Arrival to Otavalo

By Plane

Intercontinental flights arrive in one of Ecuador’s international airports: Guayaquil (GYE) and Quito (UIO). For domestic flights, you can choose between the local airlines TAME, AeroGal and Icaro. Quito’s airport, Aeropuerto Internacional Mariscal Sucre, is located about 90 km from Otavalo, and the Pan American Highway connects the cities.

Upon your arrival, our Spanish language school in Quito offers a free airport pick-up service within Quito. You can also board any bus that says Juan León (J.L.) Mera, or take a taxi (around US$6) to the city centre of Quito.

By Bus

Quito’s bus terminal Carcelén offers frequent bus services to Otavalo, and is located in the north of the city. To get to the terminal, you can either take a taxi or the Metrobus (blue bus stops). Tickets cost around US$2, and the journey takes about 3 hours. Buses arrive in Otavalo’s small bus terminal along Calle Atahualpa and Calle Jacinto Collahuazo. Neighboring towns Ibarra and Tulcán offer hourly bus services to Otavalo. From the terminal, you can get a taxi to the town center for around US$1.

Transportation in Quito

Taxis in Otavalo are cheap and abundant. Always negotiate the price first. A taxi ride within Otavalo costs around US$1, and taxi drivers are happy to drive you to sights located out of town: a ride to the Peguche waterfall costs around US$2.50. Many destinations within Otavalo can be reached on foot, as the town itself perfectly walkable.