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LOCATION AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

The Avenue of the Volcanoes is located in the Ecuadorian Andes and extends along a natural corridor of approximately 500 kilometers in length and some 20 kilometers in width at its broadest points. It runs from the northern Andean province of Imbabura to the central Andean province of Chimborazo, in the heart of the country.

This impressive section of the Andes, graphically described by the German scientist Alexander von Humboldt as an “Avenue of Volcanoes” when he visited Ecuador in the 19th century, consists of a series of valleys and plateaus, flanked on both sides by the Western and Eastern Andean Cordilleras. Populated by around 20 volcanoes, some active, others extinct or dormant, the Avenue’s colossal giants are frequently snow-covered and rise to heights exceeding four thousand meters above sea level.

Punctuating this extraordinary landscape of awesome mountains and fertile valleys are various colonial cities and picturesque Andean towns, populated by predominantly “mestizo” and Indian inhabitants engaged in agriculture, cattle farming, flower cultivation (Ecuador is a major exporter of high quality roses) and the trading and production of beautiful and original handicrafts, for the most part hand-made by the skilled and creative artisans living in the region.

The irregular geography of this area, with elevations fluctuating between 1,500 meters above sea level in some subtropical Andean valleys to over 6,000 meters above sea level at the summits of the highest volcanoes, offers a spectacular variety of scenery and sights: micro-climates, diverse ecosystems and natural formations, towns and villages, as well as colorful expressions of the local culture and varied cuisine. There’s no shortage of options and there’s something to suit all interests, although choosing between these diverse activities may not be easy.