Straddling the dry and arid reaches of the Peruvian Sechura Desert and the lush highlands on the edge of the Amazon Basin, Loja certainly has a unique position in the geography of South America. In fact, the town itself was brought into being by Alonso de Mercadillo in 1548, intended as a launchpad for the conquistadors to expand their Spanish realm into the tropical rainforests that unfurled before them. Today, the very gateway called Puerta de la Ciudad is every inch the grandiose spectacle needed to herald an outpost of the Spanish crown- a neo-Gothic masterwork with Moorish touches. Within town, baroque churches and half adobe cottages line the streets, exuding a unique colonial-cum-Latin culture that Loja tour guides can help explore between the music museums and universities. And when it comes to following in the footsteps of Alonso the explorer, strap on the walking boots for the Parque Nacional Podocarpus. Spreading out to the Andean peaks to the west of town, this wonderland of natural treats is a hiking and wildlife treasure trove!