Saquisili Market

The Saquisili Market is a bustling weekly market in the Cotopaxi Province of Ecuador. Every Thursday, vendors from all over the highlands come to the market to sell their wares and show of the product of their labors. The colorful blend of textiles, heaping piles of produce, and local people in traditional Andean clothing with black fedoras is a sight to behold.

While the Otavalo Market is recently geared more towards tourists passing through, the Saquisili Market caters to locals who come from the highlands to buy pots and pans, electronics, herbal remedies, livestock or produce. The market spreads across eight plazas, each themed with different products, such as livestock, textiles, produce, and house wares. Throughout the market you may come across odds and ends like bumper stickers, furniture, broken radios and crucifixes.

Arrive early to experience the lively animal market, which usually winds down around 9 am. The streets are filled with sounds of alpacas, sheep, cows, donkeys, pigs and chickens as they are passed between bartering hands. Delicious traditional foods are sold throughout, including many varieties of potatoes. Saquisili can also be argued to be the best place to try the traditional guinea pig dish.

The Saquisili Market is an optimal place to experience a mixture of cultures and products. This important social and cultural event brings Indians from many different communities together. It has existed since Pre-Columbian times and continues to thrive today as a locally sustained market.

Visiting the Saquisili Market will bring you a unique cultural experience while you peruse the delicious and colorful goods. Travel to Saquisili with our Haciendas of Ecuador tour.