Otavalo Trips & Tours

Otavalo Trips & Tours

A startling blend of culture and alfresco adventures in a bucolic landscape.

Ecuador might be famous for its wow-worthy biodiversity and wildlife, but head north of Quito into the Andean Highlands and you’ll discover an equally captivating world of culture and indigenous identity. The burg town of Otavalo is the centre of it all, thanks mostly to its legendary market organised by the wealthy Otavaleño Indians. Stalls are piled high with the best of Ecuadorian craftsmanship, from gloves and rugs to intricate tapestries and elaborate hammocks, and, as well as picking up a souvenir or two, it’s a fascinating place to learn about the complex society from the poncho-clad artisans. Further afield, the highlands are all lake-filled craters and volcanic peaks, the hillsides adorned with village specks each specialising in their own cottage industry. Fill your boots (or should that be suitcase?) in the market, then put your lungs to the test on the stone-flagged tracks of the extinct Cuicocha volcano, gaze at the sacred waters of Peguche Waterfall, or ride horseback through the wildflowers, passing only lone cowboys and their cattle…