Otavalo (city)

Otavalo is a town in the Ecuadorian province of Imbabura and capital of the canton of Otavalo. At an altitude of 2,500 meters about 50,000 people ( as of 2008). The city is surrounded by three volcanoes Imbabura, Cotacachi and Mojanda. Mainly because of the colorful market is the city that lies about 110 km (about 2 hours by bus on the Pan American Highway ) north of Quito, the most popular tourist destination in northern Ecuador. The majority of the residents in Otavalo and the surrounding villages provide the Otavalo indigenous mentioned ( Kichwa ). The inhabitants are called Otavalo (regardless of their ethnicity ) Otavaleños.

The city is the seat of the environmental organization Defensa y Conservación Ecológica de Intag which is committed to the preservation of the rainforest in Intag Valley.

Since 2014, with Gustavo Pareja of the indigenous movement Pachakutik turn an indigenous mayor ( alcalde ) of the city.

Sons and daughters of the town

  • Mario Conejo Maldonado, co-founder and former member of the indigenous movement Pachakutik, 2000-2014 Mayor of Otavalo
  • Ariruma Kowii, Kichwa poet
  • Cesar Humberto Cotacachi Velásquez, Kichwa singer
  • María Mercedes Cotacachi, Kichwa writer
  • Leo Rojas, panpipe player
Imbabura Volcano Cotacachi Volcano
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