Introduction[]
Otavalo is an Andean market town located two hours North of Quito in the Ecuadorian Highlands. Its proximity to Quito make it very popular with tourists. Saturday is the main market day, when as much as a third of the town is covered with market stalls. There is still a good range of wares available in town during the rest of the week. Otavalo is famous for its textiles, with many neighbouring towns specializing in a particular craft, such as leather working or wood-carving.
Location[]
110 kilometres North of Quito, in the Ecuadorian Highlands.
Things to Do[]
- Saturday Market
- Plaza de Los Ponchos
- El Lechero
Outside town, there are a number of places to visit, including:
- Parque Condor
A conservation project led by a Dutch non-profit organization to rescue and rehabilitate condors and other birds of prey - Imbabura & Cotacachi Volcanoes
- Cotacachi
A town famous for their leather products, with a market on Sundays
Weather[]
Otavalo has a subtropical highland climate. Due to its elevation and proximity to the equator, Quito has a fairly constant cool climate, with spring-like weather year-round. The city experiences only two seasons: dry and wet. The dry season, June through September, is referred to as summer; the wet season, October through May, is referred to as winter.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Av. High/˚C | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Daily Mean/˚C | 14.5 | 14.4 | 14.6 | 14.5 | 14.6 | 14.4 | 14.2 | 14.3 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 14.7 | 14.5 |
| Av. Low/˚C | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Precipitation/mm | 62.6 | 78.1 | 93.9 | 117.6 | 77.0 | 34.5 | 21.1 | 21.6 | 53.2 | 94.1 | 96.5 | 65.4 |
Getting There & Away[]
There are many buses that run between Quito and Otavalo, taking about two hours to complete the journey.