A visit to Ecuador is never complete with out at least a few days spent in Imbabura, the province of lakes and mountains, of inspiring landscapes and folklore. This province is only 50 miles North of Quito on the Pan-American Highway. (road map >>)

Otavalo Indigenous Market:
Otavalo is a small city of about 50,000 inhabitants. It lies at 8,300 ft above sea level in a spring-like valley, situated between the Imbabura volcano (15,118 feet) and the Cotacachi volcano (16,200 feet).

The most famous indigenous market in Ecuador is held here. Although the market is bigger on Saturdays, you can visit it any day and find an impressive variety of all kinds of Ecuadorian handcrafts. At dawn you may see indigenous people arriving the market place from many mountain trails surrounding the city. They come from nearby villages and towns such as Peguche, Agato and Iluman, to sell their products. One may visit the workshops of these local weavers working on back strap and Spanish treadle looms, as well as other artisans at work making felt hats, knitting sweaters or weaving straw mats.

Other attractions in Imbabura:
San Pablo Lake:
the largest lake in the province. Indigenous people fish early in the morning in their straw canoes, and also bathe and wash their clothes in this lake during the day. Inns, farms and restaurants where you can spend a weekend or just a day full of entertainment surround the lake. You can also take a boat ride around the lake, or enjoy other water sports such as sailing, water skiing, jet ski, etc.

Condor Park
At the summit of Curiloma, a magical place with one of the most breathtaking landscapes of the Ecuadorian Andes, this wildlife refugee and educational park is home to majestic Andean Condors (Vultur gryphus) and other vultures.

Just 3 miles away from Otavalo, the Condor Park was laid out. This thirty-acre park is managed by a foundation dedicated to the care and rescue of predatory birds such as hawks and eagles, vultures and owls.

This park is unique in many ways. It is located on a hill known to the locals as the “Pukara Alto”, an energetic center since pre-Columbian times, where ruins remain of a religious pre-Inca temple. The sights are amazing, 360 degrees around of mountains, lake, valleys and towns.

The park does not yet house a great number of birds as these are not captured, rather they have been collected to be healed or taken care of properly when they have been in captivity.

The Park’s Director, Mr. Joep Hendriks, explains that this project was made possible through the sponsorship of the Dutch Embassy, a German Center for Predatory Birds, and Ecuadorian corporations.

Large cages are distributed along a cobblestone walk through the park to admire a variety of birds such as the Barred Hawk, the King Vulture, the Greater Red-Headed Vulture, the Spectacled Owl, the Arctic Owl, the Mottled Owl, among others. Finally, you will run into the large cage of the impressive Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) at an endangered status however easily bred in captivity.

Twice a day there are flight exhibitions with the hawks and falcons with the awesome sights as a background.

Open from Tuesday thru Sunday from 9h30 to 17h00.  Admission fee: $3,50 for adults, $1,75 children and senior citizens. Phone: 06-2924429

Cotacachi Village:
its narrow streets are full of stores that sell a great variety of leather goods.
Cuicocha Lake: an impressive landscape of deep blue waters surrounded by hills. Take a hike around the lake. If you are lucky, you can see a condor.

Cuicocha Lake:
an impressive landscape of deep blue waters surrounded by hills. Take a hike around the lake. If you are lucky, you can see a condor.

Ibarra City:
This clean, freshly painted colonial city, capital of the province, is also known as the white city. It lies at 7.000 ft, and has population of approximately 110,000. Ibarra enjoys one of the best climates of the Sierra. Typical products include arrope de mora (blackberry syrup) and nogadas (a sweet made with walnuts). Eat the delicious “paila” ice creams (whipped natural fruit) while walking around this city.

Yaguarcocha Lake:
its name means “blood lake”. Years ago, a bloody battle among Indigenous peoples took place at this lake, thus the name. Now a car racetrack surrounds the lake and every so often international car racing events take place here.

San Antonio de Ibarra: a small village where everyone is in the business of carving wooden items. These items are sold in small shops around the village.



Chota: this town is located in a valley with warm weather and desert landscape that contrasts with the rest of Imbabura. It is located on the northern part of the province. With its proud black community and their traditions, Chota seems like a piece of Africa in Ecuador.

Interview to the Mayor of Otavalo, Mr. Mario Conejo

Q: Define tourism for Otavalo.
A: Handcrafts and textiles are important products of the Otavalo people. Tourism has stimulated and increased our productivity in these activities, while visitors also enjoy the natural and cultural attractions we proudly offer.

Q: What has the Mayor done to improve tourism to Otavalo?
A: Our first concern has been to offer safety. We have also significantly improved signs; we have designed walking circuits to visit the important sites in the city. We are currently working on our water system to provide safer, healthy water, and are investing on roads to access attractions such as the Peguche Fall and the Condor Park.

Q: What does the “Condor Park” represent?
A: The Andean Condor is an important symbol of the Indigenous Mythology. The “Condor Park” today is the home to endangered condors, owls, vultures and hawks. The Parque Condor stands on a hill or “Pucara”. Our ancestors held this place as a temple. This is a strategic geographical site with an awesome 360 degrees view of mountains, the lakes and surrounding towns. To this day, around an ancient tree, rituals are held to invoke spirits for health, rain, and good harvests. Shamans (spiritual leaders) carry out ceremonies for members of the community.

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