Humidity, blasts of hot air, heavy traffic... Embark for Guayaquil, the largest city of Ecuador even though Quito is the capital. We're off for a visit of the "Pearl of the Pacific", from its landscaped river promenade (the Malecón 2000) to the cerro Santa Ana, not to mention the city centre!

Guayaquil, pearl of the Pacific

In this article you will find a presentation of Isla de la Plata, nicknamed "the poor-man's Galapagos", which can be reached from Puerto López.

Leaving Puerto López for the little Galapagos

Ecuadorian Amazonia possesses the densest biodiversity in the world. With its 6034 square kilometres, the reserve is an incredible mix of rivers and flooded forests (due to the large quantities of annual rainfall in the Amazon). The result? A part of the Amazon that is unique and which will not leave you unaffected...

Cuyabeno, the jewel of the Amazon in Ecuador

In this article we visit Otavalo, the best market in Ecuador and perhaps the best in the world.

Otavalo and its most wonderful markets

Quito

Otavalo

Amazonia

Riobamba

 Guamote market is every Thursday morning throughout the town centre. People from all over the region, and sometimes from even further away, go to it in order to buy and sell all sorts of things.

South America

Ecuador

Marché de Guamote

Europe

Central America

Africa

North America

Asia

Middle East

Oceania

Although it's pretty quiet the rest of the time, on market day Guamote is really lively! People from all around go there to sell and buy all sorts of things: animals, vegetables, clothes, crafts, electronics... I had been at Guamote for several days and I didn't recognise the place it was so crowded! Thursday is also the day when the train from Quito to Guayaquil comes through and people leave it to the last minute to get off the railway as the train comes into the station right in the middle of the village. Like most Ecuadorian markets, every street and square specialises in something: here there are animals, there jewellery, and over there cleaning products...it's sometimes difficult to get down the small streets! Lots of activity, lots of negotiation and the noise of the animals. Unlike Otavalo there are very few tourists here, in brief, it's a good market for meeting the locals!

Guamote market is every Thursday morning throughout the town centre. People from all over the region, and sometimes from even further away, go to it in order to buy and sell all sorts of things.

The Andes tourist train isn't the only thing Guamote has to offer. There is also a colourful market held here each Thursday.
When I visited Ecuador,, the market in Guamote was as much traditional and authentic as it was tourist-oriented. It's probably since become just as popular with gringos as the held on Saturday mornings in Otavalo, in the North. Despite all this, however, visiting a market in Ecuador is still a unique experience.
As in Otavalo, you don't just find local arts and craft products in Guamote. Indigenous Andeans come here to sell livestock, cereals, fruits and vegetables. The sight of the female heads of the families with their litters of piglets on leads is a wonderful spectacle. Guinea pigs, calves, cows: everything gets traded and sold amidst a sea of red ponchos.

A very traditional and typically Ecuadorian market is held every Thursday morning in Guamote, not far from the train station.

Marché de Guamote Holidays

Marché de Guamote: How to get there?

Marché de Guamote: See when to go?

Marché de Guamote: For how long?

Marché de Guamote: What to see nearby?

Ecuador: our articles for your holidays