Zamora

The small town at the base of the Andes is best known as the gateway to the Podocarpus National park. Aside from a petite market with an entire row dedicated to batidos and a large neon clock resting on the hillside opposite the bus depot, the town is not noteworthy. Information can be hard to come by and the tourist office is open intermittently, so if you want to visit the national park or organize a mountain biking trip or even try rafting, best advice is to organize ahead of time by emailing the tourism office. The tourist office is located behind the market on the opposite side of the bus depot.

Despite the ramshackle appearance Zamora its surrounding mountains more than make-up for the town's inhospitable characteristics. Podocarpus natural splendors are breathtaking and a mere ten minutes by taxi from town. The moment one enters the park, thoughts of long bus rides, rowdy passengers, and moldy hotel rooms drift away and the only sights and sounds one can picture are the beauties created from the convergence of the Amazon and cloud forests.