El Pahuma is a small private forest reserve located 30 km northwest of Quito. The main entrance is situated right on the Calacali-Los Bancos highway.

This private reserve preserves a cloudforest from 2000m to over 3000m located on steep terrain of the lower Pichincha mountain massive.

Many small waterfalls cascade down on the flanks of the mountain.

Plants of the Araceae family are abundant and can be easily recognized by their huge leaves reaching sometimes diameters of one meter.

 Lizards are small reptiles found in larger numbers in the cloudforest ecosystem.

Orchids are very common in cloudforests growing most often as epiphytes on trees but some like this specie are also terrestrial found more in the open areas.

Flies are insects often overlooked but on closer inspections offer colorful variations.

Milipedes are encountered on the trails prefering the moist and shady leaf cover of the forest floor.

Other epiphytes which abound in this park are bromeliads. In the dense cloudforest they sit in the trees to be closer to the light but do not harm their hosts.