Zumbahua is a high-altitude village of adobe and corrugated iron, built on a plateau at roughly 3,500 metres in the western Cordillera of the Ecuadorian Andes, and on Saturday it comes alive. The weekly market draws indigenous Kichwa families from all the valleys round about, who walk or ride in from far above the tree line to sell potatoes, barley, wool, guinea pigs and bundles of herbs, and to buy salt, cloth and plastic bowls. The women wear felt hats and woollen shawls in vivid pinks, reds and greens, and the animals have their own section of the market, with sheep and pigs being bargained over in loud, cheerful voices.
The area is also known for its painters. In the nearby community of Tigua, local artists paint scenes of village life, fiestas and the surrounding páramo on stretched sheepskin, a style that grew in the 1970s and is now sold in galleries across the country. The paintings are bright, naive and full of detail, with condors, llamas and little figures dancing in the fields. A few studios in the area welcome visitors, though they are not always easy to find.
For a rider, the road is the thing. From Latacunga, the highland city to the east, the road climbs through Pujilí and up onto the páramo, a cold, wind-beaten grassland covered with tussocks and sudden patches of potato and barley fields, which lie on the slopes like a patchwork quilt. Zumbahua is the last substantial village before the road goes on to the Quilotoa crater, about twelve kilometres to the north. The surface is mostly paved, with rough patches, potholes and the odd animal on the road. The altitude takes its toll on engines and riders, so expect less power and take care not to rush. The weather can swing from sun to hail within an hour, and the nights are cold enough for frost.
Services here are basic. There is no real fuel station worth relying on, so fill the tank at Latacunga or Pujilí and carry a margin. A handful of simple hostels and eateries serve soup, rice and eggs, and the cheapest hot meal of the day is usually a bowl of chicken soup with potatoes. Altitude headaches are common, and a cup of coca tea or a slow walk helps.
Visit on a Saturday morning if you want the market, but arrive early and park carefully, because the narrow streets fill quickly.