There is a great deal more to Ecuador than the Galápagos, wonderful as the islands are. Come north of Quito and you reach Imbabura, known lovingly as la provincia de los lagos, the province of the lakes. In a small circle of land you will find the most famous indigenous market on the continent, a sapphire lake inside a volcano, artisan towns and a cloud forest bursting with life. Hacienda Primavera is the perfect base for all of it. Here is how to shape a getaway that balances culture, nature and real rest, and picks up a little Kichwa along the way.
Otavalo, the great Andean market
About an hour and a half from our door, the town of Otavalo holds the most famous market in the Andes. The Otavaleños are a Kichwa people known across the world as gifted weavers and musicians, and their market on the Plaza de los Ponchos spills over with textiles, ponchos, felt hats, silver jewellery and warm alpaca blankets. Saturday is the grand day, when the stalls seem to fill the whole town, but you will find plenty most days of the week. Bargain gently and with a smile. There is a lovely local idea called randi randi, a spirit of give and take, and a fair price freely agreed leaves everyone happy. Try a greeting too. Alli puncha means good day, and a vendor’s face will light up when a visitor reaches for the old language.
Cuicocha and the story of the mountains
Half an hour on, cradled at the foot of the Cotacachi volcano, lies Cuicocha, one of the most striking sights in the Andes. Deep blue water fills a volcanic crater, with two green islands at its centre. The name comes from Kichwa and it is wonderfully down to earth. Cocha means lake, and local people long ago saw the shape of a cuy, a guinea pig, in one of the islands, so Cuicocha is quite simply Guinea Pig Lake. You can walk part of the rim trail or take a short boat ride beneath the crater walls. There is an old love story woven into this landscape too. The great volcano Taita Imbabura is spoken of as a grandfather who courts the nearby peak of Mama Cotacachi, and when fresh snow appears on her summit, people smile and say the two have spent the night together.
Festivals, food and everyday wonders
If you can, time your trip with Inti Raymi in June, the festival of the sun, when communities give thanks to Taita Inti, Father Sun, and to Pachamama for the harvest with days of music, dancing and colour. Any time of year, the food alone is worth the journey. Nearby Ibarra is famous for helados de paila, ice cream still whipped by hand in a great copper bowl set over ice. The town of Cayambe is loved for its bizcochos, crumbly biscuits eaten with string cheese and a cup of hot chocolate made from Ecuadorian cacao. Add a bowl of locro de papa and a plate of fresh mountain trout, and you have eaten your way into the heart of the highlands.
The cloud forest at your door
Then there is the reason the hacienda exists in the first place, the Andean Chocó itself. Back at base you can hike to waterfalls, ride horseback trails into the forest, or spend a dawn watching cloud forest birds before the day’s excursions. It is the rare trip where coming home each evening is as good as anywhere you have been.
A sample four day plan
- Day one. Arrive, settle into the ecolodge and watch the sunset from the deck.
- Day two. A dawn of birdwatching, an afternoon waterfall hike and an evening in the jacuzzi.
- Day three. A day out to the Otavalo market, the Cuicocha crater lake and the leather town of Cotacachi.
- Day four. A slow wellness morning, a horseback ride and a farewell dinner.
A word in Kichwa. Yupaychani means thank you. Learn it before you travel and use it often. Nothing opens a door in the Andes faster than a visitor who says thank you in the language of the land.
See the full picture on our Ecuador Andes getaway page, then choose your room or suite to lock in the dates.
Start planning your Andes escape
We will help you shape the perfect mix of market days, mountain air and downtime. Imanalla, we will say when you arrive, which is simply hello. Reserve your stay and let us begin.
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