Cotopaxi National Park [1]: Ecuador’s most popular mainland national park is home to llamas, wild horses, and the Andean condor, and it is dominated by the country’s highest and most beautiful volcano.
Laguna Quilotoa [2]: The luminous turquoise water of this lake in an extinct volcano’s caldera is one of Ecuador’s most stunning sights, and the Quilotoa Loop around nearby indigenous villages is an unbeatable hike.
The Waterfall Route from Baños to Puyo [3]: Go cycling, hiking, rafting, and canyoneering to your heart’s content in the Pastaza Valley before soaking in the thermal baths of this idyllic spa town nestled below Volcán Tungurahua.
Chimborazo Fauna Reserve [4]: Drive, hike, or cycle through the lunar landscapes of this reserve, home to reintroduced herds of vicuñas, in the shadow of Ecuador’s highest mountain.
Nariz del Diablo Train Ride [5]: Parts of the rail system are back up and running, and this section through a series of switchbacks through the Devil’s Nose below Alausí is still one of the world’s most dramatic train rides.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/ecuador-the-galapagos/central-sierra/cotopaxi-national-park
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/ecuador-the-galapagos/central-sierra/the-quilotoa-loop
[3] http://www.moon.com/destinations/ecuador-the-galapagos/central-sierra/the-waterfall-route-banos-puyo
[4] http://www.moon.com/destinations/ecuador-the-galapagos/central-sierra/chimborazo-fauna-reserve
[5] http://www.moon.com/destinations/ecuador-the-galapagos/central-sierra/alausi