Otavalo

Otavalo is a small town in the highlands of northern Ecuador, at an altitude of 2500m and surrounded by the huge volcanoes of Cotacachi, Imbabura (4630m) and Mojanda.

The main attraction at Otavalo is the market. The main market day is a Saturday, although there is a market in place during the rest of the week too. It dates back to pre-Inca times when products from the rainforest were brought up from the lowlands to trade with goods from the Andean regions.

The market serves two purposes, firstly, for locals who trade animals and food, secondly, for tourists and travellers to buy crafts. Handicrafts on offer include woven wall hangings, jumpers made of llama wool, jewellery and many other items.

The languages spoken in the Otavalan region are Spanish and Quechua. Various indigenous groups live in this area including the Otavalans and the Zuletas. Mestizos (people of mixed ancestry), Afro-Ecuadorians (mainly descended from freed slaves who were brought to the Chola valley to work on the sugar plantations), and quite a few Europeans and North Americans also live here.