A 5 star day - it WAS the best day trip Cayambe and Otovalo - A great day with Andres. He showed up promptly at 9 a.m. He is lively and fun and a careful driver. His car was clean and comfortable. We had gotten in at 2 am and were kind of low energy. But Andres was so much fun. He studied in California for college so his English is perfect. Plus, his parents are US Citizens. We learned all about his family and life and Ecuador. It was like spending the day with a good friend. He took us for Biscochos and we bought chocolate and coffee in the store in Cayambe. Then we went to the Solar Museum and learned all about the Equator. We walked through the Agave Garden. Then on to Otovalo. He gave us about an hour to shop, which was perfect. I bought jewelry, a ln alpaca scarf, magnets etc. Andres helped us haggle too. Then we went to Cotacachi which is the Leather Town. My boyfriend and I each bought leather jackets on a spur of the moment. Mine was $90, his was $110. They would easily be $300 back home. The products are made right there in Cotacachi too. My boyfriend also bought leather boots - $38! We bought belts and wallets - great buys. Finally, we ate a late lunch at a nice place with a good bathroom that was $20 for the 3 of us (we bought him lunch). On the hour and a half ride back home, I nodded out for 20 minutes and Andres respectfully remained silent. When I awakened, he played bouncy dance pop on his Spotify playlist which was just so fun. We were back in the hotel, happy and safe and very pleased with our day. We wanted something cultural with some shopping and interacting with local people. We visited the Equator and let Andres handle all the logistics. Book this trip if you don’t want to climb to see volcanoes or zip line or see Quilotoa. We avoided that stuff for both energy and avoiding altitude sickness. This was a great option for a Day trip from Quito. 5 stars

A Perfect Day Trip from Quito - We had the best day with Andres. We flew in 1 day early before a 7 day Galapagos Express tour. He picked us up at 9 am sharp. His car is clean and comfortable. His English is perfect - he attended University in California. We enjoyed the Biscocho stop to stretch our legs and buy some coffee and chocolate in the store. Then to Cayambe to the Solar Museum and learned about the equator. Then to Otovalo - what fun! We shopped and bought everything we wanted. He helped haggle some prices for us. Then, finally Cotacachi which I called “Leather Town”. We ended up each getting sharp leather jackets (mine was $90, his $110). He bought leather boots and a wallet and we both bought belts. Then we went to a place for lunch. Andres is a careful driver and a lovely person. We learned all about his family and vice versa it was like hanging out with a lively friend for the day. His choice of music for the car is excellent. At one point on the drive back, I nodded off for about 20 minutes and he was appropriately silent and turned down the music. We did not want to climb volcanoes or hike to lagoons. This was the perfect day after a flight that landed at 12 a.m. Running on only 5 hours of sleep, Andres took care of the logistics. All we had to do was enjoy the ride and the beautiful views of the mountains. We could not have asked for a better day spent in Quito. 5 stars.

The best - This tour was far. Our guide was Diego and he was really amazing. We learned so much from him about Ecuador. Communication with Andres was great. He usually responded within minutes. We were trying to decide what the best thing about the tour was and we both said talking to Diego. Request him, you won’t regret it!

Great guide, great day - Jean Pierre was an excellent guide, he was extremely knowledgeable and flexible with our schedule. We were able to spend exactly as much time as we wanted at each stop. Bought some amazing goods in the market and had a wonderful lunch. It was an incredibly productive day.

Diego is the best! - Diego was an excellent tour guide. He arrived on time, car was clean, and best of all he was extremely knowledgeable. He taught us about the indigenous people, discussed their culture, dress, and how they live. We were lucky to have had great weather and were able to see many volcanoes. Diego told us about each. He was by far the best guide, I highly recommend this (or any) tour with Diego!

Octavalo Markets and surrounding area - I had Diego as a guide to Octavalo Market and some of the surrounding cities as a solo traveler. We started in Caymbe and tried Ecuador’s delicious version of biscotti with dulce de leche and a local cheese. Next we wandered through Octavalo’s indigenous market filled with colorful textiles and trinkets. Diego helped me find the best quality and authentic items. Next we headed to Cotacachi where we had an Equadorian specialty Guinea Pig! It was one of the best meats I have tried, I was surprised how much I liked it. Last but not least we wandered Cotacahi where they are known for their leather goods. I had a great time on this tour and highly recommend it!

Wonderful tour - highly recommend - We had a wonderful trip! Our guide Diego was perfect -- knowledgeable, kind, professional, and flexible. We were able to craft a tour that suited our interests. The sites were wonderful. Diego picked us up and dropped us off directly at our Airbnb, making this very easy and convenient.

Amazing day trip from Quito! - My wife and I had an amazing experience visiting Otavalo and Cotacachi. Our guide, Diego, was wonderful and went above and beyond to make sure we had an enjoyable experience. We went for the shopping but loved the extra stops at San Pablo and Cayambe to learn about and eat some biscocho which was out of this world. 10 out of 10, would recommend.

Otavalo tour - My wife and I booked a private tour. Diego, our tour guide , agreed to a late pickup so we could sleep in. Diego was very friendly and informative. He made spontaneous stops to buy an exotic fruit from a street vendor and for Bizcochos. The third generation restaurant owner explained how to cook and serve the bizcochos.The restaurant experience was fantastic. Diego bought two bags of Bizcochos for us. We spent time at the middle earth museum and found it to be very informative. We also toured the agave garden at the museum . Otavalo market contains many local items for sale including clothes, jewelry, paintings, etc. Should not be missed. San Pablo lake was only viewed from the road. No stops were made. It should not be included as part of the tour. The stop at Cotacachi was brief. We shopped for leather goods and ate lunch before returning to Quito. We enjoyed the day with Diego and the different experiences. Highly recommend.

Highly recommended one day trip from Quito. - Wonderful one day trip from Quito. If you’re looking for shopping of markets north of Quito, you can’t go wrong with this trip. Otavalo’s market and nearby stores are great and Cotacachi is a must if you’re looking for leather items. Our guide Isabel was the perfect combination of knowledge, kindness and patience. The coffee and bizcocho snack was a lovely detail of this trip.