Visiting North-Sierra

Chachimbiro – Tulcán – Angochagua

To end 2022 we decided to take a local trip analyzing options to relax and get to know many places as we normally do,without much planning other than the desire to disconnect and enjoy, we went to Chachimbiro, Tulcán and ended up traveling in Angochagua, here we tell you what we did.

We started the trip at the Chachimbiro Hot Springs located 130 km from the city of Quito, in the subtropical part of the Imbabura province, at 2,494 meters above sea level (8182.41 feet). We arrived at one of the local accommodations, this time we tried the services of a hostel run by the Provincial Government (look at the review of the place visited on trip advisor). We spent two days there, on the first day we left Chachimbiro to get to know the Ciudad del Conocimiento Yachay, a government project where at the moment stands one of the country’s universities; without bias about how projects are managed in our country, we were able to see the magnitude of the project that was planned and we were very saddened to see abandoned buildings, in addition to knowing that much of what was proposed will not be carried out. Once in the Chachimbiro Hot Springs, we enjoyed relaxation in its pools and food that is included in the cost of accommodation.

From there we took the road north to our next destination, the city of Tulcán, on the way we passed through Mira called the Balcón de los Andes for being considered a natural viewpoint. We were just passing through there, we stopped at the central park and we were able to look at what the locals call the largest Christmas tree, since in December its square and one of its trees are decorated with about 30 meters height.

On this road our next stop was El Ángel parish within the Espejo canton, in its central square there are monuments to the main attractions of the territory such as the Frailejones and the Spectacled Bears that can be seen in the ecological reserve which has the same name ; in addition to the Church and Monument of San Miguel Archangel, whose size and beauty are remarkable.

Thus we arrived at the city of Tulcán located at 2980 masl  (9776.90 feet) and characteristic for its cold Andean climate since its average temperature is 13°C, we stayed in one of its hotels which caught our eye for its decoration of Chinese culture. (ver reseña en Trip advisor)

In this border city, due to the location of the hotels in the central part, we were able to watch the commercial movement. At night we went to one of the restaurants that had extended hours to enjoy a dish from our neighbor Colombia. We were also able to walk through its central square, which, like most cities in the country, is the central administrative point.

The next day we decided to walk through the center until we reached the José María Azael Franco Guerrero Cemetery, whose name pays homage to the person who began the ornamentation work in the Gardens, which in 1984 was declared a State Cultural Heritage Site and a Site of National Tourist Interest, what stands out within this cemetery are the cypress figures that can be admired in all the gardens of the place and figures of Andean animals, Galapagos animals and some cultures of Ecuador stand out.

As a tribute to one of the most representative athletes of our country, Richard Carapaz, we took the road from Tulcán to the Julio Andrade sector, thus we arrived at his parents’ house, a place that has a monument in his honor and they have adapted a restaurant to receive guests. During the visit here, we were able to enjoy a very quiet rural landscape and chat with Richard’s father for a moment.

We then took the road back to Quito but we decided to pass through Angochahua, one of the most beautiful valleys in the country. There we stayed in a traditional country place where we enjoyed a campfire and typical food  of the area at night. (revise reseña en nuestro perfil de facebook). In the morning of the last day, we went to the Muchana Rumi viewpoint, the valley and all its places are considered a heritage for local communities, its picturesque roads and spectacular landscapes allow you to enjoy unforgettable moments for sure a place to visit.

Its proximity to Zuleta allowed us to go through these alternate routes that are not very busy but that allow the enjoyment of rural life, so we ended our trip with great desire to plan our next Escapada Favorita, thank you for coming here.