Guamote indigenous market
Thursday is market day in Guamote. This market is unique in South America. On market day, all indígenas from the surrounding villages flock to the market. But also from far and wide – from the coast and other regions, traders come to Guamote with their trucks. On this market, goods from the highlands are exchanged with goods from the lowlands and the coastal region. There is a large market for livestock and small livestock, as well as clothing, all kinds of food and household goods. The stalls are not only located in the squares of the city, but also in various streets.
Visit to the indigenous villages around Guamote
Today we take a closer look at how the indigenous people live here in this region. After visiting the center of Inti Sisa in Guamote, we head into the mountains. We visit an indigenous school where the children explain how they are taught here. We visit a local weaver who makes alpaca wool ponchos and end up with an indigenous family who talk about their life in the village. Along the way you will receive information about the history of the region and the local culture. If you wish, you can then return to Guamote on foot (1.5 hours).
Day trekking Atillo – Ozogoche
From Guamote we drive to the lakes of Atillo (1 hour). The first part of the trek (3 hours walking) takes us from 3600 meters to 4100 meters. At the viewpoint we have a beautiful view over both the lakes of Atillo and those of Ozogoche. In good weather we can even see the Sangay volcano. From here it is another three hours to descend to the village of Ozogoche. The landscape contains beautiful expanses of grass with small and large lakes.
Difficulty: average.
To bring: sun and rain protection, water bottle, photo camera, sturdy walking shoes, gloves and hat.
Bike tour Atillo
From Guamote we drive by car to the paramos of Huantag (1 hour) at an altitude of 4100 meters. From here we take the bike and descend (about 3 hours) on small roads to the Atillo river. During the entire ride you can enjoy the wonderful landscape that the high mountains of Ecuador have to offer. After the descent by bike we continue our tour by car to the viewpoint of the lakes of Atillo.
Difficulty: average.
To bring: sun and rain protection, water bottle, photo camera, sporty footwear, gloves and hat, extra dry clothes
Native cooking class
From Inti Sisa we go to the market to buy all the ingredients for making a fruit salad and empanadas. Then you will learn from the indigenous kitchen staff of Inti Sisa how these tasty dishes are prepared. Then everything is eaten together in a cozy atmosphere.
Ozogoche Trekking 2 days
The village of Ozogoche Alto is about 55 kilometers from Guamote. It is located within Sangay National Park. The park has more than 325 large and small lakes, 45 of which are located in Ozogoche. During this 2-day trek we will walk around Lake Cubillín. We are accompanied by an English speaking and a local guide. Our luggage is carried by a horse. The tour goes from 3,800 meters to 4,000 meters. We set up camp next to Lake Tinguicocha. During the walk you can enjoy the beautiful, deserted landscape.
On day 2 of this trek we continue our tour around Lake Cubillín. From here there are no more man-made trails but we follow the tracks of wild animals. After a walk of about 3 hours, we arrive at the shores of this lake. Here we prepare a fresh soup to regain your strength. From here it goes slightly downhill to the village of Ozogoche Alto. This last stretch takes about 3 hours. Once arrived in the village, we are offered a meal typical of the region, fresh trout.
Difficulty: above average.
The 60 lakes bike and trail trekking – 2 days
On day 1 we drive from Guamote by car to the paramos of Huantag (1 hour) at an altitude of 4100 meters. From here we take the bike and descend via small roads to the Atillo river. During the entire ride you can enjoy the wonderful landscape that the high mountains of Ecuador have to offer. After the descent by bike we continue our tour by car to the viewpoint of the lakes of Atillo. We set up camp in the village of Atillo.
On day 2 we leave on foot towards Ozogoche. The first part of the trek (3 hours walking) takes us from 3600 meters to 4100 meters. At the viewpoint we have a beautiful view over both the lakes of Atillo and those of Ozogoche. In good weather we can even see the Sangay volcano. From here it is another three hours to descend to the village of Ozogoche. The landscape contains beautiful expanses of grass with small and large lakes.
Difficulty: average.
To bring: sun and rain protection, water bottle, photo camera, sporty footwear, gloves and hat, extra dry clothes, walking shoes
Inca Trail – 3 day trek
The road network of the Incas (Qhapac Ñan in Kichwa language) stretched from Chile to Colombia. It was the main artery of the Inca empire (1470-1534) politically, economically and socially. This network was still used during the Spanish rule (1534-1822). They called it “El Camino Real” or the Royal Road. Today only a few parts of this network are preserved. One of the best maintained routes is between the village of Achupallas and Ingapirca.
On day 1 we leave Guamote towards Achupallas, a drive of one and a half hours. The starting point of the trek is at 3,300m. The first day we hike for 4 hours to our first camping pitch at an altitude of approximately 4,000m. We are accompanied by a local guide throughout the trek. Our luggage is carried by a horse.
A walk of approximately 7 hours is planned on day 2. After 2-3 hours of hiking, we arrive at the highest point of the trek. From here we have a beautiful view over Lake Sansahuín. After another 4 hours of hiking, we arrive at our second camping pitch at an altitude of approximately 3,800m. During the tour we can see several ruins of ancient Spanish settlements.
On the last day, after 4 hours of walking, we arrive at the ruins of Ingapirca (3,160m). Here we are given a tour by a local guide. After the visit to the ruins, we return to the hotel in Guamote.
Difficulty: average.
To bring: sun and rain protection, thermal clothing, water bottle, camera, hiking boots and extra clothing
I am Tom from Belgium and I have been living in Ecuador for more than 10 years. I got my guiding diploma here. Traveling and discovering new places is my passion. Together with the travel agency Descubre-Ecuador, we offer tailor-made tours in Galapagos and on the Ecuadorian mainland.