Crossing Borders: Colombia to Otavalo, Ecuador
The famous craft market of Otavalo
Leaving San Agustin, we were going the long way round to get to our second country, Ecuador.
The most direct route would have taken us through Mocoa, but we were warned by a few people that this route wasn’t the best - both due to the driving conditions and the areas to drive through. Whether this is true or not, we don’t know - we have met people since who travelled the route with no problems, but we thought it was best to take advice from local people seriously! So we set off, the long way round, on a journey that took us the best part of 3 days.
San Agustin to Ipiales border crossing
The first leg saw us travel from San Agustin on a direct bus to Popayan. The six hour drive started relatively well, but after an hour we turned onto an unpaved road, full of potholes. The next four hours, the driver was weaving left to right across the road to avoid tyre damage. It was not comfortable. The last hour back on the paved road was a welcome relief, and we had the afternoon and evening to explore the city. The historical centre was nice to walk around but we think an afternoon there was plenty of time to see the highlights.
The next morning, we were on an early bus from Popayan to Ipiales, via Pasto. The journey ended up taking close to 10 hours, and although it was supposed to be a direct bus, we ended up changing buses in Pasto. Why? We are not sure. Our driver just told everyone to get off and onto another bus at the station. Luckily we were near the front and did this quickly, because there wasn’t enough space for everyone on the new bus he pointed to. He assured us this new bus would be quicker, but within 10 minutes on the road he zoomed past us on his empty bus. Very odd.
Arriving in Ipiales, we could have made a dash for the border but decided to stop for the night - sitting on a bus is more tiring than you think! We lucked out with a nice hotel, with comfortable double bed and hot shower - for less than £10 for the night!
Crossing the Ipiales-Tulcan border from Colombia to Ecuador
Ipiales is famous for being the base to visit Las Lajas, home to a beautiful cathedral. We opted not to do this half-day trip - the border crossing is best done in the morning, and we didn’t want to spend another night in Ipiales.
So we got up early and got in a taxi straight to the border. We were prepared for long queues after reading horror stories of it taking up to 10 hours to cross… and we were straight through in under 20 minutes. It was so easy we thought we had done something wrong!
We got our stamps to leave Colombia, changed our remaining pesos into US Dollars at a surprisingly good rate, walked across the bridge that separates the two countries and got stamped straight into Ecuador, no questions asked. I think we were a little lucky, as there are often queues and technically issues at the border, but getting there first thing in the morning (8am) definitely helped.
Once in Ecuador, we jumped in a taxi to the nearest bus station at Tulcan, and then onto a bus to Otavalo. From our hotel to boarding that bus took around an hour in total.
Otavalo: home of South America’s largest craft market
Arriving in Otavalo, we were a little bit underwhelmed. We were staying right near the central market square, the main attraction for the city… which was all completely dug up for roadworks! Of course they have to do this work at some point, it just seemed a little odd they would dig up the entire square and surrounding streets rather than do one side at a time. Anyway, dodging huge rocks, random holes in the road big enough to fall into and bits of concrete we could break our ankles on, we checked into our hotel and decided not to judge until the next day: the Saturday market in Otavalo is the main attraction.
Renowned as one of the largest and most authentic markets in South America, the bustling marketplace draws travelers from all corners of the globe, with guide books promising a glimpse into true indigenous culture.
We woke up early to explore and found we were only a handful of people there. The market came alive around mid-morning, when day trippers from Quito arrived and more stalls were set up. It was a lovely experience walking around stalls showcasing an array of intricate handcrafted goods that reflect the rich heritage of the Otavaleño people. From vibrant textiles woven with skillful precision to ornate jewelry adorned with semi-precious stones, each stall owner had been hand making their wares for generations. As the day went on, the market radiated from the central square - known as Los Ponchos - through all the surrounding streets. Strolling through the labyrinthine of stalls with traditional Andean music playing and the smell of burning Palo Santo in the air, it certainly was an immersive cultural experience.
If I had an empty suitcase and no budget, I think I would have loved the experience a lot more. There were beautiful rugs and home decor I was mentally placing in a home we don’t have! Graeme got a chance to test his haggling skills as he bought a jumper with woven sleeves (he got $5 off!) and I settled on a little hand-painted magnet as a gift for my Dad.
Is Otavalo Market a must-visit? It’s hard to say. It is more than just a shopping destination and certainly gives insight into Ecuador's indigenous culture. But for backpackers without the budget to buy the goods on offer, a day trip from Quito would probably be enough. We’ve also heard from people who visited on a weekday and were disappointed, so would recommend Saturday as the best day to visit.
Escaping to Nature at Cascada de Peguche
Northern Ecuador is blessed with diverse natural features. From the majestic Andes to volcanos and cloud forests, we wanted to use our time in Otavalo to discover the surrounding area.
Our original plan had been to try our first hiking trail at altitude, visiting the crater lake at Laguna Cuicocha. However, when I woke up with a bit of a dodgy tummy, we didn’t think this was the best idea - being stranded feeling ill on a 14km trail, with no public transport, at altitude - it didn’t feel sensible.
After a couple more hours sleep and a light breakfast I had perked up a little, and we decided we didn’t want to waste the day so decided to explore a little closer to the city.
Just 5km from the centre of Otavalo is Cascada de Peguche. The waterfall holds cultural significance for the Otavaleno people, who consider it a sacred site. To this day, bathing pools are used for spiritual ceremonies linked to the cleansing and purifying properties of the water.
The reserve cost 50 cents to enter and there was a stone paved trail past the ceremonial pools, through lush trees and foliage to the waterfall itself. Cascading gracefully from around 18 metres, the waterfall is a beautiful oasis at the end of the trail. There are a few viewing platforms and bridges for different views, but the best was braving the mist-filled air and clambering onto the rocks at the base of the falls.
Either side of the pool, trails led off up the hills. We followed these on both sides and were able to climb up as high as the falls to view them from above - a really cool perspective!
Overall, we loved our stay in Otavalo. We made it to our second country - a great feeling in itself! Walking around the market was a great introduction to indigenous Ecuadorian culture and exploring Peguche waterfalls was our first taste of the natural beauty waiting for us in this stunning country.
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