North of the capital city of Quito lies the province of Imbabura with several options for quick one day trips or weekend getaways. The famed arts and crafts town of Otavalo is a popular stop for its market that sells quality hand made textiles and handicraft items. Other than a number of towns home to a large population of indigenous people, Imbabura is plentiful in nature with scenic lakes and volcanos. To get there you can take the inter-provincial buses, however, it would be best to rent a car since these destinations are in fairly remote areas.
Lago San Pablo
At only 1-hour 30-minutes from the capital, Lago San Pablo is a beautiful lake with the majestic volcano Imbabura in the background. There are several private access lakeside restaurants and cabins on the shores of the lake, but if you want public access, you have to go through the town of San Pablo del Lago. Parking is free and there is a cafe/restaurant there for snacks and refreshments. It’s possible to do some kayaking in the lake and there are also some boat tours.
Laguna Cuicocha
Another hour’s drive further north from Lago San Pablo is the magical Laguna Cuicocha. This is a more popular tourist destination and there are several tour agencies that go here from Quito. On a clear day, you’ll be able to see the volcano Cotacachi in the background. This lake sits on a volcanic crater and has two small islands in the center. It’s no longer possible to access the islands due to a fire that broke out at the restaurant that used to be there. There is a boat tour that loops around the islands and the guide talks about the flora and fauna found on the lake and islands. The guide will also point out some bubbling in the water which are due to the volcanic minerals. The tour is about 45 minutes long and also comes with a complimentary canelazo – an aguardiente and cinnamon based alcoholic drink. There is also a restaurant where you can enjoy lunch with a view of the lake.
Termas de Chachimbiro
A 1-hour 45-minute drive further north from Cuicocha takes you to the hot spring pools of Chachimbiro. There are several swimming pool complexes with natural hot spring waters. The complexes have good facilities with changing rooms, restrooms, and a cafe/restaurant for snacks and drinks. Some of them require the use of swimming caps which can be rented or bought on site. The pools are layered in tiers and the ones higher up have hotter pools since they are closer to the source. It’s a very relaxing way to end the day and the pools stay open late into the night until 9-10 PM.
