Tulcán, Ecuador

Capital City

At 9,680 feet above sea level, Tulcán is no place for the faint of heart. The population of 56,719 contends with a frigid, high-altitude climate and the ever-present bureaucratic headaches of living so close to the Colombian border. Despite its topiary gardens and reputation for civic culture, this border town is a trade hub first and foremost, catering to the roughly 150,000 inhabitants of the broader Tulcán-Ipiales conurbation. For those seeking an authentic Ecuadorian experience, Tulcán offers a dose of Andean grit and border-town pragmatism - but little in the way of creature comforts.