Must see attractions in Northern Highlands

Plaza de Ponchos, the nucleus of the crafts market, is filled every day with vendors selling woolen goods, such as rugs, tapestries, blankets, ponchos,…

Get an up-close view of Andean condors, as well as eagles, owls, falcons and hawks, at this Dutch-owned foundation, which rehabilitates these and other…

The 16,000-hectare Reserva Ecológica El Ángel includes frailejones, rare, otherworldly plants with fuzzy leaves and thick trunks. From El Ángel, take the…

At 4031 sq km, Reserva Ecológica Cayambe-Coca spreads across four provinces, including the Oriente, and includes alpine tundra and rainforest. Volcán…

Jose Rafael Maldonado, Miguel Andrango's son-in-law, now runs the day-to-day operations of this internationally famous weaving family business, in its…

This unique, small motor-powered (2002 Nissan!) cable car takes you soaring across a lush river basin over thick cloud forest to the Bosque Protector…

While this tree outside Otavalo is famous for its magical healing powers, it's much more reliable as a great picnic spot, romantic or otherwise, and for…

Most visitors head out this way to see the Cascadas de Peguche, a series of falls sacred to locals – visitors are still welcome, however, during Inti…

Each Monday and Thursday morning, groups of Otavaleños summit the Calle de las Almas (Street of Souls) to this hillside cemetery, sharing meals, songs,…

Mindo's best butterfly garden is like walking through a paint factory with the fans set to slow – a stunning kaleidoscope. Visit in the warmest part of…

Popular with local families on weekends, this series of cascades is the easiest to access in the area. However, it still entails either a trip on the…

Next to the Animal Market, this large, covered complex just west of the Panamericana houses the vendors who previously plied their trade in a messy…

Also known as Peñaherrera, the city’s main plaza was built at the beginning of the 19th century. The main feature of the Iglesia de la Merced is a gold…

Here's a landmark that claims to be one of a kind – a massive 52m-diameter sundial set exactly on the equator. Surrounded by an impressive stone mosaic…

Several small galleries with fascinating pre-Columbian artifacts unearthed in the area. The majority of objects – including ceramic ceremonial pieces and…

This gorgeous palm-filled plaza is dominated by the baroque-influenced cathedral. The altars are covered in gold leaf, and Troya’s paintings of the 12…

San Antonio, a small village near the larger city of Ibarra, specializes in woodcarvings. The most renowned gallery here is Galería Luís Potosí. Potosí…

Just past Casa Mojanda on the road up to Lagunas de Mojanda is the well-signposted trailhead for Cascada de Taxopamba. It's about a half-hour walk to…

Four creatively designed galleries explain every aspect of the history of textile production in the highlands. Located off the Panmericana, just before…

A 30m-high white obelisk honors Miguel de Ibarra's founding of the city in 1606.