Print

mizmoxie18:56 UTC30 Nov 2007

Sorry if I'm asking too many questions.... (I did my TT reading homework, I promise!)
Thanks to those who posted about the crater lakes near Otavalo -- it sounds like a fantastic way to enjoy the Otavalo area.
I'm trying to work out whether it is possible/economical/safe to do a day hike around Laguna Cuicocha... Footprint guide was very discouraging about going independently to Lagunas Mojandas (v unsafe to do w/o a tour). Didn't know if the same held true of Cuicocha, or if anyone had some experience doing it. If so, any info you could give me on how you arranged it would be awesome. I'm a single female, have experience with extended solo travel, but so far not in Latin America.
The other possibility posted here on TT was to do Otavalo as a daytrip (I believe with Gulliver's Travels?). I would be curious to hear more about anyone's experience with this tour -- did it include time at Lagunas Mojandas and Cuicocha?
Thanks for your input!

pbbfamily15:52 UTC02 Dec 2007

Both lakes are worth visiting. Two of my favorite places in Ecuador. It would be easy to find a guide in Otavalo who could accompany you on these hikes for a reasonable price. Most hotels or hostals can find someone or visit any tour guide storefront in Otavalo. If you want a phone number of a taxi driver friend of mine who knows both hikes and enjoys hiking, send me a private message.

After the Cuicocha hike, you could visit the village of Cotacachi.

-Peter

stormbird04:18 UTC05 Dec 2007

You can easily set something up once you arrive in Otavalo. There are some places in town which offer daytrips to Cuicocha or Mojanda Lakes, such as horseback rides or hiking trips. Otavalo is an interesting little town to chill out at, but it comes alive every Saturday and tranforms into something completely different! If you are going, try to plan to arrive on Friday. Do the market thing on Saturday (it will blow your mind) and then do a daytrip or two outside of Otavalo.

We did the 6 hour horseback-riding excursion out to Cuicocha and it was exceptional! I wanted to see the Mojanda Lakes but simply ran out of time. Interestingly though...when we flew out of Quito, we flew over the Mojanda Lakes and Cuicocha Crater Lake. It was an amazing sight with the morning sun reflecting off the black waters of Mojanda and then the deep blue waters of Cuicocha.

Enjoy Ecuador! I did!

guapulo07:28 UTC11 Dec 2007

We went to Mohanda about three weeks ago. Absolutely stunning. The lakes are now patrolled by police in 4WDs. We saw family groups walking happily, along with a large group of kids from Quito doing some sort of sponsored walk in groups of 4 or 5. Having said this it is remote, and you might ask yourself about how you would feel about being alone in a similar place in your own country. It should be easy to hook up with some other people in Otavalo to do a walk in the mountains.

I shall post a description and pics on our own website in the new future.

Otavalo Independently? Country forums / South America / Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands
mizmoxie18:56 UTC30 Nov 2007	Sorry if I'm asking too many questions.... (I did my TT reading homework, I promise!) Thanks to those who posted about the crater lakes near Otavalo -- it sounds like a fantastic way to enjoy the Otavalo area. I'm trying to work out whether it is possible/economical/safe to do a day hike around Laguna Cuicocha... Footprint guide was very discouraging about going independently to Lagunas Mojandas (v unsafe to do w/o a tour). Didn't know if the same held true of Cuicocha, or if anyone had some experience doing it. If so, any info you could give me on how you arranged it would be awesome. I'm a single female, have experience with extended solo travel, but so far not in Latin America. The other possibility posted here on TT was to do Otavalo as a daytrip (I believe with Gulliver's Travels?). I would be curious to hear more about anyone's experience with this tour -- did it include time at Lagunas Mojandas and Cuicocha? Thanks for your input!
pbbfamily15:52 UTC02 Dec 2007	Both lakes are worth visiting. Two of my favorite places in Ecuador. It would be easy to find a guide in Otavalo who could accompany you on these hikes for a reasonable price. Most hotels or hostals can find someone or visit any tour guide storefront in Otavalo. If you want a phone number of a taxi driver friend of mine who knows both hikes and enjoys hiking, send me a private message. After the Cuicocha hike, you could visit the village of Cotacachi. -Peter	1
stormbird04:18 UTC05 Dec 2007	You can easily set something up once you arrive in Otavalo. There are some places in town which offer daytrips to Cuicocha or Mojanda Lakes, such as horseback rides or hiking trips. Otavalo is an interesting little town to chill out at, but it comes alive every Saturday and tranforms into something completely different! If you are going, try to plan to arrive on Friday. Do the market thing on Saturday (it will blow your mind) and then do a daytrip or two outside of Otavalo. We did the 6 hour horseback-riding excursion out to Cuicocha and it was exceptional! I wanted to see the Mojanda Lakes but simply ran out of time. Interestingly though...when we flew out of Quito, we flew over the Mojanda Lakes and Cuicocha Crater Lake. It was an amazing sight with the morning sun reflecting off the black waters of Mojanda and then the deep blue waters of Cuicocha. Enjoy Ecuador! I did!	2
guapulo07:28 UTC11 Dec 2007	We went to Mohanda about three weeks ago. Absolutely stunning. The lakes are now patrolled by police in 4WDs. We saw family groups walking happily, along with a large group of kids from Quito doing some sort of sponsored walk in groups of 4 or 5. Having said this it is remote, and you might ask yourself about how you would feel about being alone in a similar place in your own country. It should be easy to hook up with some other people in Otavalo to do a walk in the mountains. I shall post a description and pics on our own website in the new future.	3

Otavalo Independently?