Otavalo Ecuador

See our map of Otaval to find us in town.

About an hour and a half to two hours north of Quito is the enchanting city of Otavalo. It is at an elevation of 2560 meters above sea level. Otavalo is a small town with an impressive Saturday market which serves two purposes: buying food and other necessities for locals and crafts for the tourists. In the 1500´s, the Otavaleños were exploited by the colonists and made to work as weavers for long hours a day which resulted in the great knowledge of weaving they posses today. The Otavalo crafts can be found in almost every city in Ecuador and a wide range of countries around the world. Otavaleños have a very unique way of dressing which is one of their ways to hold onto their dying culture. The majority of the inhabitants in the actual city of Otavalo are mestizos, the indigenous people generally live in villages surrounding the city who come in for market days. There are two impressive volcanoes visible from Otavalo, Cotacachi (4939m) and Imbabura (4650m) that are the subjects of several legends told by the indigenous people. In the market, one is able to buy many things, ranging from tapestries to jewelry to dolls. There is also an animal market on the outskirts of town which can be very interesting but is not very tourist oriented. During the year there are two big parties that take place in Otavalo, Inti Raymi (Party of Sun) and Yamor (Party of Corn). Otavalo is very rich in culture and the surrounding areas are among the most beautiful in Ecuador.