Otavalo Market & Peguche Waterfall Tour: Textile Crafts

Taste bizcocho in Cayambe, haggle in the Plaza de Ponchos, weave at Ñanda Manachi, and stand under Peguche's falls

A full-day tour from Quito that combines market exploration, local food tasting, and hands-on textile instruction at an Otavalo artisan workshop, ending at Peguche Waterfall. You'll learn traditional weaving techniques from expert craftspeople, create your own piece, and navigate one of South America's most important Andean markets where the Otavaleño community trades textiles and handicrafts. Bilingual guide, lunch and waterfall entry included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Otavalo Market and Surroundings

• Taste biscochos in Cayambe
• View San Pablo lagoon and Imbabura volcano
• Visit Plaza de Ponchos market
• Attend workshop at Ñanda Manachi
• See Peguche Waterfall and eucalyptus forest

The experience

You leave Quito heading north toward the highlands, first stopping in Cayambe to taste bizcocho, the region's fresh-baked local bread, and learn how it's made. The drive passes views of San Pablo lagoon and Imbabura volcano, the biggest lake in Ecuador and the volcanic peak that frames the landscape around Otavalo. The market itself, Plaza de Ponchos, fills with color and movement: textiles hang from every stall, handicrafts crowd the tables, and the Otavaleños, recognizable by their distinctive traditional dress, move through the crowd. This is one of South America's most important Andean markets, and negotiating prices is expected. You'll have time to browse, shop for pieces you want, and eat local food sold by vendors who bring fruit and prepared dishes from across the region.

The workshop at Ñanda Manachi is where the day shifts from watching to doing. Expert artisans teach you traditional weaving techniques in an authentic setting, and you create your own piece under their guidance, not a demonstration you observe, but something you make with your hands. This is the core of the tour: time spent learning how the textiles that fill the market are actually constructed, and walking away with something you wove yourself.

After the market and workshop, you head to Peguche Waterfall, surrounded by eucalyptus forest, where the water runs clear and transparent. The waterfall entry is included, and the drive back to Quito closes the day. A bilingual guide leads the whole route, lunch is provided, and private transportation means no waiting for other groups or fixed departure times if you book the private option.

What’s included

• Bilingual tour guide in English and Spanish.
• lunch.
• Peguche Waterfall entry ticket.
• private transportation and hotel pickup and drop-off in Quito.
• hands-on weaving instruction and materials at the workshop.

Options for this experience

3 options

SharedGuide in English or Spanish · 07:30Shared tour lasting 8 hours, including lunch, along the Quito-Bizcocho-Otavalo-Peguche route, by minivan or jeep. Places visited: Bizcocho, Miralago, San Pablo, Otavalo Market, Peguche Waterfall, and the Ñanda Manachi Museum. Meeting points: Plaza Foch (170143 Quito), pick-up at 7:15 am; Plaza San Blas (170136 Quito), pick-up at 7:30 am. Pickup is included.

Small GroupGuide in English or Spanish · 07:30Small group tour lasting 8 hours, including lunch, along the Quito-Bizcocho-Otavalo-Peguche route, by jeep or minivan. Stops include Bizcocho, Miralago, San Pablo, Otavalo Market, Peguche Waterfall, and the Ñanda Manachi Museum. Pickup is included.

Private TourGuide in English or Spanish · 07:30Private tour lasting 8 hours, including lunch, covering Quito, Bizcocho, Otavalo and Peguche, by minivan or jeep. Places visited: Bizcocho, Miralago, San Pablo, Otavalo Market, Peguche Waterfall, and the Ñanda Manachi Museum. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 to 90 years) · Child (6 to 11 years) · Under 6: can't be booked

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.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Real Dreams Tour

Is this one for you?Book the private tour option if you want to set your own pace through the market and workshop without waiting for other travelers. The shared option works well if you're traveling solo or prefer the company of other visitors and a set schedule. Either way, the workshop instruction is hands-on. You're not watching a performance, you're learning and making something.

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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: Child (6 to 11 years). Children under 6 can't be included in the booking.

What is the Plaza de Ponchos and why do people come to shop there?

The Plaza de Ponchos is the central market in Otavalo and one of South America's most important Andean markets. The Otavaleño community is known for their textile trade and distinctive traditional clothing, and the market fills with textiles, handicrafts, and local goods where visitors can negotiate prices and find unique pieces.

Do I actually make something at the workshop, or just watch a demonstration?

You make your own piece. Expert artisans at Ñanda Manachi teach you traditional weaving techniques and guide you as you create something under their instruction. You leave with what you've woven yourself.

What happens in Cayambe at the start of the tour?

In Cayambe, you taste bizcocho, the region's fresh-baked local bread, and learn how it's prepared. The stop also offers views of San Pablo lagoon and Imbabura volcano as you travel north toward Otavalo.

Is lunch included in this tour?

Yes, lunch is included. You'll eat local food available at the market and surrounding areas during your time in Otavalo.

How much time do I spend at Peguche Waterfall?

Peguche Waterfall is the final stop of the day. The waterfall entry ticket is included, and you have time to see the falls surrounded by eucalyptus forest before returning to Quito.