Best of Ecuador’s Northern Sierra
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Mindo: This sleepy town, nestled in the cloud forest, teems with toucans, hummingbirds, quetzals, and butterflies. Adrenaline seekers can fly across the forest canopy on zip-lines or plunge down the river rapids.
Textile Market: Otavalo’s textile market, held every Saturday, is one of the best on the continent—patterned ponchos, sweaters, embroidered shirts, handmade jewelry, and felt hats are all on sale, so haggle away.
Lagunas de Mojanda and Fuya Fuya: Explore these three beautiful lagoons high above the valley in the shadow of jagged mountains. Nearby Fuya Fuya is excellent practice for climbing more challenging peaks.
Laguna Cuicocha: This 200-meter-deep crater lake in the shadow of Volcán Cotacachi is one of Ecuador’s most stunning sights. Hike around it or take a boat through the canal between two volcanic cones in the center.
Tulcán’s Municipal Cemetery: With its extraordinary topiary works, this graveyard has been called “so beautiful, it invites one to die.”
© Ben Westwood and Avalon Travel from Moon Ecuador & the Galápagos Islands, 5th Edition
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Moon Travel Guides make independent travel and outdoor exploration fun and accessible. With expert and adventurous travel writers delivering a mix of honest insight, first-rate strategic travel advice, insider travel tips and an essential dose of humor, Moon Travel Guides ensure that travelers have an uncommon and entirely satisfying experience. Each travel book is filled with unique trip ideas, easy-to-use maps, and detailed information on sights, restaurants, and accommodations. Moon Travel Guides not only point you in the right direction, they inspire new ideas and adventure. Whether you are seeking a relaxing beach trip to Hawaii, or an adventure travel trip to the rainforests of Costa Rica, Moon guidebooks—and Moon.com—are with you every step of the way. Founded in 1973, the Moon Travel Guides series includes Moon Handbooks, Moon Outdoors, Moon Metro, Moon Living Abroad and Moon Spotlight travel books. Moon is based in Berkeley, California and is a proud member of the Perseus Books Group.