Village Orchid Garden/”Orquideario”. [
on Ave. Sucre and Jose J. Olmedo]. This 1.0 hectare orchid garden contains all of the major orchid varieties found in the region.
The Orquideario is managed by Fundacion Pinas Oasis Ecologico, a private, non-profit foundation. The orquideario also contains a variety of bromeliads and heleconias, and has an active tilapia fish breeding pond. Entry fee is charged. A multi-lingual visitor’s guide [
Spanish, English, French, and German] to the orquideario is available in the office of the Pinas Municipal Department of Environment [
Departamento de Medio Ambiente] and at the Reception Desk, second Floor, on the Pinas Municipal Building [
Ave. Sucre and Garcia Moreno], across from the Pinas main square known as “El Parque”. Office Hours 8:00 a.m.-12:00 noon and 2:00-5:00 p.m.; Telephone: [
07-2976-246 / [07-2976-173]. Guides are also available in the office of the federal Ministry of Environment [
Ministerio del Ambiente], Ave. 8 de Noviembre No. 25-87 in Pinas; Telephone: [
07-2976-860]; Office Hours: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 2:00-5:00 p.m. M-F [
located 2 blocks north of the orquideario].
Native Tree Walk. A walking tour of the most common native trees found in Ecuador is located on the local hillside known as
Pata Grande or
Cerro de Cristo. The entrance to the walk is located on Avenida San Jose on the south side of Pinas. From the Pinas main square “El Parque” follow Avenida Garcia Moreno south crossing Avenida Angel Ochoa and the Pinas River to Barrio San Jose. The entrance to the Walk is near Avenida San Jose No. 26-55 and reads “Ingreso Al Cerro del Calvario de Cristo”. A multi-lingual visitor’s guide [
Spanish and English] to the native tree walk that gives information on the trees’ ecology is available in the office of the Pinas Municipal Department of Environment [
Departamento de Medio Ambiente], and at the Reception Desk, second Floor, Pinas Municipal Building and in the Tienda San Jose located at Ave. San Jose No. 26-55 [
near the entrance to the Walk], where refreshments can be purchased and a display of local art work for sale can be viewed. Entry to the walk is free of charge.
Excursions from Pinas
Jocotoco's Buenaventura Reserve. This 1,500 hectare nature reserve is located 9 kilometers west of Pinas and is a major destination for bird watchers largely due to the Oro Parakeet which was discovered in the area in the late 1980’s.
Hummingbirds, hawks, and other bird species are common in the Reserve. A multi-lingual visitor’s guide [
Spanish, English, French, and German] to the most common bird species found in the Reserve is available in the office of the Ministry of the Environment. Public bus service to the Reserve is available every half hour by ‘Pinas Interprovincial’ and ‘TAC’ bus lines from Pinas. Entrance fee to the Reserve is charged.
Terapal Swimming and Recreational Complex. Located 5 km east of Pinas on the Pinas -
San Roque Road. Elaborate swimming complex with tennis facilities; $1.50
* entrance fee.
Sodirec Organic Farming System. Located 7 km east of Pinas on the Pinas -
Zaruma Road; organic farming system demonstrations and
orchid garden open for viewing.
*The prices are approximately
