Northern Highlands

Follow the snaking Panamericana past florid Cayambe to the vibrant market town of Otavalo and surrounding indigenous villages. As the spine of the Andes bends north from Quito, volcanic peaks punctuate valleys blanketed by flower farms and sugarcane fields. This is Ecuador’s beating heart and a cradle of Andean culture: artisans produce their wares using methods unaltered for generations, and visitors find some of the country’s best deals here, on everything from leather goods to traditional weavings.