The Andean highlands of Ecuador have a rich and multifaceted history, dating back to the sophisticated cultures that were here even before the Incas. The legacy of these indigenous groups and the Incas mixes with the influence of the Spanish colonial period to create today’s vivid highlands’ culture. In the spectacularly varied countryside, in traditional Indian markets, and in beautiful colonial haciendas that are now gracious inns, you experience the magic of the highlands.

Our trip begins in Quito, the capital of Ecuador and an UNESCO World Heritage Site. From Quito we head north to the province of Imbabura, renowned for both its natural beauty and its cultural importance. The market town of Otavalo is our first stop, as we visit the “Plaza de los Ponchos” and peruse the huge assortment of handicrafts made by the indigenous people of the area.

Especially famed for their textiles - blankets, tapestries, sweaters, and more - the Otavaleños also build instruments used in the music of the highlands, in particular the Andean pipes or flutes. We overnight at Las Palmeras, a small and familiar hostel. The next day we will visit a volcanic lake, Cuicocha, with its impressive landscape of deep blue waters surrounded by hills with fabulous views of the area including the Imbabura, Cotacachi and Cayambe mountains. In the afternoon we will stopover in the communities of Peguche, Agato and Pinsaqui to observe the local weavers before returning to our hostel Las Palmeras.

Subsequently we go to the wonderfully intricate ecosystem of the Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, a private 600-hectare reserve at the slopes of the Andes, bursting with a rich vegetation and bird biodiversity. A colorful assortment of whirring hummingbirds surrounds the observatory dome of Bellavista, and on our hikes we can spot some of the more than 200 species that have been sighted here. In the afternoon of our second day in Bellavista we return to Quito followed by the transfer to your Galapagos trip the next day.