Ecuador

Ecuador's capital sits at nearly 9,400 feet in an Andean valley, its historic center one of the best-preserved colonial old towns in Latin America and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Baroque churches, cobblestone plazas, and ornate convents fill the old city, while a cable car climbs the slopes of Pichincha volcano for panoramic views. South of the city, the Avenue of Volcanoes strings together snow-capped peaks including Cotopaxi, one of the world's highest active volcanoes.

The Oriente region grants some of the most accessible rainforest access on the continent, with rivers like the Napo carrying travelers deep into primary jungle. Rainforest lodges offer canopy towers, night walks, and visits to indigenous Kichwa and Huaorani communities, while guided hikes and canoe trips reveal pink river dolphins, giant otters, and hundreds of bird species in one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth.

Home to one of South America's largest and oldest indigenous markets, Otavalo draws visitors for textiles, weavings, and crafts produced using techniques passed down for centuries. The surrounding northern Andes hold crater lakes, patchwork farmland, and traditional villages, offering an intimate look at Ecuador's Indigenous Andean culture just a short drive from Quito.

Ecuador's third-largest city preserves a graceful colonial core of blue-domed cathedrals, river-lined promenades, and red-tiled roofs, earning it UNESCO World Heritage status alongside Quito. Cuenca is also the traditional home of the Panama hat, woven here long before the trade took its misleading name, and sits within easy reach of Cajas National Park's high-altitude lakes and páramo grasslands.