Chimborazo Province

Chimborazo "The province of the high summits "

The province of Chimborazo has a very unique importance for the history of central Ecuador, for being a midpoint between the coast and the Amazon, since ancient times was established as an area of encounter between cultures, merchants and events of religious connotation.

The activity of the province is based on agriculture, leather manufacturing, mining and in recent years there has been an important boost to tourism in the region.

Places to discover in Chimborazo

• Atillo Lagoons: A really impressive lagoon, north of the lagoon is an island that has great biodiversity of flora.
• Ozogoche Lagoons: The lagoons are located within the Sangay National Park, 45 lagoons have been accounted within this protected area and represents a tourist icon of Alausí.
• Museum of the Conception: The museum of the Convent of La Concepción shows a collection of religious figures of the colonial period. The most important is the Custody of Riobamba.
• Nariz del Diablo Alausí train: Alausi - Sibambe train. The nose of Devil is a majestic engineering work, is called the most difficult railway in the world due to the history of its construction.
• Municipal Museum: In this archaeological environment a mummified body is exhibited. It was found among the rubble of the church of La Assumption and that corresponds to Fray Lázaro.
• Balbanera Church: It is the main attraction of Colta, the first church built on Ecuadorian soil, so its beauty is historical.
• El Altar: Trekking to the El Altar volcano is one of the unique experiences that you must do when you visit this province.
• Guayllabamba or Aguallanchi hot springs: 7 km away from the canton Chambo province of Chimborazo at an altitude of 3,400 meters above sea level, a hot spring of volcanic origin is located. Known for its healing power, since many claim to have felt relief in muscle and bone ailments. The natural beauty of the landscape contemplates an abundant and varied vegetation of the area and complements the Timbul River that crosses the side of the slope.

Chimboraz volcano

The Chimborazo Volcano is one of the highest snowfall in the Ecuadorian Andes, a place to appreciate the view a set of mountains.

Chimboraz Wildlife Production Reserve

This Chimborazo reserve is the most overwhelming meeting of high  volcanic peaks, and over all the majestic snowfall, reigns the Taita Chimborazo.

Last Icemaker of Chimborazo

The last ice maker of Chimborazo, the oldest profession in the Ecuadorian Highlands of Chimborazo is maintained by Baltazar Ushaca the last ice maker, that is why a statue has been created in his honor.

Cantons of Chimborazo

• Riobamba Canton
  • ◦ Rural parishes: Cacha, Calpi, Cubijíes, Flores, Licán, Licto, Pungala, Punín, Quimiag, San Juan, San Luis.
  • ◦ Urban parishes: Lizarzaburu, Maldonado, Velasco, Veloz, Yaruquíes.
  • Cantonal Head: Riobamba
• Alausí Canton
  • Rural parishes: Achupallas, Guasuntos, Huigra, Multitud, PistishÍ, Pumallacta, Sevilla, Sibambe, Tixán
• Canton Chambo
  • Urban Parish and Cantonal Head: Chambo
• Chunchi Canton
  • Rural parishes: Capzol, Comud, Gonzol, Llagos
• Colta Canton
  • Rural parishes: Cañi, Columbe, Juan de Velasco, Santiago de Quito.
  • Urban Parish: Cajabamba

• Cumandá Canton
  • Urban Parish and Cantonal Head: Cumandá
• Guamote Canton
  • Rural parishes: Cebadas, Palmira
• Guano Canton
  • Rural parishes: Guanando, Ilapo, La Providencia, San Andrés, San Gerardo de Pacaicaguán, San Isidro de Patulú, San José del Chazo, Santa Fe de Galán, Valparaíso.
  • Urban Parish: El Rosario
  • Cantonal Head: Guano
• Pallatanga Canton
  • Cantonal Head: Pallatanga
• Penipe Canton
  • Rural parishes: Bilbao, El Altar

The Chimborazo

Climate of the province of the high peaks

It is characterized for presenting a climatic heterogeneity, therefore above the 4,600 masl is glacial: between 3,000 and 4,000 masl is moorland. Going down to 2,000 meters above sea level we find a mesothermic  dry climate: a climate type that predominates in areas near the coast the mesothermal wet and semi-humid type of climate predominates. It is temperate and it’s average temperature is 13 ° C.

Chimborazo gastronomy

The cuisine of this province is based on its customs and traditions, each canton of Chimborazo keeps an important amount of typical dishes to taste.

• Guano Canton: The gastronomy of the Guano canton is very varied and it is one of the reasons why people also visit it.  That is to taste the delights of the culinary art that is prepared here. Between the most popular dishes are fried pork, chorizo, chicha huevona, cholas, colada morada with bread, champus with muffins, guinea pig and roasted rabbit, mishqui gut, chinchulines, among others. Most of the retail stores are located near the Central Park, although there other stores in different neighborhoods and sectors of the canton.
• Canton Chambo: A culinary custom rooted in the Andean highlands; fried pork is the typical dish that is tasted in all of the canton’s restaurants, other dishes are potatoes with guinea pig, sesina (beef steak dried in the sun), the morocho, machica, chicha de jora, toasted corn, yanito (tasted in the communities and is a mixture of cooked grains such as: beans, mellocos, mote, geese and bean).
• Riobamba Canton: baked pork with mote and lettuce in vinegar juice, baked potatoes with pork meat, slices of avocado, and creole chili pepper. Or if you prefer to accompany with toasted corn.
  • Chochos Ceviche: Make a salad with onion, tomato salt, lemon, oil, coriander, leather. Release the chochos in the salad shortly before serving. It can be accompanied with a portion of toasted corn.
  • Tortillas with Caucara: mashed potatoes are mashed only more consistent, apart the meat is boiled with dressings and a little water, served with avocado and salad.
• Guamote Canton:​​​​​​​
  • Guayaba Sweet: It's like a jelly but curdled, that mix the guayaba juice with sugar or panelagranulated in the 50-50 weight ratio, which then proceeds to its concentration by evaporation under vacuum.
  • Milk delicacy: In a pot we boil the milk with sugar and vanilla essence until is thick, chill and beat for 2 hours, we put the dough in a box covered with paper office, let dry and cut into bars.
  • Potatoes with Guinea Pig: After being roasted to taste it, accompany it with cooked potatoes, peanut sauce and lettuce salad.

Culture and traditions of Chimborazo

The people of Chimborazo are heirs of a historical past that goes back thousands of years ago to the The Puruháes and Duchicelas, villages and dynasties constituted free, independent and courageous manors. The Puruhá nation was a natural wall to prevent the advance of the conquerors of the south. The Incas Tupac Yupanqui, Huayna Cápac, and the conqueror Sebastián de Benalcázar, could pass to Tiocajas only with the alliance of natural phenomena such as eruptions of Tungurahua. It is a town rich in traditions, folklore, music, dance, beliefs and knowledge of medicine. There are indigenous communities like that of Nizag, in the Alausí canton, jealously guarding their customs and social and ethnic traditions, bulls, horses, roosters, dances, parades, queens, passes, costumes, kings, curiquingues, are festivals that take place throughout the year.

Chimborazo history

The city of Riobamba was founded on August 15, 1534 by Diego de Almagro, in the ancient city of Liribamba (ancient capital of the Puruhaes) what is now Villa La Unión in Canton Colta. It was the first one Spanish city founded in lands of what is now Ecuador. During the

Cologne was a large and prosperous city, until February 4 of 1797 was destroyed by an earthquake. For its reconstruction Riobamba was moved to the current plain of Tapi that met the conditions