Around Otavalo

V!VA User‘s Description

Although many tourists come to Otavalo just for the market, there’s plenty more to do in the highlands around the town. Spread out in a valley of the northern Andes, Otavalo is surrounded by extinct volcanoes, rugged Andean peaks and fertile highlands scattered with villages, plus an abundance of lakes and waterfalls. It’s easy to get around as well; the combination of ancient Inca trails and cobbled roads and tracks make the possibilities for walking and cycling almost unlimited.

There are a couple of tour agencies in the town that can arrange trips from Otavalo – the most popular ones are visits to local villages where you can visit Indian homes, see carpets being woven the traditional way and learn about the weaving process. Hiking, cycling and horse-riding trips are also available.

It is also fairly easy to get out of the town independently – especially if you want to go cycling or hiking.

For hikes, the area around Lagunas de Mojanda is an excellent spot – beautiful yet not at all crowded. Set in high páramo land 17km south of Otavalo, there are numerous trails around the lakes, and you can walk just for a couple of hours, or up to a whole day. There are two hotels along the road that provide easy access to this area. Both can recommend good routes.

The huge Laguna de San Pablo a few miles southeast of the town is another good choice, with several places to stay on the water’s edge. There’s a paved road encircling the lake, and you can walk around it in a day – the views are beautiful.

Another good excursion is to Laguna de Cuicocha, a volcanic crater lake which is a haven for wildlife. There is nowhere to stay around here, but there is a restaurant, and you can take a boat trip onto the lake for an hour or so. There’s a trail around the lake but it’s very eroded in places and can be difficult to follow. On a clear day the views are stunning.

A popular walking or cycling trip from Otavalo is to the Cascada (waterfall) de Peguche. Follow the railway tracks north to the town of Peguche (about 3km) – where you may be lucky enough to see weavers at work. It’s a further 2km along a trail southwest to the waterfall. It can be fairly busy with locals during the weekend but quieter during the week.