3-Day Otavalo Market & Mindo Cloud Forest Tour from Quito

Otavalo's markets, a volcanic crater hike, and cloud forest in one trip

A 3-day tour from Quito that strings together Ecuador's northern highlands: Otavalo's Plaza de los Ponchos indigenous market, a circular trek around Cuicocha crater lake, and Mindo Cloud Forest with its waterfall and birdwatching. You'll taste chocolate made from local cacao, visit the Intiñan Museum at the Equator line, and stay two nights in colonial and eco-lodge settings with a bilingual guide leading throughout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Explore Otavalo Market and Culture

• Visit Museo del Bizcocho y el Agave
• Take photos of Otavalo area and volcano
• Explore Otavalo Market
• Visit Peguche waterfall and trails
• Attend Ñanda Mañachi music workshop

Day 2: Hike Cuicocha Lake Crater Rim

• Breakfast at accommodation
• Hike circular trail around Cuicocha Lake
• Enjoy box lunch during hike

Day 3: Discover Mindo Cloud Forest and Equator

• Visit waterfall and cable car in Mindo
• Tour Yumbos Chocolate factory
• Birdwatch in Mindo cloud forest
• Explore Intiñan Museum at Equator

The experience

Otavalo sits two hours north of Quito, and the market there fills with indigenous vendors selling textiles, crafts and traditional goods year-round. The first day centers on Plaza de los Ponchos, where you'll walk through stalls and learn about local traditions at the Museo del Bizcocho y Agave, which includes tastings of Cayambe's traditional biscuits. You'll also visit Peguche waterfall, a 20-meter cascade considered a ceremonial site by the Faccha Llacta community, and hear live Andean music from Ñanda Mañachi, a cultural collective preserving Kichwa heritage through ancestral instruments. The night lands at Hacienda Pinsaquí, a colonial estate with Andean gardens near town.

Day two takes you to Cuicocha, a volcanic crater lake at the base of Cotacachi Volcano. The circular hike follows the crater rim for panoramic views of the highlands and cloud forest below. A box lunch breaks the walk so you can sit with the landscape. That evening you move to Terra Bambú, an eco-lodge in Mindo Cloud Forest built from bamboo, where you'll sleep surrounded by the forest's biodiversity.

The final day in Mindo pairs a waterfall visit and cable car ride with a chocolate tour at Yumbos, where you'll learn the bean-to-bar process and taste Ecuadorian cacao. Birdwatching in the cloud forest opens chances to spot hummingbirds and toucans among the canopy. Before returning to Quito, you'll stop at the Intiñan Museum near the Equator line for hands-on experiments at latitude 0°. Private transportation, all entrance fees, and hotel pickup and drop-off are included throughout.

What’s included

• Private transportation throughout.
• bilingual guide.
• accommodation for two nights at Hacienda Pinsaquí and Terra Bambú eco-lodge.
• box lunch on day two.
• entrance to Peguche waterfall and Mindo waterfall.
• chocolate tour with tasting.
• Intiñan Museum entry.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Quito.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 to 59 years) · Senior (60 to 80 years) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (7 to 11 years) · Infant (1 to 6 years)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Real Dreams Tour

Is this one for you?Book this if you want three distinct ecosystems (market, crater lake, and cloud forest) connected by private transportation in one itinerary, rather than piecing together separate day trips.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (7 to 11 years); Infant (1 to 6 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Otavalo market actually like when I get there?

Plaza de los Ponchos is one of Ecuador's largest indigenous markets, where Kichwa vendors sell textiles, weavings, crafts and traditional goods. The museum visit and live music performance give context to what you're seeing, and the market itself is busiest in the morning hours.

How difficult is the hike at Cuicocha Lake?

The circular trek follows the crater rim at a moderate pace with panoramic views throughout. A box lunch is included so you can rest and take in the landscape. The hike suits all fitness levels and the trail is well-established around the lake.

What will I see and do in Mindo Cloud Forest?

Mindo Cloud Forest is a biodiverse highland forest where you'll visit a waterfall, ride a cable car through the canopy, go birdwatching for hummingbirds and toucans, and tour Yumbos Chocolate to learn how local cacao becomes finished chocolate from bean to bar.

What is the Intiñan Museum?

Intiñan Museum sits near the Equator line at latitude 0° and offers interactive, hands-on experiments exploring Ecuadorian culture and geography. It's a brief stop on the final day before you return to Quito.

Are meals provided on all three days?

A box lunch is included on day two during the Cuicocha hike. The chocolate tasting on day three is part of the tour. Breakfast and dinner are not listed in the inclusions, so you'll arrange those at your accommodations or in town.