"MOUNTAINS, LAKES & FOLKLORE"

The Northern Sierra offers a magnificent scenery of volcanoes, sparkling lakes and patchwork covered hills. Taking the Panamerican highway north of Quit, the first highlight is the Cayambe Volcano 5797 msnm, crossed by the Equator line. This snowpeak overlooks the city with the same name, which in the last decade has grown in importance because of the rose plantations. The flower industry is Ecuador´s fourth largest export. Also well renowed in Cayambe are the home made cheesse and biscochos (biscuits).

Further north is the province of Imbabura. A visit to Ecuador in never complete with out at least a few days spent here, at the province of lakes and a lot of folklore. Here we have the famous city of Otavalo, a very small town of about 50.000 inhabitants. It lies at 2500 msnm (meters above sea level) in a spring like valley, situated between the Imbabura  volcano 4600 msnm and the Cotacachi volcano 4900 msnm. The most famous indigenous market in Ecuador is held here. Although the market is bigger on Saturdays, you can visit it any day and find an impressive variety of all kinds of Ecuadorian handicrafts. At dawn you may see indigenous people arriving the market place from mountain trails surrounding the city. They come from nearby villages and town such as Peguche, Agato and Iluman, to sell their products. One may visit the workshops of these local weavers working on back strap and Spanish treadle looms, as well as other artisan at work making felt hats, knitting sweaters or weaving straw mats.

But, besides Otavalo, there are others towns to visit, like Cotacahi village, well known for its leather-work. You can find an excellent choise of jackets, skirts, boots, briefcases, bags, riding equipment and wallets. Cotacachi is home to the only highschool in Ecuador that teaches leather work.