Trekking in Ecuador - Piedra Blanca

Trekking in the valley of Piedra Blanca - local guides can take you on one day or overnight rainforest trekking tours in the valley. You'll encounter various waterfalls, caves, towering cliff faces, birdlife and, if you're lucky, some larger wildlife. Click to enlarge any of the subsequent trekking photos:

Trekking to or from Salinas - Trekking high into the paramo from Piedra Blanca to Salinas (2 days) is particularly recommended for adventurous travellers. Hiking through the beautiful countryside along rural "roads" / tracks and paths, you will pass through numerous small villages and hamlets. It's an interesting and breathtaking mountainous trek, particularly on a clear day. Salinas itself is an interesting tourism destination in Ecuador - click here for more information on Salinas. Trekking from Salinas to Piedra Blanca is an alternative and takes less time (possible in one long day) as it's downhill - ask in Salinas for a guide. Take plenty of water with you, and ideally try to take some water purification tablets to purify the local tap water, as there are only a handful of shops selling bottled water on the route. To see an interactive map of this trekking route, click here. Photos en route from Salinas:

Historical Trekking in rural Ecuador - You can also go "historical trekking" along the "Alcohol Contraband Route", near to Piedra Blanca. This is one of Ecuador's old trade routes that was initially used to aid colonisation from the Sierra to the coastal zone. In later years it was used to smuggle aguardiente (firewater alcohol) from the coast to the highlands. This trekking route is rich in Ecuador's history where you can visit pyrotechnic workshops, guitar manufacturers, firearm workshops and the shrine to the Virgin of Guayco.