To the east is Imbabura (15,210 feet/4,609 meters) and to the west is Ecuador's eleventh highest mountain, Cotacachi (16,299 feet/4,939 meters).

To the east and northeast of Otavalo are several small weaving communities such as Peguche and Agato. Cotacachi, a small village about 15 minutes to the north is also well known for its leather craftsmen. The main street is lined with well over 100 leather shops full of beautifully crafted leather belts, purses, bags, jackets, backpacks, briefcases, vests, skirts, hats, gloves and coats.

Nearby Lake Cuicocha sits inside and old extinct volcano on the southern flank of mount Cotacachi. The lake offers the most accessible native vegetation in the Otavalo area. Given its high elevation the temperature are brisk in the early morning, but the advantage is that if you are lucky, you will see the summit of mount Cotacachi resplendent with a coat of fresh snow.

We depart early in the morning, heading north on the Pan-American highway to the Otavalo market. Visit the market. Lunch in one of our typical haciendas. After lunch, we will visit the towns of San Antonio de Cotacachi and Calderón. Back to Quito.

Early in the morning we will drive north on the pan American highway to the Otavalo market, and lunch in a typical restaurant. In the afternoon we visit the towns of Peguche and Agato, which are well known for their hand-made embroideries and tapestries. Dinner and overnight stay.