Adventure to the north of Ecuador

In Ecuador, the wilderness is never far away and its capital city is no different. Surrounded by active volcanoes and the Amazon Basin, Quito presents one fabulous view after another as you stroll through the streets - and the best? Definitely atop the famous El Panecillo Hill or over a pisco sour at a rooftop bar, depending on your persuasion! The Old Town is one of the most well-preserved Spanish cities in Latin America and it's a feast for the eyes with 200 churches, plazas and museums, including the House of Praise which holds 5,000 pre-Columbian pieces. The city also has its share of bohemian neighbourhoods where you can delve into the arts scene and get to know Quito's modern side.

One of the tallest active volcanoes in the world, Cotopaxi watches over the Avenue of Volcanoes like a cloud-grazing guardian. The national park surrounding it is a maze of trails, which can be explored on foot, bike or horseback with a genuine Ecuadorian cowboy. Along the way, keep your eyes peeled for wild vicunas, Andean condors in flight and, if you're really lucky, puma. You could even make the trek partway (or all the way) to the summit of Cotopaxi, no mean feat considering its height at 5,897 metres above sea level. For something completely different, visit one of the park's glacial waterfalls or thermal pools for a dip, or take a boat ride on the Turquoise Quilotoa Crater Lake.

A pocket of villages set amongst a scene of towering volcanoes, Otavalo offers a window into Ecuador's highland culture. It's the gathering spot for people from all around, who bring their handmade wares to sell at the famous market. Visitors can easily lose many hours perusing the stalls and trinkets. Afterwards, head into the surrounds on foot, bicycle or horseback and marvel at lake-filled craters, sacred waterfalls and go wildlife-spotting in one of the nearby reserves.