2-Day Las Lajas and Otavalo Tour from Quito with Tulcán Cemetery

After leaving Quito, we will see how the vegetation changes every 20 minutes. We will pass through páramos, dry areas, and temperate areas.

The first stop is the Otavalo Market, known as Plaza de Ponchos. The market is our main attraction on this tour. It is a square where local inhabitants sell products made by their own hands. Colours and textures will be shown by the owners of this land.

Cotacachi is the city where the inhabitants transform leather into beautiful things such as purses, jackets, belts, shoes, and more.

Cuicocha Lake is a lake inside a volcanic crater. This volcano shows the activity of gases coming from the volcano's heart.

Once we finish in this city, we will go to Las Lajas. While we are in Otavalo, we will wear jackets, but once we reach Valle del Chota, we will change to shorts and T-shirts. There is also a high probability of rain, so please carry raincoats. We then drive straight to Tulcán, where we finish this day.

The day starts with a visit from Tulcán City to Las Lajas Sanctuary.

Once there, walk to the Sanctuary. If you have difficulty walking, a cable car can be a solution to get to the church quickly. You will have a nice view of the church from the top of a mountain. It is time to admire the landscape. This part of the trip takes around 20 minutes. You can do the same again at the end of your visit to the Basilica.

Head to see the Topiary Garden with pre-Columbian shapes. It has more than 300 figures formed with Mediterranean cypress.

Next, visit the Tulcán Cemetery. It is probably the most famous burial place in Ecuador. These are the works of José María Azael Franco, who is buried in this cemetery. He mentioned the phrase, "The cemetery is so beautiful that it invites one to die."

Try delicious food. One of the dishes is Hornado, a dish whose main ingredient is pork. It comes with boiled potatoes, and fried plantain is the ingredient that gives it a sweet flavour. Chicha is also something we should not miss; it was the drink prepared for our ancestors.

On returning to Quito, we will visit La Gruta de la Paz. It is a chapel in the middle of a cave.

Return to Quito.