Twice now, I’ve taken a scheduled day tour from Quito, the first time to Quilotoa and now to the market in Otavalo. Twice I’ve had nothing but a positive experience, so if you’re short on time or don’t want the hassle of figuring out the bus system, a scheduled day trip is absolutely worth the money.
So, after about a week on the coast in Puerto López, Mom and I were ready to explore the Andes! We booked our tour through Ecuatraveling, and the $50 per person fee covered transportation, your tour guide, and a bizcocho tasting (more on that later)!
Let’s get started, shall we?
Bizcochos in Cayambe
Our first stop was about an hour north of Quito in the town of Cayambe, famous for bizcochos, a pastry semi-comparable to the biscotti of Italy. Apparently, you’ll only find these delicious treats in the Cayambe area, so I was happy to stop for a tasting on the way!
I won’t go into the recipe because, quite frankly, I don’t remember. I do, however, remember how to properly eat them. Sure, you can eat bizcochos plain. But for the full experience, you should add a respectable layer of manjar (more commonly known as dulce de leche) topped with queso de hoja, a type of white cheese typical to the area. Traditionally, the cheese comes in small rolled-up portions wrapped in a leaf (hence the name, hoja), perfect for unrolling on your bizcocho!
It was a perfect combination of buttery, flaky, sweet, salty, cheesy goodness!
After the tasting, we had about 30 minutes to grab some breakfast in their restaurant (paid separately). But, the classic breakfast was ~$4 and included two eggs, juice, coffee, and (of course) bizcochos!
The Equator!
The next stop was literally 100 m down the street. So, we loaded back into the van for approximately 2 seconds to arrive at Quisato, a giant sundial on the equator!
Of course, it was cloudy when we arrived, so we didn’t get the full effect. But, unlike the monument at Mitad del Mundo, this sundial actually sits on the true equator line. It’s $5 to get in, but come on, are you really gonna skimp on $5? Plus, they have a small museum that tells the history of the equator and presents a new perspective on how we view the world; they propose left and right hemispheres instead of north and south.
Also, if this is something you’re into, they have a really big agave garden, in both the number of species and the size of the agave!
The Otavalo Market
After our stop at the equator, we were off to the city of Otavalo, which sits near the extinct volcano, Imbabura.
As I mentioned before, Otavalo is known for its handicraft market, and the main activity of this day tour was shopping in the market. So, we had about an hour and a half to wander and shop!
A couple of things to note. Saturday is the biggest market day. We visited on a Tuesday; the market was still quite large, with plenty of options. However, I’d plan for Saturday to get the full effect, if possible. An hour and a half was more than enough time.
Also, if you look at something too long, touch something as you walk by, or linger in front of a stand, you will be approached by the seller. (Mom learned this the hard way, which resulted in her walking around whispering to herself, “No, don’t touch that!”). This isn’t necessarily bad, especially if you want to buy something from them. But don’t go with the idea that you’ll be browsing uninterrupted.
The phrase “solo estoy mirando,” or “I’m just looking,” is a good one to learn. 😜
So what can you expect to find in the market? Lots of jewelry, ponchos, blankets, and sweaters! You’ll also find tapestries, wooden carved trinkets (including kitchen spoons; highly recommended!), art, and other nicknacks. Sometimes, the prices are negotiable. However, I wouldn’t ask to drop more than $5, and it depends on the item. Blankets, ponchos, and tapestries? Sure. A $1.50 hand-painted magnet? I’ll just pay $1.50.
Lake Cuicocha
Our final stop for the day was Laguna de Cuicocha, which is Kichwa (the indigenous language) for Lago del Cuy… or Guinea Pig Lake! It’s named after the largest of the two islands in the center, which resembles a guinea pig.
This is the country’s second-most famous volcano crater lake, the first being Quilotoa. Like Quilotoa, you can hike the rim, but we didn’t have enough time. Also, I think Mom was ready to murder me because one thing we hadn’t really considered was the altitude, especially after coming from the coast. The lowest point of the ridge trail with the main viewing area sits at ~3,100 meters (~9,300 feet). So, even the short walk up to the viewpoint was strenuous!
Lunch
All this going makes for hungry gals!
So, actually, the final stop before heading back to Quito was for lunch… a big lunch! And we were lucky. Since we were visiting around Easter, the restaurant prepared fanesca, the traditional Easter soup!
It was a long but fun day, and booking a trip with a tour company really makes it easy to see other places if you’re short on time. I’d highly recommend it, especially since they keep the groups small (no more than 12) and the guide is local.
Next up on the adventure–my cousin arrives! So, until then…
Nos vemos,
The Shwits 
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