Park & nature
Quito Botanical Garden
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The Quito Botanical Garden is a park, botanical garden, arboretum, and greenhouse covering 18,600 square meters in Quito, Ecuador. It houses species of plants from Ecuador, which is among the 17 richest countries in the world in native botanical species, with 17,000 species. You can walk along paths past aquatic plants, cloud forest, páramo plants, an orchid garden, and medicinal plants.
Don't miss
- Orchid garden in two greenhouses, with orchids arranged on stones, ground, or tree trunks as in nature
- Páramo plants, including soft green pads full of water that you can lie on
- Medicinal plants like guanto (Brugmansia), believed to scare away evil spirits, and Cinchona officinalis, the remedy for malaria
- Aquatic plants and cloud forest sections along walking paths
- Streams and waterfalls running through the garden
Tickets & tours
Ways to visit Quito Botanical Garden
You can explore Quito Botanical Garden at your own pace. A tour is worth it mainly for transport, or for pairing it with nearby sights in one day.
Cheapest way inExperiential Walking tour in Quito's Old Town5★ · 173 travelers~3 hoursFree cancellationFrom$40 per personSee dates →
Most bookedGastronomic and Cultural Walking Tour of Quito with Tastings4.9★ · 1,234 travelers~4 hoursFree cancellationFrom$40 per personSee dates →
Private & flexibleFull-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Tour Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike5★ · 118 travelers~10 hoursFree cancellationFrom$189 per personSee dates →Getting there
Know before you go
- Located on Rumipamba Street and Av. Río Amazonas, inside Parque La Carolina, near an important commercial area and next to the Museum of Natural Sciences.
- Quito has a temperate climate year-round, with temperatures from 10°C to 27°C. Winter is rainy; a four-month dry season has the highest temperatures.
A bit of history
The garden was established in 1989 through an agreement between the Ecuadorian Museum of Natural Sciences, the Gardening Club, and the Municipality of Quito, converting the old municipal nursery of Parque La Carolina into a botanical garden. In June 1991, the Botanical Foundation of the Andes was created to manage and carry out actions for the knowledge, protection, and conservation of Ecuadorian flora.
Common questions
What types of plants can I see at the Quito Botanical Garden?
You can see aquatic plants, cloud forest, páramo plants (including soft water-filled pads), an orchid garden with orchids on stones and tree trunks, medicinal plants like guanto and Cinchona officinalis, and native and introduced fruit trees.
Is the garden part of a larger park?
Yes, it is located inside Parque La Carolina in Quito.
How big is the garden?
It covers 18,600 square meters.
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