I look forward to orchid season in Quito! That means from December through April, I’ll the best opportunity to see these strange and beautiful flowers in their native habitats.
In the meantime, I’ll have to be content with the collection I found at the Jardín Botánico in Parque Carolina. Not really a hard thing to do! In two stunning rooms, I saw more varieties of orchids than I ever thought possible for a single collection. In fact, I think the Smithsonian should seriously consider a visit to learn about some of the more unique varieties in the Quito collection.
Visiting the Orchids at the Quito Botanical Garden
If you would like to visit the gardens, they are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am until 4:45 pm and on the weekends and holidays from 9:00 am until 4:45 pm. Entrance fees are $3.50 for adults, $2.00 for kids and students (bring that ID!), and $1.75 for Senior Citizens. For members, the gardens are open 365 days of the year, only $35 annually. If you live in Quito, it’s a bargain. After all, they have a stunning collection of roses and a dry desert garden that is a great place for spotting Trainbearer Hummingbirds!
Unfortunately, I am no good at orchid identification so these pictures will be shared without captions. But if you happen to know a variety and would like to let me know, please feel free to leave a comment! Click on any of the photos below to see it a little closer!
Botanical Garden in Parque Carolina
Information For Your Trip
Keep expensive phones and cameras out of view while strolling in Parque Carolina but feel free to break them out inside the grounds of the garden.
- Direction by Car, use WAZE and look for Jardín Botánico Quito, Pasaje. Rumipamba, Quito, Ecuador.
- Direction by Public Transportation for buses around Quito, use the Google Map link and click on get directions. Use the public transportation option to find the best from your current location.
Have you been to the El Jardin de las Orchidias in Mindo? It is a beautiful sanctuary tucked away down a side street. The woman who cares for the hundreds of orchids is passionate about her plants and tells stories about them. The garden also is host to many hummingbirds. Mindo is known for the hummingbirds, the orchids, the butterflies and lest I forget, the chocolate factory! If you have not yet visited I encourage you to do so.
No, I haven’t been there. We have visited Mindo and we stayed at the Butterfly Garden and enjoyed tons of hummingbirds, birds, and butterflies. It was a Ecuadorian holiday weekend so we skipped the chocolate factory as downtown was absolutely packed. But we will be going back and I will be looking for El Jardín de las Orchidias! Muchas gracias!
There is also a wonderful little cafe called Cafe Del Arte with the best hot chocolate I have ever had! Check it out too.
Will do! Thanks so much!
They are so pretty. Thanks for sharing these beautiful photos.
You’re very welcome!