Meet Your Hosts
Begin with Antonio and María and learn who they are before beginning the activities.
FAMILY-HOSTED · OTAVALO, ECUADOR
Spend a Day with Antonio & María in Otavalo
Meet a local Indigenous family, help prepare a traditional Pachamanca and discover food, dance and living traditions through the people who continue sharing them.
Otavalo is famous for its market. But its culture lives in its people.
Private coordination from Quito · English & Spanish
BEYOND THE USUAL OTAVALO TOUR
Start with the People, Not Just the Attractions
Many travelers come to Otavalo to see the famous artisan market. But some are looking for something more personal: time with local people, conversation, food and an opportunity to understand traditions beyond what can be seen during a quick sightseeing stop.
This experience is built around spending part of the day with Antonio and María. The Pachamanca gives the day its rhythm, while the time together creates space to discover other parts of their story, knowledge and traditions.
Come to Otavalo for the market. Stay for the people.
MEET YOUR HOSTS
Antonio & María
José Antonio Zambrano Cabascango was born and continues to live in the Río Blanco area along the Otavalo–Quiroga road.
Antonio began training in tourism around 2008 after becoming involved with a local association and museum initiative. He later completed training as a naturalist guide and has continued working locally in tourism.
Traditional dance has also been part of Antonio and María's story. Antonio remembers participating with María in a local dance group and presenting their traditions in competitions. For years, he wanted to find a way to share more of that knowledge with visitors.
María Rosa Huandinango Chávez comes from the community of San Pedro in the Cotacachi area. Her story is connected with traditional knowledge that she began encountering as a child through an elder midwife in her community.
Over the years, María continued learning through practice and training related to traditional midwifery, plants, massage and other local practices. Antonio often accompanied her and helped with Spanish communication during training because Kichwa has been María's principal language.
Their stories are presented here from information Antonio has personally shared with us. Traditional practices are described as cultural knowledge and are not presented as medical treatment.
THE HEART OF THE DAY
Prepare a Traditional Pachamanca Together
Pachamanca is an Andean method of cooking food using heated stones and the earth. Here, it becomes more than lunch: preparing the food creates time to participate, ask questions and share the day with your hosts.
01
From Ingredients to the Earth
The experience begins with the foods that will be prepared. Local Andean ingredients are organized before the cooking process begins.
Heated stones and the earth create the cooking environment. Food is carefully arranged and covered so that it can cook slowly while the rest of the experience continues.
Rather than arriving only when lunch is ready, the idea is to understand and participate in the process.
02
While the Earth Cooks
Pachamanca takes time. That is part of what makes the day interesting.
Instead of treating the cooking time as a wait, Antonio and María can use it to share conversation and other elements of their cultural experience, including traditional dance and knowledge connected with plants and local practices.
The exact sequence can vary according to the day, the family and the activities coordinated for your visit.
LIVING LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
More Than a Demonstration
Some of what María shares comes from traditional knowledge that has remained part of her life beyond tourism.
This may include conversation about plants, massage and traditional understandings such as espanto and mal aire, as well as a traditional cleansing practice when appropriate and agreed as part of the visit.
These practices are shared in their cultural context. They are not medical services, diagnosis or treatment, and no health benefit is promised.
A DAY WITH ANTONIO & MARÍA
What the Experience Can Include
This is a family-hosted experience rather than a rigid performance schedule. The exact order can be coordinated according to the day and your interests.
Prepare Pachamanca
Discover the ingredients and participate in the traditional earth-cooking process.
Living Traditions
Learn about dance, plants and cultural knowledge through conversation and participation.
Share the Meal
Open the Pachamanca and share the food that has been prepared during your time together.
MAKE IT PART OF YOUR OTAVALO DAY
And Yes — You Can Still Visit the Otavalo Market
The famous Plaza de Ponchos can still be part of the day. The difference is that the market does not have to be the whole story.
Depending on timing, Marco can coordinate the visit so you can experience Otavalo's well-known artisan market and then spend meaningful time with Antonio and María.
Go beyond what you can buy in Otavalo and discover what people can share with you.
SMALL · PERSONAL · FAMILY-HOSTED
This Is Not a Mass-Tourism Attraction
Antonio has worked locally in tourism for years, but developing this particular family experience for international visitors is a new step for him and María.
Their role is to host and share their own story, food and traditions. Marco's role is different: helping international travelers understand the experience, communicate in English, organize transportation and coordinate the practical details of the day.
The objective is simple: keep the people behind the experience visible.
TWO WAYS TO CONNECT
Contact the Family Directly — or Let Marco Coordinate the Day
We want the relationship behind this experience to be transparent.
LOCAL HOST
Talk Directly with Antonio
Antonio is one of your hosts. If you speak Spanish and prefer to communicate directly with him about the family experience, you are welcome to do so.
Language: Spanish
Contact Antonio DirectlyAntonio communicates in Spanish. For English-language assistance, private transportation from Quito and complete trip coordination, please contact Marco.
PRIVATE TRIP COORDINATION
Let Marco Coordinate Everything
Traveling from Quito? Marco Herrera can coordinate the experience as part of your private day, including transportation, timing, English-Spanish communication and other stops in the Otavalo area.
Languages: English & Spanish
Plan the Experience with MarcoYou communicate directly with the guide coordinating your private day — not with a booking call center.
YOUR LOCAL CONNECTION FROM QUITO
Coordinated by Marco Herrera
I am Marco Herrera, a licensed National Tour Guide of Ecuador based in Quito. My role in this experience is not to replace Antonio and María's voices. It is to help international travelers connect with them.
I can coordinate private transportation from Quito, communicate in English and Spanish, organize timing and combine the family experience with other places in the Otavalo area when it makes sense for your day.
Learn more about Marco Herrera →BEFORE YOUR VISIT
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a typical Otavalo sightseeing tour?
No. The focus is spending meaningful time with Antonio and María and learning about food, family and local traditions. The experience can also be coordinated with other places in the Otavalo area depending on timing.
What is Pachamanca?
Pachamanca is a traditional Andean method of cooking food using heated stones and the earth. During this experience, Antonio and María share the preparation as part of the cultural day.
Can I participate in preparing the Pachamanca?
The experience is designed to be participatory rather than simply observational. The exact activities can vary according to the day and the family's preparation.
Can this experience be combined with the Otavalo Market?
Yes. Depending on the schedule, Marco can help coordinate the cultural experience with time in the Otavalo area, including the famous artisan market.
Do Antonio and María speak English?
Marco provides English-Spanish communication and coordinates the visit for international travelers. Travelers who speak Spanish may also contact Antonio directly.
Can I contact Antonio directly?
Yes. With Antonio's permission, his direct contact is provided on this page for Spanish-speaking travelers. Marco can separately coordinate English communication, private transportation and the complete day from Quito.
Can Marco coordinate transportation from Quito?
Yes. Marco Herrera can coordinate the experience as part of a private day from Quito, including transportation, English communication and itinerary planning.
Is the traditional cleansing practice medical treatment?
No. It is presented as a cultural and traditional practice according to the family's beliefs and knowledge. It is not presented as medical diagnosis, treatment or healthcare advice.
A DIFFERENT WAY TO EXPERIENCE OTAVALO
Meet the People Behind the Traditions
Tell Marco when you will be in Quito or Otavalo, how many people are traveling and what you would like to experience. We can help you understand how a day with Antonio and María could fit into your trip.
Ask Marco About Antonio & María