19 May 2025
Full day tour enjoying views of multiple volcanoes while driving to Otavalo market. First short stop was at the Mirador el Pisque, then we visited a small rose plantation (many huge plantations visible while driving and small stores and trucks loaded with them along the route), and a third stop to view Lago San Pablo and Imbabura volcano (we also had opportunity to pet and enjoy the huarizos (mix of llama-alpaca). We arrived at Otavalo market which was very enjoyable; since there were no other tourists on this group tour, we requested 2 hrs at Otavalo (worth it) at expense of time to buy leather goods at Cotahachi leather town (guide offered opportunity for buy goods while walking towards La Marquesa restaurant (which we declined), where we Andean music (indigenous flutes) by "Sumak": while enjoying a delicious lunch. The stop at the Cotacachi National Park gave us opportunity to view the lake (volcano crater), mountains, take a short hike, and visit the museum. Our tour guide and driver Hugo, was great (professional, knowledgeable, cautious driver and very acommodating).