15,715 hectares of the El Angel Ecological Reserve lie at 11,950 – 15,640 feet above sea level.

The paramo in El Angel is covered by gigantic "frailejones" (Espeletia pychnophyla), a plant specie that is only found in the high paramo ecosystem. In this area, these plants grow on stems of up to 20 feet high and form a forest. Their flowers are similar to the sunflowers, and their leaves are hairy to insulate the plant against the cold harsh climate.

Other plant specie in the reserve are the polylepis trees, which have many layers covering their trunks for insulation. Given that the layers of these trunks are thin and can be torn like paper, they are locally known as "arboles de papel"(paper trees).

Other stunning plants are the “El Angel flowers” (Senecio sp). Their white hairy leaves and bright yellow flowers enlighten the misty paramo environment (picture).

El Angel is considered a water sponge and it provides water for the whole province. Several small rivers are born at El Angel, which join to make up the basin of the Mira and El Angel Rivers.

Beautiful lagoons are also found at this Reserve, such as: El Voladero, Potrerillos, Green Lagoons (because of the sulfur and algae), Razococha, among others.
Among the fauna of the Reserve are: trout, marsupial frog, Andean teal, condor, carunculated caracara, American krestel, Andean seagull, turtledove, wild rabbit, paramo wolf, and deer, among others.

Nestled within this unique reserve is "Hostería Paz y Montaña". This new Hosteria is family run by the Oña family, which recently bought this land and upon discovering the sensation of peace that the place offers, built a small Hosteria in order to share this feeling with the tourists. In the midst of the cold of the high paramo, the warmth of the Oña family and the cozy fireplace are very inviting. They offer comfortable accommodations for up to 14 people. Hiking, trekking and horseback riding excursions can be arranged according to the tourists’ interests. The Hosteria also has trout breeding pools. Tourists can observe all the process of trout cultivation, can fish and should definitely savor a delicious home made dish of fresh trout.

How to get there: follow the Panamerican highway North of Quito until you reach the town of El Angel (at the entrance there’s a monument of an earthenware vessel). Then turn left and go through the towns of Libertad and San Francisco until you reach the entrance to El Angel Ecological Reserve.