Luxury Travel to the Otavalo, Ecuador

In the age of standardized mass production, the artisan products of Otavalo, Ecuador’s main market, made using time-honored techniques honed over centuries, are a real treat.

Since pre-Inca times, the villagers from the region have brought their handmade products to this small city to barter and sell, and – perhaps most importantly – socialize. Nowadays, both traditionally dressed Otavaleños and other indigenous people from the neighboring hill villages still come here to sell their goods. Whether you’re on an Ecuador luxury tour with your other half or on an Ecuador family trip with the kids, the market makes for an entertaining and enlightening excursion.

It’s a colorful and loud affair with a carnival-like atmosphere. With exquisite geometric weavings, baby-soft alpaca scarves and brightly colored clothing as well as painstakingly produced woodcarvings and paintings, you’ll have to summon vast reserves of will power to refrain from making a purchase.

Otavalo, Ecuador is well-known for its superb textiles, which are woven on back-strap and shuttle looms. If you want to see the weavers at work or learn more about the processes, Kuoda can arrange for you to visit a local artisan workshop where hats, straw mats and knitted sweaters are produced by hand.

Otavalo is just two hours outside of Quito and a visit here can be easily included on custom Ecuador tour. Save time to see the surrounding countryside while you’re here; the volcanic peaks are peppered with archaeological sites, such as mounds, pyramids and temples.