Otavalo, Ecuador, with the volcano Imbabura in the backgroundOtavalo, Ecuador, with the volcano Imbabura in the background
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Otavalo_Imbabura_nina_urkuwan.jpg
Author: Bcasterline
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Otavalo is a major town of mostly indigenous people in Imbabura Province, Ecuador. The town is surrounded by majestic peaks including that of the 4,630m Imbabura, the 4,995m Cotacachi and 4,263m Mojanda volcanoes. In recent decades it has developed into a tourist destination.

Otavalo is famous for its native Saturday market, a place where tourists can enjoy shopping for crafts made by the indigenous people. There is a vast array of souvenirs and trinkets to browse through in Otavalo, from shawls, blankets, ponchos and textile to hats, leather goods, musical instruments and more.

Apart from the Saturday market, such souvenirs and local crafts can also be found at many of the local shops, particularly at the Plaza de los Ponchos.

Saturday Market, OtavaloSaturday Market, Otavalo
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Otavalo_market.JPG
Author: Sputnikcccp
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Visiting Otavalo

You can take a bus to Otavalo from Quito. The journey takes between two to three hours.

Places of Interest in Otavalo

  1. Imbabura Volcano
    Inactive stratovolcano intermittently capped with snow.

  2. Mercado 24 de Mayo
    The biggest food market in Otavalo, a good place to look at and sample the local dishes.

  3. Mercado Artesanal
    The local crafts market that takes place every Saturday at the Plaza de los Ponchos, where you can browse and shop of indigenous items.

  4. Mercado de Animales
    The livestock market where the local people shop for their meats.

  5. Peguche Waterfall
    A magnificent waterfall about 3 km outside of Otavalo.

  6. San Pablo Lake
    Lake at the foot of the Imbabura volcano.

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Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.

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