|
Otavalo Activities & A Suggested Itinerary
Otavalo Markets - artisan, domestic, and animal
Craft Towns
Cotacachi Volcano & Laguna Cuicocha
Peguche Waterfall
Lagunas de Mojanda & Fuya Fuya
Hiking Tours (2 hours to 2 nights/3 days)
Horseback riding
Mountain biking and Hiking at Hacienda Cusin
Intag Cloud Forest & Paramo Tours
Ecuador Andean Train Ride
A Suggested Itinerary
Day 1 ~ A.M. or P.M. arrival: a Las Palmeras lunch. An afternoon hike from our doorstep and/or relax on your veranda, or in our gardens with views of birds and the sometimes snowcapped Imbabura and Cotacachi volcanoes.
Day 2 ~ Otavalo Markets. Lunch and horseback/mountain bike ride at Hacienda Cusin. Alternative lunch at Ali Shungu or Casa Mojanda. An afternoon visit to Espejo's Condor Park.
Day 3 ~ Laguna Cuicocha and Cotacachi. A lunch of fresh trout at El Mirador, overlooking Cuicocha, or at Mision de las Flores, Cotacachi. Explore Cotacachi`s leather shops. Then enjoy a revitalizing in-room massage followed by dinner.
Day 4 ~ Visit Mojanda Lakes and Fuya Fuya Volcano with lunch/dinner at Casa Mojanda or embark on an Andean Train Ride with picnic lunch.
Day 5 ~ Craft Village Tour and Peguche Waterfall. Traditional lunch and weaving demonstration at InkaTambo. An afternoon rose plantation tour or lunch and golf at a 9 hole golf course at Yaguacocha.
Days 6-8 ~ El Angel Paramo Reserve or Intag Cloud Forest (3 days / 2 nights) or overnight horseback ride to La Esperanza (2 days / 1 night), or overnight hiking tour to Hacienda La Merced (2 days / 1 night).
Top of page
Otavalo Markets
Just a 25-minute downhill walk from our doorstep there are three important indigenous markets (18¢ bus, $3 taxi).
- At the large artisan market in the Plaza of Ponchos, shoppers will find a variety of items including sweaters, handmade dolls, bags, hats, jewelery, paintings, hand-carved masks and games, and even antiques. Vendors are in the plaza every day of the week. Saturday and Wednesday are the largest market days.
- The domestic market has a local flavor, visitors can wander through the produce and meat market, located just west of the town square (Parque Central). People from Otavalo and other neighboring communities gather here daily to buy and sell everything from papaya to fragrant spices, and pig skin to roses.
- On Saturday mornings one can also visit the famous Otavalo animal market, just down the road from Las Palmeras, to see local farmers trading their cows, pigs, sheep and llamas.
Ecuador Craft Towns
We can arrange guided tours to the indigenous artisan communities of the region that contribute to Otavalo`s success
:
- Cotacachi - leather
- Peguche & Agato - weaving
- Iluman - hats and shamans
- San Antonio - wood carving
Cotacachi Volcano & Laguna Cuicocha
About a 30-minute drive from Las Palmeras, on the flanks of the Cotacachi Volcano, is the beautiful Laguna Cuicocha (Kichwa for 'Guinea Pig Lake'). This ancient volcanic crater lake was created after the eruption of Volcano Cuicocha, creating two central islands in the shape of guinea pigs. There is a restaurant serving fresh trout overlooking the lake and boat tours are available. A five-hour trek around the crater ridge, with panoramic vistas of Cotacachi mountain is exhilarating and challenging, justifying a relaxing afternoon massage.
Peguche Waterfall
A winding path with interpretive signs guides visitors through a eucalyptus forest to the Cascada de Peguche. This sacred waterfall is the site of an annual bathing ritual during the summer solstice festival of Inti Raymi.
Lagunas de Mojanda & Fuya Fuya
About 20 km from Otavalo, and at approximately 12,000 feet (3,710 meters), are the three mysterious mountain lakes of Mojanda. It is possible to hike around the lakes or ascend Fuya Fuya, an inactive volcano hovering nearby at over 14,000 feet (4263 meters). Climbers scale Fuya Fuya to acclimatize before attempting other major peaks of Ecuador , like Cayambe, Cotopaxi and Chimborazo . Nearby Casa Mojanda is ideal for tea, lunch, or dinner.
Hiking Tours
From our doorstep, guests have the choice of numerous walks and hikes ranging from 1-8 hours. Guided trips to the summits of Imbabura, Fuya Fuya, Cotacachi or other nearby volcanoes can be arranged.
Horseback Riding, Mountain Biking and Hiking at Hacienda Cusin
Visit our sister hotels, the beautifully restored 17th-century Hacienda Cusin with its impressive collection of colonial art and its magical gardens. Las Palmeras` guests enjoy significant discounts on lunch or dinner with a horseback-ride or biking tour. We can arrange overnight, all-inclusive horseback trips around the base of Imbabura to the village of La Esperanza , providing magnificent views of San Pablo lake, the Gualavi valley and snow-capped Volcano Cayambe (the world's highest point on the Equator). Visit the artisan workshops on La Esperanza's main street and spend the night and dine at the rustic guest house 'Casa Aida'. Return the following day via rolling hills around Cerro Cusin, through the picturesque towns of Zuleta and Pijal Alto.
Cloud Forest & Paramo Tours
Just over the edge of the Andes mountains, about two hours west from Las Palmeras, lies the unique Intag Cloud Forest Reserve. This dense and humid ecosystem is home to a profusion of plant and animal species, including hundreds of varieties of orchids and rare birds such as the resplendant quetzal and the cock-of-the-rock.
Two hours north of Las Palmeras, El Angel Ecological Reserve contains another uniqe ecosystem known as the ' paramo ', comprised of high wind-swept grasslands at 12,500 ft (3,800 mts) with unusual endemic plants. All-inclusive guided tours to the Cloud Forest or Paramo can be arranged.
Andean Train Ride
From the nearby Ibarra city, about 20 minutes north, there is a scenic 90 km train journey through the mountains to the warm Chota valley leading to the coast. Guests can climb on top of the train for a more thrilling ride and breathtaking views.
Top of page
|
