The provinces of Loja and Zamora Chinchipe are found in a region which is very important for the ecotourism, especially birdwatching tourism point of view. Variety geological, ecological, biological and social conditions are paramount in the areas uniqueness. Both provinces have very irregular topography, caracterized mostly by the presence of Interandean valleys, which are result of the structures of some watersheds. among these are the bi-national Catamayo – Chira (flowing to the Pacific), Chinchipe – Mayo and the Zamora (flowing to the atlantic).

It is precisely the Andes zone in southern Ecuador and northern Peru that has been influenced by one of South America´ss most important biogeographic faults, the formation Fitogeográfica Huancabamba or Huancabamba Depression. It is here where the Cordillera Real of the Andes has te lowest elevations, resulting in the presence of flora and fauna with exceptional characteristics (Schulenberg &Awbrey 1997). In this Area the altitudes of the Andes drop down to 500 meters. this formation is one of the principle barriers for the migration of Andean flora and fauna, creating therefore the presence of uniques species with restricted distribution ranges and endemism to the region (Mittermeier et al.1999; Duellman 1979; Myers et al. 2000; Cuesta et al. 2005). The northern limit of the depression is located the valley of Paute and Giron, which constitutes the most important north-south barrier in the Ecuadorian Andes (Jorgensen 1994). this is why the vegetation in Loja is so different and why there is such a high concentration of endemic species here (Valencia et al. 2000); the southern limit of the Huancabamba Depression is located close to Abra de Porculla in Peu (Cuesta et al. 2005).

This region is geologically older than the Andes region in northern Ecuador. The paramos of these areas are less vast and they possess a particular bushy vegetation; furthermore, altitudes, altitudes are lower (Silva y Alban 2005). According to R. Hofstede (com. pers.), the paramo zone in the provinces of Loja and Zamora Chinchipe is considered one of the best conserved ecosystems of this kind worldwide. This state of conservation makes these ecosystems primary sources for environmental services that populations located on both sides of the mountain range receive. One hundred percent of the people that live at the lower elevation use the water provided by these mountainous ecosystems.

it is worth mentioning that, while hig areas made up of mountainous forest and paramos are common to both provinces and this zone is their political boundary (the continental divide), other geographical influences make both provinces completely different. 

In almost its entirety the province of Loja is markedly influenced by the dry, sub – tropical inter – Andean valleys, while the province of Zamora Chinchipe is directly influenced by the Amazon region, with the special presence of a branch of the easterly mountain range called the Cordillera del Cóndor. Here we find an unequalled wealth of plants and animals. It is apropiated to stress that many of the places within the Zamora Chinchipe province have not been explored, and therefore we can assume that the area still holds secret wealth which national and foreign researchers are currently attempting to discover.