The Best Otavalo Market Tour + San Pablo Lake + Cayambe + Cotacachi

One of our first stops on the tour is the lovely city of Cayambe. You will get to drive by the unique city center and plazas as you make your way to the best Bizcocho (biscuits) and String Cheese factory in Ecuador. The bizcochos are made fresh and from scratch every day. You get to see them being made and placed in the traditional ovens. These bizcochos are very tasty and combined with the string cheese make a delicious morning snack. You can also savor the dulce de leche (caramel) and have a quick cup of coffee or hot chocolate. This stop is the perfect cure for morning sluggishness.

Once we arrive at Otavalo we will head to the renowned Plaza de Los Ponchos. The indigenous Otavalo people are famous for weaving textiles, usually made of wool, which are sold at the famous market. Saturdays see the market expand throughout the city but any other day you will find vendors and stands at the Mercado de Los Ponchos. The shops sell textiles such as handmade blankets, tablecloths, handicrafts, paintings, and much more. I love the Otavalo market, you can always find something interesting or quirky to take back home as souvenirs or to decorate your home. Its always fun to haggle with the vendors and hear their stories.

We will stop at Lago (Lake) San Pablo for some reflection time in the midst of the beautiful and peaceful surroundings. There is a chance to find ancestral kayaks used for races in the lake by locals. I had a chance to experience these ancestral kayaks and its a strange but wonderful experience. If we schedule this before hand there are small boats that take you around the lake, its a cool experience.

Cotacachi is a lovely Andean town in the middle of the mountains. The town is beautiful, very well kept, organized and picturesque. You feel safe and not crowded as you walk down Cotacachi´s main street where you will find the best leather products in Ecuador. Cotacachi has always been famous for its leather products such as jackets, purses, wallets, belts, shoes, etc. Nowadays, new local fashion designers have created beautiful and unique leather products which you can shop for. Many of my past clients have been looking for the perfect leather jacket and have found it in Cotacachi. After some window shopping, we will have lunch at a great sandwich and burger place that uses artisanal bread, local beef and makes the freshest and most delicious treats in town. If you are a coffee lover like me, we will head for an after lunch coffee at a new hipster cool coffee lounge in Cotacachi. Trust me, this place serves a mean coffee.