Otavalo and the Saturday market

Otavalo, in Imbabura province, is known for one thing that happens to be true: one of the largest indigenous markets in South America. The Otavaleño traders who run it have been selling textiles far beyond the valley for decades. Saturday is the day. Stalls also appear through the week, in a smaller form.

The square

Plaza de los Ponchos is the textile market: sweaters, scarves, weaving, and a great deal of what a traveler expects. An animal market runs earlier on Saturday at the edge of town. If cloth is the point, arrive when the square is setting up, not at midday, when the aisles stall.

Bargaining is part of the textile trade. It is not a sport, and it is out of place where prices are posted for food. Ask before you photograph a person. Read the wider markets chapter for Saquisilí, which is a different kind of day.

The valley around it

Peguche waterfall, just outside town, is a short walk and a good reason to stay the night. Lago San Pablo sits under Imbabura, the volcano the region treats as a presence, not a backdrop.

Farther on, Cuicocha is a crater lake in a reserve. The rim walk is the classic outing. It is higher and windier than the square. The hiking chapter includes it.

Cotacachi, a smaller town nearby, is known for leather workshops. It is also a quiet place some foreign residents choose, which the cities chapter mentions.

From Quito

Otavalo is a straightforward day from Quito, and a better night. The Saturday bus north is a long one. A car makes Peguche and Cuicocha possible in the same weekend. Go for the valley. The sweaters will still be there.