<strong>Ecuador</strong> ê GUIDE 8 GEODYSSEY | ECUADOR T: 020 7281 7788 www.geodyssey.co.uk/ecuador
<strong>Ecuador</strong> ê GUIDE Andes An extraordinary number of high volcanoes, wonderful scenery, colourful farming communities, expert weavers <strong>and</strong> crafts people, historic haciendas, <strong>and</strong> untouched nature make <strong>Ecuador</strong> <strong>the</strong> epitome of <strong>the</strong> Andean world. W onderful scenery is commonplace almost everywhere you travel in <strong>the</strong> Andes, but <strong>the</strong> central highl<strong>and</strong>s south of Quito offer some of <strong>the</strong> loveliest mountain scenery in <strong>the</strong> country. The fertile valley between <strong>the</strong> main eastern <strong>and</strong> western sierras has been heavily populated since pre- Incan times. Large haciendas control <strong>the</strong> best l<strong>and</strong> on <strong>the</strong> valley floor, while higher slopes are farmed by Quichua-speaking families who wring small crops of potatoes <strong>and</strong> maize from precipitous fields <strong>and</strong> terraces. Their winding lanes <strong>and</strong> peaceful hamlets, coupled with immense views, volcanic peaks, beautiful crater lakes, <strong>and</strong> ‘perpetual spring’ wea<strong>the</strong>r, make many parts of <strong>the</strong> sierras especially good for walking <strong>and</strong> trekking. The Incan Royal Road between Quito <strong>and</strong> Cusco in Peru followed <strong>the</strong> valley’s contours, as does <strong>the</strong> modern Pan-American Highway <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> old railway line, whose westward branch plunges down <strong>the</strong> Devil’s Nose towards <strong>the</strong> Pacific. The Avenue of <strong>the</strong> Volcanoes In this part of <strong>Ecuador</strong>, <strong>the</strong> Andes are at <strong>the</strong>ir most volcanic, with over fifty peaks (a good number of <strong>the</strong>m active) pushing upwards from <strong>the</strong> colliding tectonic plates below. Alex<strong>and</strong>er von Humboldt described <strong>the</strong> route south from Quito to Riobamba as <strong>the</strong> ‘Avenue of <strong>the</strong> Volcanoes’, with <strong>the</strong> peaks of <strong>the</strong> twin sierras arrayed on ei<strong>the</strong>r side. Driving south on <strong>the</strong> Pan American Highway on a fine day gives dramatic views of Pichincha (4,675m), Atacazo (4,463m), Corazón (4,788m), Ilinizas (5,248m), Carihuayrazo (5,028m) <strong>and</strong> Chimborazo (6,310m) in <strong>the</strong> western chain, while seen to <strong>the</strong> east are Pasochoa (4,199m), Rumiñahui (4,712m), Cotopaxi (5,897m), Quilindaña (4,877m), Tungurahua (5,029m), El Altar (5,319m), <strong>and</strong> Sangay (5,230m). The snow-line is usually around 5,000m. The most impressive of <strong>the</strong>se are Cotopaxi <strong>and</strong> Chimborazo. Cotopaxi is one of <strong>the</strong> highest active volcanoes in <strong>the</strong> world. Its perfectly symmetrical cone covered in a thick blanket of snow <strong>and</strong> ice rises gracefully from a beautiful high plain of grassl<strong>and</strong>s grazed by herds of wild horses who ga<strong>the</strong>r to drink at <strong>the</strong> lovely Limpiopungo lagoon–a good spot for waterfowl <strong>and</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r birds, with <strong>the</strong> jagged white peaks of nearby Rumiñahui volcano reflected in its surface. Walking in Cotopaxi National Park you will notice volcanic debris of pumice <strong>and</strong> ash amid <strong>the</strong> tiny páramos plants. On a day trip it is possible to drive as high as 4,600m on <strong>the</strong> slopes of <strong>the</strong> volcano <strong>the</strong>n hike up a scree to reach <strong>the</strong> snout of its glacier at 4,800m. The thinness of <strong>the</strong> air means this short distance The Incas at Ingapirca The Incan empire began to exp<strong>and</strong> in Peru in 1438 <strong>and</strong> spread into <strong>Ecuador</strong> through a series of conquests <strong>and</strong> alliances dating from 1516. Less than twenty years later it had been extinguished by <strong>the</strong> Incan civil war <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Spanish conquest. In this short space of time it had a remarkable effect, both culturally in <strong>the</strong> organisation of society <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> introduction of <strong>the</strong> Quichua language, <strong>and</strong> physically in terms of roads <strong>and</strong> buildings. The most important Incan site in <strong>Ecuador</strong> is at Ingapirca, north of Cuenca. Here a temple complex incorporating classic Inca stonework with precisely fitted ‘pillow’ blocks is built upon earlier Cañari structures. Ingapirca lies in a graceful setting on a low hill. At its centre is a substantially intact temple of <strong>the</strong> sun, with inwardly tapering walls of supremely well-fitted stone blocks <strong>and</strong> a trapezoidal doorway, hallmarks of <strong>the</strong> finest Incan construction. Laid out around <strong>the</strong> temple are <strong>the</strong> low remains of a great plaza, <strong>and</strong> of a good number of buildings that must have included official residences, stores, houses, barracks <strong>and</strong> a tambo or inn for travellers on <strong>the</strong> Royal Road between Quito <strong>and</strong> Cusco in Peru. The nearby town of Cañar is notable for fine weaving <strong>and</strong> its busy Sunday market. GEODYSSEY | ECUADOR T: 020 7281 7788 www.geodyssey.co.uk/ecuador 9