Otavalo Unveiled: A Day Journey Through Time and Tradition!
Description
In the heart of South America, nestled just two hours north of Quito, lies the enigmatic town of Otavalo. It's not just any town; it's a pulsating epicenter of culture, art, and nature. Known far and wide for hosting the continent's most expansive Indian handicraft market, Otavalo is more than just a marketplace. It's a tapestry of vibrant colors, intricate woodwork, and masterful weaving. Beyond the bustling stalls and the hum of barter, Otavalo's soul lies in its breathtaking backdrop. Majestic peaks, serene lakes, and untouched natural reserves cradle this town, while whispers of ancient Indian villages dance in the wind. Otavalo isn't just a destination; it's an experience, a journey into the heart of a land that time forgot.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Go FAR Offices / CarpeDM Offices will be the meeting point to start the tour in Quito, Ecuador. Located next to Secret Garden Hostel 7:20 am depart Quito Old Town 7.30 am depart Quito Hilton Colon New Town 9:00 am Bizcochos y Queso de Cayambe 9:30 am San pablo lake 10:15 am Plazas de Ponchos of Otavalo approx. 2hrs. 12:30 am Cotacachi Leather Market with a stop for lunch at typical Ecuadorian Restaurant 2.00 pm Peguche Waterfalls or Cuicocha lake (only one depending on numbers) 2:30 pm return to Quito 6.00 pm back in Quito
Sample the famous Cheese and Biscuits from Cayambe
San Pablo del Lago is a beautiful Lake. The surrounding mountains and volcano make for some breath-taking scenery. The surrounding area is filled with some amazing lodges, hotels and haciendas. Besides being an incredibly relaxing place to go, there are many recreational activities that can be enjoyed in the area.
Plaza de los Ponchos, also known as the Centennial Market, is the setting for the largest artisan fair in northern Ecuador. Located in the province of Imbabura in the town of Otavalo. The activity of the Plaza de Ponchos Ecuador is intended to market handicrafts, both locally, regionally, nationally and even internationally. The textiles of Otavalo are its flag of artisan production, however also offers other types of products made of wood, works of art with ceramics, wood, paint, metal etc..
Cotacachi is a small artisan town. Located in the Imbabura province, Ecuador. Cotacachi has amazing hot springs, lush forests, nature reserves, and snowy summits. Cotacachi's main production is leather goods. In the center of the town, there are dozens of shops with good quality leather products such as jackets, pants, belts, wallets, shoes, bags and more..
Cuicocha's famous lake rests inside a 3 km (2 mi) wide caldera that resulted from a massive explosion that occurred approximately 3,100 years ago. The volcano has been dormant ever since, but the volcanic ash that scattered as a result of that old eruption turned the area into one known for its nutrient-rich soils.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- What to bring:
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Extra snacks and water
- Face masks
- Hand sanitizer
Reviews(51)
I had a fun day with Lincoln. It ended up just being the 2 of us. We had many laughs. I recommend bringing luggage with lots of room. There are lots of lovely things to but at Otovalo. Also the town of leather goods which is where we had a delicious lunch. The people at Otovalo were a bit pushy for me & it was difficult to just shop as they were doing the hard sell. I’m not a fan of that or crowds so not my thing ver went for a walk along a beautiful lake & Lincoln described many of the plants. Traffic back to Aquino was horrible.
Fun day exploring the countryside. In addition to visiting the Otovalo market, we stopped for bizcochos, had a lovely lunch & wandered around Parque Nacional Cotacachi.
Excellent tour. We visited beautiful places.Highly recommended. Felipe our guide was the best. He helped us plan our day . Felipe is an excellent guide.He gave us great advices for our stay in Quito.
Highly recommended.The tour was very interesting. We visited beautiful places. The guide Felipe was the best. He helped us have a wonderful day. Additionally Felipe gave us a lot of advices for our stay in Quito. Thank you Felipe.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the Otavalo tour and had the opportunity to visit so many beautiful places along the way. Felipe will be thrilled to know that he helped make your day so enjoyable. We’re also glad that his local advice and recommendations were helpful for the rest of your stay in Quito. Thank you for your kind words and recommendation. We hope to welcome you back for another adventure in Ecuador in the future!
Felipe was an excellent guide, he was very friendly and helpful. He went the extra distance to make sure that we had a great time. He was very patient. I was just going to take a public bus from Quito to Otavalo but I would have missed so much. This tour is much more than I expected. I am very glad that I took this tour and would highly recommend it
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that the Otavalo tour exceeded your expectations and that you discovered so much more than you would have by simply traveling there independently. The region has so many hidden gems, and we’re glad you were able to experience them. Felipe will be very happy to hear your kind words. His goal is always to go the extra mile to ensure our guests have the best possible experience, and it’s wonderful to know that his friendliness, patience, and dedication helped make your day so memorable. Thank you again for your recommendation and for choosing CarpeDM Adventures. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable experience in Ecuador!
My guide was Felipe and I'd booked this tour due to multiple good reviews especially on Felipe. Felipe was very attentive to my needs and gave me room to do what I want by providing me options and not rushing me. I casually said I wanted to see indigenous family with guinea pigs and he immediately arranged it for me! It was a great surprise as it's the last day for me in Quito and to witness a family full of guinea pigs was one of my bucket list in my one month of latin america expedition. Felipe's swift response made my day and gave me a deep memory in my trip and for sure will highly recommend anyone to take on this experience!
Thank you so much for your amazing review! We’re absolutely delighted to hear that Felipe helped make your last day in Quito so special. One of the things we love most is creating personalized experiences, so it’s wonderful to know that he was able to arrange a visit that fulfilled one of your bucket-list wishes during your Latin America adventure. Meeting a local indigenous family and seeing their guinea pigs up close is certainly a unique and authentic experience, and we’re thrilled that it became such a memorable highlight of your trip. Felipe will be very happy to hear that his attentiveness, flexibility, and quick thinking made such a positive impact. Thank you again for your kind words and recommendation. We’re honored to have been part of your Ecuador journey and wish you many more incredible adventures ahead!
We loved this tour! It had a great mix of nature, food, and culture. Our guide Estuy was very friendly and knowledgeable, we learned a lot from him!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that you loved the tour and enjoyed the mix of nature, food, and culture. That combination is exactly what we aim to share with our guests. Estuy will be very happy to know that his friendliness and knowledge helped make your experience even more memorable. Thank you again for your kind words, and we hope to welcome you back for another adventure in Ecuador soon!
My payment was refunded even though it was after the deadline for cancellation.
Thank you so much for your kind words. We’re very sorry you weren’t able to join the tour and hope you recovered quickly. We always try to be as understanding and flexible as possible when unexpected situations arise, especially regarding health. Thank you again for your appreciation, and we hope to have the opportunity to welcome you on an adventure with us in the future when you’re feeling better!
We really enjoyed the trip. Detailed and professional explanations and punctuality of the guide.
Thank you very much for your kind review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the trip and appreciated the detailed, professional explanations and punctuality of your guide. These are qualities we take great pride in. We hope to welcome you again for another adventure in Ecuador!
Lincoln our guide was excellent he explained our itinerary of the day then proceeded to tell us about the history each step of the way! His English was excellent so we understood everything he told us! The tour itself was amazing and the lunch stop was perfect!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that you had such a great experience and that Lincoln made the day even more special with his knowledge and clear explanations. It’s great to know you enjoyed the itinerary, the history along the way, and that everything was easy to understand. We’re also very happy you enjoyed the tour overall and the lunch stop — it’s always a highlight of the day. Thank you for your recommendation, and we hope to welcome you back for another adventure in Ecuador!
