A temperature between 17 and 25 degrees Celsius, waterfalls, lakes, flora and fauna characterize the district of San Andres, in the Province of Zamora Chinchipe. It is a natural enchantment bathed by the Isimanchi River, with falls of water that make you fall in love as you enjoy the beauty of the Amazon.
Visiting and exploring the Amazon are pleasant experiences that a person must have before dying. We invite you to visit the district of San Andrés, in the canton of Chinchipe, province of Zamora Chinchipe. It is a must-stop for people who go to or come from the neighboring country: Peru.
You can get to San Andrés after a 160-km. trip from Loja, on the Vilcabamba-Palanda-Zumba route, cantonal head of Chinchipe. From there, 18 km. west is San Andrés, a town surrounded by vast vegetation, low-elevation mountains, and bathed by the Isimanchi River, the main tourist attraction of the area.
As we get close to the river, the sound of the forest is incredible. We can hear several sounds, but we do not know for sure what they are: animal noises; the torrent; the rustle of the dry leaves that fall from the trees, as we step on them; bird songs; the wind that seems to be whistling …The gentle breeze that refreshes the surroundings of the tropical and humid forest.
Isimanchi is a river of crystalline water, with big rocks that look like they have been sculpted—with particular shapes that give beauty to the surroundings. One that looks like a hat, with a hole in the center, stands out, letting the visitor see the similarity when the river flow is low. Even the local people walk through it.
Further down, there is a waterfall, over which sits a lake. Almost every rock is similar to a lunar surface. Martín Ramón Jiménez, District president, compares this place with paradise because its natural richness surprises the visitor. Further away, after one-hour trip, is the Colombo-Yacuri Reserve, located before Amaluza, cantonal head of Espíndola, province of Loja, and surrounded by lakes and abundant flora and fauna. It is the habitat of wild cats, pumas, spectacle bears, deer bucks, parrots and hummingbirds…Among the trees, we can find the Podocarpus tree (Romerillo), Oak, Capulin cherry, Phyllostylon rhamnoides (palo amarillo), Laurel, and medicinal plants.
To get to El Golpeador Lake one has to walk 20 minutes; and from the first minute one can feel the perfect connection with nature. As the night falls, you can witness romantic sunsets. In San Andrés, families live off fish farming, agriculture, and cattle raising. There are hotels and restaurants that offer typical food: trout and free-range chicken, at very inexpensive prices. So there is no excuse for not visiting this place. Make the most memorable adventure to Zamora Chinchipe a reality and be prepared for the excitement.
TO KNOW
From Zumba there is public transportation to San Andrés, at 7:30a.m. and 2:00p.m. The bus ticket is $2.50. If you are coming from Loja, there is interprovincial transportation to Zumba.
On Zumba’s main route, going south, there is La Tina, bordering with Peru. Between the bordering communities there is a commercial and tourist relationship.
The people of San Andrés use the waters of Isimanchi River for their fish farms. Another tourist activity is hiking in the local forests.