The drive north towards Otavalo and the Columbian border is spectacular, passing through and over Andean valley’s dominated by towering snow-capped volcanoes. You stop in the quaint little towns of Calderon and Cayambe and pass through the line of the Equator, visiting the Equator monument
The Saturday market here contains an array of textiles and crafts. Split into 3 different markets; food, weavings and animals. The men wear their hair long and plaited with calf length white trousers and blue ponchos. Women wear colourful embroidered blouses, shoulder wraps and colourful beads.
Forming part of the ecological reserve this Crater Lake contains 2 islands that can be visited by boat, offer good birding possibilities. There is also an 8 km trail around the lagoon, which takes around 6 hours to walk, and provides superb views of the Cotacachi, Imbabura and Cayambe peaks
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