ON THE TRAIL: IMBABURA

DISCOVER ECUADOR'S ARTS AND CRAFTS ON A ROAD TRIP THROUGH THIS ANDEAN PROVINCE, WHERE EVERY VILLAGE CHAMPIONS A DIFFERENT TRADE

- SARAH GILLESPIE

Starting from Quito, drive north up the Pan-American Highway. Keep an eye out for the plantations of the Pichincha province: Ecuador is one of the world’s biggest producers of roses, said to bloom larger than average under the equatorial sun. Your first stop is San Pablo Del Lago, on the shores of the namesake lake. This tranquil village is known for totora, a reed that grows in the lagoon, and all around its streets, you’ll see stalls selling mats, baskets and even kayaks made of it. Book a local guide for a behind-the-scenes visit to the home of an artisan weaver.

The paintings, weavings and carvings of the province find their way to the town of Otavalo for market day. The Indigenous Otavaleño people are famous for their textile weaving skills, a tradition that predates the Incas. But in the local market, one of the largest of its kind in South America, Imbabura’s riches converge: alpaca ponchos, handcrafted jewellery and rugs bearing a menagerie of Ecuadorian fauna fight for attention in the open-air stalls. Open every day, the market is at its busiest on Saturdays.