Protected in a
small reserve of protective forest at an elevation of 1821 masl, with
an average temperature of about 12 ° C, this reserve has a slightly warmer
climate than much higher Quito, and therefore is ideal for picnics.
Its entrance
being free, the Peguche waterfall, Otavalo, Ecuador, is 18 meters high and 6 meters wide.
The small reserve is very close to the city of Otavalo and is loved by
Ecuadorians coming from all parts of the country as well as by foreign tourists
who visit the market in the Plaza de los Ponchos.
In the culture of the indigenous people of Otavalo, the waterfall is
a sacred place that inspires tales, myths and legends, rites and festivals.
In their culture, lakes, waterfalls and rivers are places loaded
with powers in which they perform ritual purification baths or make pacts
with the spirit of the place to strengthen and energize themselves for the
rituals of the Inti Raymi the Inca solstice festival, which is celebrated
throughout the former empire on June 24 but with different cultural
manifestations in different regions.
Entrance of the reserve.
Visitors walking the last part
towards the falls along the creek.
This
waterfall originates at the slopes of the Imbabura Volcano, in brooks that feed
into Lake San Pablo, 4 km south of Otavalo at 2,670 masl. From Lake San Pablo,
the Peguche River reaches the reserve. After
the falls, the river changes its name to "Jatun Yacu" which means "big water".
The sacred waterfall is protected within
the 40 hectares of protected forest "Forest Protector Waterfall Peguche" and is known as one of the nicest eucalyptus
forests in northern Ecuador. The reserve is
managed by the "Community of Peguche".
At
the entrance is a small visitor center with a parking lot. From there one can
take an interpretation trails and several very good trails through the forest
leading to the waterfall as well as into the hills.
Above the main waterfall is a second waterfall of 6 meters high,
which can easily be reached by one of the trails.
The trails
are excellent and pass through the entire reserve. There are many groups of
friends and families enjoying nature.
The eucalyptus forest is one of the most mature
ones in the country and you can see trees up to almost one meter thick.
Cabins are available throughout the year.
It is great fun to ride your bycicle, especially if you start out
at Lake San Pablo. All bike paths / trails can be used by cyclists of any level of
experience.
During the "summer" solstice (December 22) the inhabitants of the
nearby communities take ritual bath in the water of the waterfall. This ceremony
prepares them spiritually for the new annual cycle that begins both in their
fields and In
their own lives. This ritual initiates a series of celebrations that last for a
few days and that are the reflection of the enormous respect that these people
have for nature.
During the Inti Raymi in Peguche, indigenous musicians perform
two types of traditional music: transverse bamboo flutes and dance music on
string instruments. In general, most of the wind instruments are indigenous to the Andean region.
A wide variety of flutes and simple trumpets are of pre-Columbian
origin, while most string instruments, including violins, guitars and harps,
orignate from Spain and others other European countries.
Getting to the Peguche Waterfall, Otavalo,
Ecuador
The
Peguche Waterfall, Otavalo, Ecuador is located in the community of Faccha Llacta, 1.5 km from the
community of Peguche and 3.3 km from Otavalo. You walk to the 3 km from the Plaza de los ponchos to the reserve or take a
taxi.
Dear visitor, our website gives you info about
our
National Parks Tours,
our
Galapagos programs, the
Cuyabeno Loop,
as well as our
Cuyabeno and Cofan Lodges in the Amazon.
For those who want to combine the
Exuberant Nature of Ecuador with the Famous culture of Peru, we even have a
7
days Highlights of Peru extension! Our website
gives you the best information on the internet, because we are the only tour
operator run by professional biologists. Take a look:
OUR PARKS AND TRIBES ECO TOURS
(Scroll down for the full description of the current page)
STANDARD COFAN LODGE TOUR
Start your Cuyabeno journey on
Ecuador's most scenic wide Amazon tributary, the Aguarico River. Spend 3 nights in the Cofan Lodge,
exploring the lower Cuyabeno and Zábalo Rivers.
The Cuyabeno Loop explores
the breathtaking scenery of lower Cuyabeno and Zábalo
Rivers and the Cuyabeno Lake. Watch the amazing birds and
wildlife. Pass 2 nights with the amazing Cofan Indians in
the Cofan Lodge and enjoy 2 nights of comfort in the famous
Cuyabeno Lodge.
The Lagarto Cocha Expedition on hidden
creeks and lakes is the best Amazon journey in Ecuador!
Discover Indian tribes in Ecuador, Monkeys, Sloths,
Dolphins. No other Amazon rainforest in any of the
Amazon-Andean countries can match the wildlife viewing
of Cuyabeno and it is far better than Yasuní!
The Cuyabeno Lake Program
explores all the wild places surrounding the Cuyabeno Lake.
Bonsai-shaped Macrolobia trees with the whispering of the
mysterious prehistoric Hoatzin birds and the noisy Blue and
Yellow Macaws. Our Cuyabeno Lodge is on the best location,
because we were the first and chose the best location on a
seasonal island in the Cuyabeno Lake itself.
Our Northern Andes Tour lets you get a
taste of some of the best Andean National Parks,
visiting the highest groves in the world: the Polylepis
trees, the highest mountain in the world calculated from
the center of the Earth, the Chimborazo with Vecuñas and
Lamas, the highest active volcano in the world, the
Cotopaxi.
Our National Parks Tours take you on a fantastic
journey along the best possible sample of Andean and coastal
parks. They have been designed to complement
Galapagos and/or Amazon cruises. They can start from different places, particularly Quito,
Guayaquil and Cuenca. While the full program lasts 9 days, it is possible to
make a limited selection of parks, like the 6 days' "Andes
and Coast" module.
We have a fabulous selection of Galapagos
programs, including cruises, island hopping, scuba
diving or relaxing on one of the many different hotels
varying from modest inns to deluxe resorts.
A fabulous program for visiting the most
famous cultural highlights Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu and the
Sacred Valley. At the same time it serves as the Lima hub
for the Peru National Parks Tour. This module is an
extension to our National Parks Tour Ecuador and/or Galapagos National Park
and/or Amazon Cruises.