The city of Otavalo is located in the north of Ecuador, 95 km northeast of Quito and 20 km south of Ibarra. Its climate is Mediterranean-temperate dry with temperature ranges between 12 and 25° C (50's to 70's). Four km southeast lies Lake San Pablo and 8 km to the northeast is the Imbabura volcano, towering 15,000 ft above the city.

 

Otavalo is a mixture of culture, history, customs, and folklore. It offers the possibility to enjoy natural landscapes, meet people of extraordinary ethnic diversity, discover ancient customs, and admire the skill in crafts that are exhibited at La Plaza de Los Ponchos, the indigenous market.

 

The market runs every day but on Saturday, it takes over the city, offering beautiful embroidered wool fabrics, basketry, and pottery in a dynamic multilingual environment that makes it a tourist spot for domestic and foreign visitors.

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In September each year the traditional festivals of Yamor, or harvest corn, are celebrated with folk dances, parades and demonstrations of native culture.

 

Nearby, you can walk to Peguche waterfall, through fragrant eucalyptus groves. Otavalo is awash in bright colors, great restaurants, restful cafes, and interesting nooks and crannies. 

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