In northern Ecuador we find the Imbabura province which is a beautiful country filled with lush valleys, lakes, volcanoes and colorful indigenous villages. We meet the locals as they herd their llamas and sheep, or sell their handcrafted wools or traditional foods. We will visit Calderón, a small town where traditional bread dough figurines are made. We continue along the valleys of Guayllabamba and Cayambe where we find dairy farms and world-class rose plantations. We also visit the town of San Antonio de Ibarra known for woodcarvings and the town of Cotacachi entirely dedicated to manufacturing fine leather products. On our second day we visit the town of Peguche where we find traditional healers, sacred waterfalls, and textiles that are woven in old-fashioned shuttle looms. We will visit the Otavalo Market piled high with ponchos, woolen goods, tapestries, hats, sweaters, Indian jewelry and many more handicrafts. During the solstices we can also participate in local festivities.

Optional Activities:
Mountain biking, horseback riding and hiking.

This tour combines a full day in Cotopaxi National Park on day 1 with an Indian Market and countryside exploration on day 2. We visit small traditional towns through the scenic inter-Andean valleys south of Quito, known as the "Avenue of the Volcanoes." We spend the evening in a pleasant hacienda hotel. Available markets for this tour are based on day of week, as follows: