Chugchilan is a small village on the edge of a canyon, the sort of place where a day's ride ends with soup and a fire. The valley of the Toachi River drops away below the village in green folds, and the farmland on the far side is cut into a patchwork of squares, with the occasional white house and a thread of smoke. At about 3,200 metres the village is cold in the evening, and the sky clears after dusk to reveal a thick scatter of stars.
There are a handful of lodges and hostels, several of them community-run, with simple rooms, hot meals and wood stoves, and the people are warm and hospitable. A cheese factory in the village, started by an aid project, makes a local cheese that appears in several of the lodges. Fuel is not sold here in any reliable way, and the nearest towns are many kilometres back, so make sure to carry what you need.
The road from Quilotoa is a good one, if narrow, running along the rim of the Toachi canyon in a series of gentle bends with big drops and brilliant views. The surface varies from smooth paving to rough patches, and in the wet season it can turn greasy. Dogs and animals are common, and corners can have livestock or children on them. Keep a steady pace, and sound the horn on blind bends if you must.
The culture here is Kichwa, with Spanish overlay. Villagers wear felt hats and wool ponchos, and keep their language and festivals alive. Corn and potatoes are the staples, and the Sunday market, when it takes place, is lively. The mountains in the evening glow orange, and the air smells of woodsmoke and cattle. Rain is common in the afternoons, and the cloud sometimes sits in the canyon for hours. A good plan is to ride in the morning, with the clearest views, and stop at a lodge for lunch and a hot drink before heading on.