If you’re looking to escape the city, Laguna Yaguarcocha is a pleasant side-trip on the outskirts of Ibarra. What is now a peaceful lake, set among rolling green hills, was once the site of a bloody massacre of the indigenous Cara people by Huayna Capac and his Inca army. The 1495 slaughter marked the climax of Capac's 17-year military campaign. Up to 50,000 people were killed during the event. As a result, the lake's name was changed to a Quichua word meaning "lake of blood."

Visitors are now greeted by crystal-clear water, shores filled with totora reeds  and the occasional call of a herons. The setting is only slightly marred by a massive race track that has been constructed around the lake; competitions are now held in September during the Ibarra fiestas.

Location:
Ibarra, Ecuador

Hiking

Getting There
Getting to the lake is easy: head to Oviedo at the corner of Sánchez y Cifuentes and hop on a bus (every 15 min, $0.25), or walk, following the path that heads east from Oviedo, over the bridge and along the Panamericana.

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