"Las Orquídeas" Botanical Garden

Puyo, Pastaza, Ecuador, Ecuador

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"Las Orquídeas" Botanical Garden is a 7-hectare cloud forest reserve and botanical garden located in the Ecuadorian Amazon near Puyo, Pastaza, dedicated to showcasing the diverse flora of the Amazon region with a special emphasis on orchids. Founded in 1980 by biologist Omar Tello, who transformed former pastureland into a thriving forest, the garden is devoted to forest conservation, applied biology, and reinforcing native culture and wisdom. The garden houses one of Ecuador's most complete collections of Amazonian orchids with more than 300 different species, along with 30 introduced species, 38 varieties of heliconias, 70 varieties of bromeliads, and various endemic species including cycads brought from deforested forests. Located 3 kilometers southeast of Puyo in the Los Ángeles neighborhood along the Macas road, visitors can explore natural trails, fish ponds, and lush hills of foliage while an enthusiastic owner guides them through the rare orchids and gorgeous plants. The garden operates as both a tourist attraction and a research center for restoring degraded ecosystems, offering pleasant temperatures between 18°C to 24°C and serving as an important symbol of Amazonian conservation.