DESTINATIONS > ECUADOR > THE ANDES > MARKETS & CRAFT VILLAGES
Indigenous Markets & Craft Villages
Throughout the Andes the indigenous markets are the place to bring freshly harvested products, do business and meet relatives and friends. The mixture of colors, fragrances and sounds is exhilarating, everybody is loudly trying to get the attention of potential customers as well as shopping. A weekly market is held in every mid-size village, following are only the larger ones in every region.
Otavalo Region
OTAVALO
1 ½ hours North of Quito is the small Indian village of Otavalo. It has two permanent markets open daily, the food market and the handcraft market. On Saturday both markets increase about four times its size and the variety of products. An animal market is held at a separate plaza and starts around 6 in the morning and offers large and small livestock, poultry and forage.
PEGUCHE
An Indian village a few minutes from Otavalo, whose inhabitants are involved in some part of the weaving process, the elderly are carding wool, young men dye the natural threads, women help with the final touches while men operate the ancient backstrap loom and create wonderful tapestries, belts, handbags and sweaters.
COTACACHI
The main occupation of the majority of this mestizo town is the manufacturing of leather goods; jackets, handbags, purses, wallets, belts, cotton capes with leather trimmings, bags. An great opportunity for a real bargain in leather products.
Cotopaxi Region
PUJILI
Just 15 minutes from Latacunga and mostly indigenous market that offers great variety of potatoes, fruits, vegetables, flowers, poultry, guinea pigs, groceries, local herbs and spices, as well as prepared food much appreciated by sellers and buyers. Operates Wednesday and Saturday.
SAQUISILI
The largest Indian market in Ecuador, it takes over most of the town located about 45 minutes Northwest of Latacunga. It offers large and small livestock, forage, fruits and vegetables, potatoes, flowers, groceries, clothes, prepared food, sidewalk cloth’s mending, shoe repairs and haircut; beef , pork, mutton and poultry parts piled on tables, tiny Indians husking grains; a hubbub of red ponchos and felt hats. Operates Thursday.
Baños Region
BANOS
It is a gathering center for handcrafts produced in nearby jungle towns. It offers colorful balsa wood birds and butterflies, tiny sculptures made of vegetable ivory, necklaces made of bird feathers and seeds, bow, spears and blow-guns decorated with tinted natural fibers and feathers.
GUAMOTE
An overwhelming, almost exclusively Indian market about 38 km South of Riobamba, an excellent opportunity to see the best agricultural products of the central Andes. Its animal market includes cattle, horses, llama, sheep, pigs, poultry. Variety of flower like corn, pea, lima bean, wheat; cereals like barley, quinoa, whole wheat; fresh vegetables, herbs and spices, mending machines, clothes, jewelry, prepared food, potatoes, fresh beans, dry beans and so on. Operates Thursday.
Cuenca Region
INGAPIRCA
A small but very attractive market held in the vicinity of the ruins of Ingapirca, about 1 hour North of Cuenca, attended by the inhabitants of the area dressed in their typical attire, and Indian cowboys that access the market area horse riding. Products sold are typical Andean like potatoes, wheat, barley, quinoa, green beans, peas, lima beans, onions, fruits, vegetables and produce in general. Operates Friday.
CUENCA
The city has a variety of markets that are open everyday and offer a variety of fruits, vegetables, potatoes, spices, cereals, grains and produce in general, but some markets are remarkable, the flower market (everyday), the artisans fair on Thursday, and on Tuesday and Friday one of the markets offer traditional “healing” or “cleansing” treatments, an ancient ceremony performed to “heal” or “clean” a person from bad spirits using chanting, herbs, alcohol, tobacco, eggs and even live animals.
