February 14 2022 – Otavalo Market

We begin our travels north of Quito, towards Otavalo, visiting the small village of Calderon, known for its unique and colorful ornamental ‘baked-bread’ dolls (figuras de masapán).

We then continue along the Pan-American Highway to Guayllabamba to taste one of Ecuador’s endemic fruits (the chirimoya), stopping en route to admire the region’s beautiful landscape and snow-capped mountains, making a short stop at San Pablo Lake before arriving at Otavalo.

Here we visit the busy textile market located at ‘Poncho Plaza’, famous as one of the largest open-air markets in South America. Find all kinds of handcrafts including tapestries made on old-Spanish weaving looms, and even older pre-Columbian backstrap looms. 

Enjoy some free time to shop (and haggle) with the friendly Otavaleños.

In the early afternoon we visit a colonial hacienda for lunch. We then head to the small artisan village of Cotacachi and return to Quito in the late afternoon/early evening.

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