Why you shouldn't miss out on Ambato

Ambato is a city with a lot of history and has been rebuilt multiple times, but there if there is one reason to go there it is this

Other than being historically significant and the capital of the area, Ambato has one very special trait that makes it a must visit for hikers and volcano lovers. It is located in the middle of the volcanic area and is surrounded by 3 of the biggest volcanos in the country: Cotopaxi, Chimborazo, and Tungurahua. On a good spot in the city you can watch all 3. More importantly, you can see whether any of them have clear view so you can actually see something from the top. The location of the city makes it a perfect center to hike though multiple national parks and seeing amazing views.

We spent there only 2 days, and did 2 one-day hikes:

Chimborazo

Chimborazo is an ice-capped inactive volcano and is the highest mountain in Ecuador, with a peak of 6263 meters. It's peak is also the farthest point from the Earth's center (even though it is not the highest point on Earth!). We took a 4am bus from Ambato, which took us to the entrance of the national park which is already at an altitude of about 4300 meters. From there we simply hiked until we reached a point after which you couldn't see anything, and went back to look at the llamas on the way. We understood that on a clear day you can continue a bit further than what we did, but it is impossible to summit the volcano without climbing gear.

Quilotoa

After "seeing" Chimborazo we changed course a little, and to avoid the clouds we just asked locals where can we go and actually see something. The immediate answer we got is Laguna Quilotoa, which is another volcano in the area. Quilotoa is 3914 meters high and has a crater lake with an amazing view. We took a bus almost to the lake itself, and the only hike we did was around the crater. Maybe not as physically challenging, but the view is still worth it

Final thoughts

To be honest, I was not impressed at all by the city itself, with all of the history. But I would definitely go back to see more of the area and try the other hikes. Make sure you don't miss out on this amazing spot, but do your research on when the visibility is better. And if you are lucky enough to catch one of the volcanoes with a clear sky, please send me a photo!