La Sierra or The Highlands of Ecuador are incredible in their diversity. From active volcanoes, to hot springs, to cloud forests, each presented something different and exciting. The Andean Highlands Region, also known as La Sierra, runs between the jungle in the East (El Oriente) and the coastal lowlands in the West (La Costa). I was lucky enough to visit all three unique parts of continental Ecuador; La Sierra, La Costa and El Oriente. I have always been fascinated by mountains, whether the Rockies of Alberta and British Columbia or the Peak District in England, so La Sierra seemed a good place to start for exploring the rich Ecuadorean culture after getting to know the capital city, Quito, better.
We started with the province of Imbabura, named after an inactive volcano. Imbabura volcano is the main geographic feature of the region whose importance is not only physically important to the land, but spiritually. The locals know the volcano as “Taita” Imbabura, Quechua for “Father” Imbabura. I stayed at Felipe’s Grandmother’s lake-house, which had a stunning view of Lago San Pablo and the volcano. The house had beautiful gardens with fresh fruit, herbs and vegetables growing. My favourite were the avocado trees (imagine grabbing an avocado from your garden for breakfast!) and the tea Felipe’s Mum made from lemon beebrush picked from the garden.
A short drive from the lake-house took us to Otavalo, famous for its craft market. Each week, vendor after vendor sells handmade, traditional crafts. A bit of research tells me “The market tradition stretches back to pre-Incan times, when traders would emerge from the jungle on foot, ready to conduct business.” I felt the historical and cultural impact of crafts and commerce as I wandered by different, delicately made weavings and jewellery. I bought some colourful “hippy pants” (as I like to call them!) from a lovely stall. What amazed me most was the importance of tradition. The Otavaleños (indigenous peoples of the region) still wear traditional clothing. Almost every woman wore an embellished, embroidered white blouse, hand crafted beads around their neck, a long wool skirt and canvas sandals. Both men and women wore their long hair in a single braid at the back. Many men wore felt fedora hats and blue woollen ponchos. This aspect of La Sierra gave Ecuador a rich history and culture in which I was inspired by.
After the market, we visited Cotacachi, a small town with a huge sense of community, where a San Juan/Inti Raymi celebration was underway. Hundreds of people danced, played music and marched through the narrow streets in celebration of the summer equinox and Mother Earth: “It is believed that this ancient festival originated before the era of the Inca Empire, to the 11th century. San Juan translates to Saint John the Baptist. The holiday symbolizes the arrival of summer, water purification, when people express gratitude to nature for its gifts.” After losing ourselves in the midst of the festival, we stopped for humitas (delicious!) then headed to Cuicocha lake. Cuicocha is a stunning lake nestled within the 3km crater of Cotacachi volcano. It was a bit nippy up there, but the view was so worth it.
Trip Playlist
Onda Vaga – Mambeado
Fondo Flamenco – Rompecabezas
Plastilina Mosh – Pervert Pop Song
Holly Stark 
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