The Indiginous Market of Otavalo
You can’t come to Ecuador without immersing yourself in the rich cultural background of the country.
When researching what places and activities to do around the Ecuadorian capital, Quito, visiting Otavalo and its market was regularly recommended.
Otavalo town is known for having some of the closest ties to the indiginous population of Ecuador, the Kichwa.
The Kichwa
The Kichwa (Quechuas) people are the largest indiginious population in the Americas and pre-date the Incas. The Kichwa are world-renowned for their artisanal crafts and artistry, especially making musical instruments. We were lucky enough to be able to explore Otavalo and the wider area to learn how the indigineous people live in modern day Ecuador.
Cayambe’s Bizcochos
When traveling to Otavalo, a stop off at Cayambe for a spot of breakfast – in the form of Cayambe cakes or ‘bizcochos’ – is a must. These soft but somehow perfectly crispy and buttery finger biscuits are served with caramel and queso de hoja (sheets of cheese) which are layered on top to create the perfect mix of deliciousness, especially when paired with a mug of hot chocolate.
The hot chocolate in Ecuador is some of my favourite – it arrives piping hot and is fairly bitter in taste, which I really appreciate compared to the sickly sweet, powdery stuff you often get back home in the UK.
We recommend sampling Cayambe’s famous sweet-treat at Balcón 2 Hemisferios, which is just opposite Quitsato Sundial.
San Pablo Lake
Otavalo is located a couple hours drive from Quito, roughly 56 miles from the city center in the province of Imbabura, also referred to as the ‘Lake District’ as it is home to multiple lagoons (and volcatos too!).
One of the largest lakes in the province is San Pablo, a gorgeous expanse of calm waters at the foot of Imbabura volcano and surrounded by views of mountains.
This is a lovely spot to stop off, take some photos, have a picnic or take a boat trip.
Taller Ñanda Mañachi
One of my personal trip highlights is visiting Taller Ñanda Mañachi, an indiginous household famed for its musical influences.
The family home is filled with instruments, many of which are made on site. We saw crafting materials scattered all around! We were able to observe Jose Luis Pichamba – the instrument maker – craft a zampoña, a wind instrument of the Pan flute family, by hand.
Jose also did a demonstration of each instrument and then we were given a little musical performance by his family which was wonderful.
Lunch Time!
Any excuse to try something local!
On our day trip to Otavalo we opted to try encebollado, a typical Ecuadorian soup originating from the coastal region. Encebollado is made with fresh tuna, yuca or cassava, onions, tomatoes, coriander and spices. It is apparently very versatile as it can be served at any time of the day and is also considered to be a great hangover cure.
The soup came served with popcorn, chili sauce, limes and plantain chips. DIVINE!
Otavalo Town
The main tourist attraction in Otavalo is the Plaza De Los Ponchos – or Poncho Square. This is the largest indiginous market in South America. Here you can expect to see all manner of hand-crafted goods, from ponchos to other clothing and household items woven and embroidered from fabric, lots of jewellery and gemstones as well as spices and food.
If you are looking for souvenirs then Otavalo market has more than enough for you to stock up on!
I think prices were reasonable enough, with some vendors being more willing to barter than others. I will say that it can be a bit overwhelming walking around at the beginning so I would recommend taking a lap around the market to get your bearings before honing in on any pieces you are interested in purchasing.
TOP TIP: The market is open every day of the week from 7am to 6pm, however its busiest days/best days to visit are on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Peguche Waterfall
Just 2 miles out from Otavalo center is the magnificent Peguche waterfall. At 30 meters tall and 6 meters wide it is quite the spectacle. There is lots of mist surrounding the area making you a bit soggy (but it’s well worth it!).
The roaring waters make their way down to a clear stream that feeds its way into a nearby village. This waterfall is also a sacred place for Kichwa rituals and festivities. I always find it so fascinating to hear about how different people celebrate nature and learn of their traditions.
Fruit Tasting
Our lovely local guide, Irene, kindly arranged for our little group to try out some local fruits at the end of the day including tuna fruit, guanabana and cherimoya.
It was so fun and refreshing to explore new flavours! The fruits were so unique and had such complex flavour profiles. You really have to try them out yourself to see what I mean!
Our Otavalo Trip Highlights
I think the highlight of our exploration of Otavalo was seeing how musical instruments were made at Taller Ñanda Mañachi. Also, just driving around the rural landscape was fascinating as you really get a feel for how people live here and what goes on in the area on a daily basis.
At times Otavalo market felt overly touristy and it was hard to see which items on sale were mass-produced and which were authentically/locally made and worthwhile buying. Would I personally recommend visiting Otavalo market? Yes – just the once to see what it’s like and to visit an area of Ecuador primarily lived in by the indiginous population.
Finally, I would highly recommend the Quito Tour Bus. We had a tiny group of five people (that’s including Adam and myself!) and were led by a great guide and skilled driver. It was also a great way to meet fellow travellers. We received a really personalised experience too!
Until next time,
Lixa xoxo
