Tradition, modernity and nature are interwoven in Otavalo, a small city, located in the province of Imbabura. We invite you to take a tour in this land of contrasts:
One of the first not-to-be-missed stops is the Quitsato sun-clock, which crosses the equator where you can experience the geophysical phenomena of being in the middle of the two hemispheres.
After some learning lessons, on the way to Lake San Pablo the beauty of the Ecuadorian geography is revealed. This is a place of rituals and legends.
A few kilometers later, a multicolored city is display by Otavalo. The Ponchos’ Square is the main destination, where visitors can enter a set of tents and stalls, which display a numerous handicrafts. Visitors can buy paintings, jewelry, Andean instruments, ceramic figures and tagua, quilts and tablecloths. These objects come from different cultures and areas such as Cotopaxi, Chimborazo Napo, Loja and Manabí. There are also several garments woven with cotton wool and alpaca covering from the head to the toe, and accessories as well. The prices can be bargained, therefore affordable to every pocket
Beyond being a trading city, Otavalo is also nature. Near the village, you can find the Peguche Falls, located in the community with the same name. The strong sound of the waterfalls can be heard at every step. From a bridge, you can admire and feel the energy of this natural phenomenon. The same is considered as a sacred space for Kichwa culture. That is why, you must ask ‘permission’ to the gods in order to enter.
You cannot leave the province of Imbabura without visiting the Laguna de Cuicocha located a few minutes from Otavalo. The water is lodged inside the crater of an inactive volcano, so it offers a unique landscape. This is a place where touristic activities are combined with rituals, because it houses ruins such as solar calendars and moons built by the ancestors to understand the world. Here, you can take walks and sail the lake.
When all these places have been visited, you can return to your destination with the experience of having connected with an ancestral culture that stays alive in every action, object and territory.
