NATURAL RESERVE BIOTOPO RAIN FOREST GREEN HEART OF NARIÑO

Biotopo RAIN FOREST, is a Private Natural Reserve, that contains a habitat with natural formations and species of very significant flora and fauna for science and the natural environment, where the wild life little has been altered by the man action. It has been created with the purpose of provide a protected natural space with: to conserve a representative sample of the tropical humid forest of coastal foot mountain of Nariño at South of Colombia and its biodiversity of flora and fauna; to offer an inalterable space that is used for the scientific research and the environmental education; for guarantee the genetic renew, protection of threatened and in extinction danger of flora and fauna existing; and foment the ADVENTURE ECO-TOURISM AND the SCIENTIFIC ECO-TOURISM; to offer demurrage to investigators, scientists, students and research assistance and volunteers, to contribute with the communities of the zone of influence of the Reserve through eco-productive projects and rural eco-development and in addition to preserve all the existing forms of life and the archaeological patrimony that Biotope owns.

This Natural Reserve, is located between 1°24'5" - 1°25'26" of North latitude and 78°17'30" - 78°13'58" of West longitude, on "San Andres de Tumaco" way, coastal foot mountain of Department of Nariño at 125 miles of "San Juan de Pasto" city and 60 miles of Tumaco city, on 610 to 440 m.o.s.l, with a tropical climate of 75°F degrees and approximated extension of 4,942 Acres.

Protected natural area is a reserve, that is a always green oxygen refuge with an intense scent of Sande milk, that in its dense canopy keeps: birds, mammals, frogs, reptiles, turtles, butterflies, fish, millenarian variety of insects, endemic trees, rivers, cascades and streams worthy to know.The reserve counts with a public area use (zone of intensive use and eco-tourism), that owns footpaths, natural swimming pools for the ritual of eco- bat.

A eco-tourism inn to highway edge (mile 125), a “maloca”-point of encounter of the man with the nature, eco-lodge for 30 ecotourism and a center of visitors who offer the basic services.

At two hours on foot starting off of the highway that leads to "San Andres de Tumaco", it is arrived at the “Goblin's Maloca ”, through fenced footpaths. To seven hours on foot, is the stony sacred altar site with magic enchantment that makes of the Biotopo Reserve, one of the forests of south of Colombia that greater adrenalin causes to the visitors, with an archaeological patrimony shortage in 2007, is one of the most mysterious and enchanted corners and of pristine wild life, archaeological patrimony left by a past civilization that inhabited the forests of coastal foot mountain of Nariño, the “Plumas” Indian civilization that it preceded to SINDAGUA and AWA natives

This archaeological treasure lately shortage within the Biotopo Reserve that has denominated “Lava Plumas”, sacred site where one thinks that the indigenous “Plumas”, after absorb the nectar of “Tacamaca” (Climb plant that abound in this forest), did rituals of RINSINGS MAGICAL RELIGIOUS, submerging his attributes in coil of “pots”, that on purpose chartted them in low relief directly on rocks that finds in floor of stream that is born in reserve, and that gives rise to a “MAGICAL MANTLE OF treatment” carved by the natives where it is molded a crystal ballot box, in one of more recondite and mysterious sites of the ebullient of Biotopo forest, at which it is arrived after a long walk of 7 hours starting off of the edge of the highway of "San Juan de Pasto" City leads to "San Andres de Tumaco" City and 4 hours of the “Goblin's Maloca ”.

The Natural Reserve, Biotopo, are in the low river basin of the Guiza river and are part besides the river basins of the rivers Recodo, Bocatelmo and Yanumbí, that cross the reserve from East to West. Within the reserve are born nine streams.

The symbiotic relations stand out between plants and animal are a zone owns diversity of amphibians, (it’s the home of poisonous frog, Epipedobates narinensis , discovered in 2006, that is a contribution to world-wide Scientific knowledge), exist reptiles and more than 15,000 species of insects.

The Reserve, maintains an abundant wild fauna, that exist around 23 species of mammals like: Deer, tatabro, guatín, Anteaters, Sluggish, tejones, borugas, tigrillo, otters, squirrels, cusumbos, sarigueyas, monkeys, five species of rodents, fox, armadillos, etc. In herpetofauna had 9 endemic species. The turtles that can be found are: Rhinoclemmys nasuta (Large-nosed wood turtle) and Chelydra acutirostris (South american snapping turtle).

The birds are very abundant, being the bird symbol of Biotopo the TOUCAN. They exist in addition: mount parrots, eagles, hummingbirds, “Canagûis”, torcazas, turkey hens, partridges, woodpecker, forest roosters. It’s one of the places of Colombian South Pacific, with greater diversity of birds. We are a AICA zone (AICA is an area of international importance for bird conservation)

It had several hydric sources to Hydrotherapy; Geotherapy and Biotreatment; lodging in double accommodation, restaurant service and a Maloca, point of encounter of the man with the nature.

• Keep only within the footpaths. It could become lost if anyone separates from them.

• Avoids: Make damages, collect plants or animals, as well as to make noise with sound implements and to catch bonfires.

• Store the garbage in the containers prepared to such aim.

• Always leaves accompanied of the personnel guides, who will give instructions for the Reserve.

If you are an international Ecotourism, you could take a flight from Bogota city to “San Andres de Tumaco" city, them from it: you could go by a terrestrial route, until kilometer 95 to "San Juan de Pasto" city way, you spend 2 hours by car or bus trip until arrive to reserve.

The other way is from "San Juan de Pasto" city to Biotopo: by the Pan-American highway route to “San Andres de Tumaco "city, in a 4 hours travel until “El Diviso”, “Berlin path”, kilometer 95. The service gives six prestigious companies of intermunicipal transport of Nariño.