Getting To and Away from Saquisilí

By Caroline Bennett

Though with little posted information the trip may seem daunting, getting to and away from Saquisilí is really quite easy. Buses passing the Pan American heading north or south will let you off a few kilometers outside of town, where a bus comes and goes and pickup trucks are always waiting on market days. There are frequent bus services between Latacunga and Saquisilí (US$0.40, 25 minutes) and Quito and Saquisilí (US$2.50, 2 1/2 hours). In the Quito bus terminal or just outside, you can get any bus headed south and ask the driver to leave you at the junction for Saquisilí. From here, jump on the bus if it happens to be there when you arrive, otherwise ask a truck driver to take you to town for about 50 cents. You’ll know when you’ve reached the town center; from here the market is a short walk away.

Buses heading back to Quito and elsewhere leave from the corner of the food market. Follow Mariscal Sucre down to the square, where buses leave as they fill (about every 15-30 minutes early in the afternoon, tapering off throughout the day). The last bus to Quito leaves around four.

Alternatively, some Quito hotels (Hilton Colón and Hotel Quito) offer half-day tours to the Saquisilí market on Thursdays. Several Latacunga agencies offer Saquisilí in their tours as well.