Highlands

The Andes region, or central highlands, lying between the western coastal lowlands and the eastern jungles, consists of mountain ranges, foothills and valleys. The two sides of the Andes, the Western and Eastern Andes contain 60 volcanoes with an average altitude of 7000 feet, covering a distance of 400 km from the northern to the southern Andes. This is called the "Avenue of the Volcanoes." Due to the altitude, the Andes region has cool, spring-like weather, with a great deal of sunshine. Temperatures vary throughout the day. The highlands are overcast and wet during the rainy season (October-May), and drier, with mild showers, common in the afternoon, during the dry season (June-September).

The Ecuadorian Andes region commonly known as "la Sierra" is formed by the following provinces: Carchi, Imbabura, Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, Chimborazo, Bolivar, Cañar, Azuay and Loja. The Andean Highland covers only a fifth of the surface of Ecuador, but a 44,9% of the population of Ecuador lives in the valleys along the Andes. The Ecuadorian Andes are known for their majestic snow-capped mountains and active volcanoes with hot springs surrounded by vast lush green grassy paramos, humid cloudforests and fertile valleys, colorful indian markets, lovely colonial towns, ancient haciendas and historic cities, all below an dramatic spectacle of intense blue sky and playful clouds only to be admired in the highlands of this latitude.

The Ecuadorian Andes are known for their majestic snow-capped mountains and active volcanoes with hot springs surrounded by vast lush green grassy paramos, humid cloudforests and fertile valleys, colorful indian markets, lovely colonial towns, ancient haciendas and historic cities, all below an dramatic spectacle of intense blue sky and playful clouds only to be admired in the highlands of this latitude. The andean region of Ecuador is the most visited in the country due to its cultural and natural diversity.