La Esperanza, Ecuador

La Esperanza (the name is Spanish for "hope") is a town and parish in northern Ecuador in Imbabura Province, Ibarra Canton. It lies at the north-eastern foot of Mount Imbabura volcano about 7 km in straight line distance south of the city of Ibarra.

La Esperanza parish had a population of 6,677 in the 2001 census and 7,363 in the 2010 census. The town has an elevation of 2448 m above sea level.

In the late 1960s and 1970s, La Esperanza became known to hippies and celebrities for the magic mushrooms which grew there in profusion.