Tours from Quito
A stopover at Ecuador’s Northern Andes is a perfect combination with any Galapagos cruise. The Andean capital sits almost upon the equator, yet at such a high altitude, its climate is superb - warm days, cool nights – all in a setting few cities in the world can match; an emerald valley punctuated by whitewashed houses topped with red-tiled roofs and encircled by a ring of snowcapped volcanic cones. Visit the Historical Center and walk the steep and winding cobbled streets of the old town with its rich colonial architecture, churches, monasteries and museums. Just outside the capital city, the Andean region north of Quito is famous for crystal lakes, traditional adobe villages, snowcapped volcanoes and bustling markets. The famous market at Otavalo is one of the largest in South America. In spite of its popularity, the indigenous people continue to maintain their ethnic identity, wearing traditional blue ponchos and speaking Quichua, their native language. Here you’ll find an array of native, locally-made crafts including alpaca sweaters, ponchos, Panama hats (an Ecuadorian creation despite its name), hammocks and woven tapestries. Just South of Quito, discover the spectacular scenery of Cotopaxi National Park and the Avenue of the Volcanoes, where 11 massive, brooding, snow-covered peaks overlook brooks and rivers, small villages and terraced farmlands. You can visit a market nearly every day of the week where natives dressed in colorful ponchos come from miles around to trade their livestock, handicrafts and gossip. Take a full day trip from Quito or spend a night or two in an hacienda, from rustic and homey to quite luxurious.