Imbabura is a strato volcano located 40 miles (65 km) north of Quito. Its steep slopes make it a good acclimatization climb for those preparing for Ecuador’s famous high altitude volcanoes. Highlights include hiking through tall grass páramo and rocky outcroppings followed by lush vegetation higher on the mountain. Imbabura overlooks San Pablo Lake, Ecuador’s largest natural lake.

There are two main summits on Imbabura. The higher peak (100 m/328 ft) is reached by traversing a knife edge crater rim from the north summit of the normal route.
The peaks of Imbabura were once glaciated, and used to serve as an important ice source for the nearby villages. People would climb high onto the mountain to get ice from the glacier and carry it back to sell at the markets in the villages of Otavalo and Ibarra. Today the village of Otavalo is still famous for its large market, although it is now largely a craft market selling items such as vibrant textiles, wood carvings, and the Panama hats (which actually originated in Ecuador).

On a clear day you have a beautiful views of the northern part of the so-called "Avenue of the Volcanoes", including Cayambe, Antisana, Ilinizas, Volcan Chiles and Cumbal located in Colombia.