COMMUNITY TOURISM IN OTAVALO
2 DAYS

Community based tourism is tourism in which local residents (often rural) invite guests to visit their communities while providing them with overnight accommodation. Local based tourism is a great way to support communities in the Andes and a way to do this is engaging in the different activities that the locals have to offer. Here we present you with an oportunity to immerse yourself into the Otavaleño culture and their lifestyle This promises to be a unique opportunity to share an unforgetable experience with your new friends in the community. Get to know several indigenous villages, learn about different kinds of handicrafts, and visit the Peguche Waterfall and Cuicocha Lake.

Day 1 Otavalo Market and local family home stay

While we begin our excursion to Ecuador’s Northern Andes range, we will be able to appreciate the diverse climatic zones that this small country has. Within 30 minutes we will be entering an arid and dry region, in the Guayllabamba Valley. We continue our exploration to Otavalo while beautiful snow-capped volcanoes can be spotted if weather permits, most notably, the Cayambe volcano (5,800 masl.).

Once in the Otavalo Valley, the impressive Imbabura Volcano and San Pablo Lake will welcome us with superb views of water and mountains, we’ll have a quick stop for a photo’s worth of this breathtaking landscape. In the Otavalo market, proud artisans exhibit their most colorful textiles, displaying powerful colors. This array of intense colors has given it the name of “Rainbow Market”. Textiles, rugs, carpets with typical Andean designs, hats and scarfs as well as jewelry and ceramic handcrafts are part of the display.

After lunch we continue to experience the hospitality of your host family while learning about indigenous culture and traditions. Here your host family welcomes you to your guest room (private bathroom, hot water) and invites you to participate in their daily activities (there is no set schedule or activity plan, the idea is to see and learn about the everyday life within the family/community). Later you will enjoy dinner made from fresh ingredients from the organic house garden together with your host family. And tomorrow, after a good night’s sleep and a delicious breakfast you will have some time for a morning activity before your return.

Day 2 : Indigenous Villages and Cuicocha Crater Lake:

Get to know several indigenous villages, learn about different kinds of handicrafts, and visit Peguche Waterfall and Cuicocha lake.

On this day we visit several indigenous villages, where we learn about different kinds of handicrafts and how they are made; for example mats made of totora reed, musical instruments, weavings made of sheep’s wool and jewelry made of seeds. The tour also includes a visit to the Peguche Waterfall and the town of Cotacachi, which is famous for its leatherwork. Finally, we will head to the spectacular Lake Cuicocha within the Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve and return to Quito in the late afternoon.