How to get to San Antonio valley and farm

The nearest town is Otavalo, which is about 2 hours north of the capital, Quito. Otavalo hosts Latin america's biggest arts and crafts fair every Saturday, and is well worth a stop-over.

From Otavalo by bus to the village of Cuellaje is a journey of about 4 hours along an unpaved road that winds its way through the mountains. There is one bus a day, which leaves at 1pm from Otavalo bus terminal, and is run by a company called Transportes Otavalo. On Fridays and Sundays there is also a morning bus.

To make sure of a seat, buy tickets several hours, or even a day in advance. Note that weekends are especially busy times for this journey. The route is beautiful but tiring, and the morning buses are recommended to avoid the late afternoon mists. The cost is $2.50.

We offer to accompany visitors from Otavalo or Quito. Please contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more details. 

Arriving at the peaceful village of Cuellaje, many visitors make their way to the stationery shop called “Ariels bazar”, which, like the bus stop, is on the village square. There the Guevara family  welcomes you and arranges your transport  for the remaining 15 km to the San Antonio valley and guest house. Many visitors enjoy a stop in peaceful Cuellaje, continuing to Finca San Antonio after a pleasant night at the beautiful Cabañas Rio Lindo, or in the modern village hotel. If you prefer to hire your own transport to finca san antonio, a guide price is $10.

For those travelling to Cuellaje on Saturday, an easy option is to stay the night in Cuellaje, and travel to San Antonio with Ned Cresswell on Sunday afternoon. Sunday is market day in Cuellaje, when many farming families do their shopping and enjoy meeting friends and relatives in the village.  Another popular option is to travel to Cuellaje village from Otavalo on Sunday morning, after taking in the awesome indigenous saturday market at Otavalo.  Arriving at Cuellaje around midday, you are welcomed by Ned Cresswell, coordinator of the intagtour ecoutourist project, who accompanies you to San Antonio ($1 per person on public transport)

Useful words if asking for directions in Otavalo are first; Intag; then;Cuellaje;(kwey-ya-hey), then;San Antonio; and (once in Cuellaje) el gringo Eduardo;. Enjoy the journey!

 We offer to accompany visitors from Quito airport, town center, or from Otavalo. Please contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more details. 

Travelling by private car?

For those travelling to San Antonio in a prívate car, here are directions from Otavalo.

With Otavalo bus terminal as your departure point, turn right at the roundabout to take the main road (Panamericana) North towards Ibarra. Only about 300 metres along this road, you turn off to the left. At this junction you will see a petrol station "Petro Comercial" and a sign advertising "Cementos La Farge"

Keep going along this tarmac road for about 5 minutes; you will cross 2 bridges - one next to the traffic light, and the other just after a little school. About 500m after the second bridge, you will see a right turn with a single sign that says "Unidad Educativa, Alejandro Chavez, Gualsaqui". Take this right turn; you are now on the road to the Intag zone, and need to keep on this road, without turning off, for the next 2 hours or so, when you will reach the village of Apuela.

On the way you will pass through several settlements: Gualsaqui, La Delicia, Santa Rosa and Pucara, to name a few.
About 15 minutes after Pucara, you will reach the village of Apuela.
Passing through Apuela, you will cross two attractive rivers. After the first bridge you turn left, and after the second bridge you turn right. Here the road begins to climb for about 10 minutes, until you reach the village of Peñaherrera.

Keep going through Peñaherrera, and ignore a left turn about 2km past the village - just keep straight on the main road, and you will shortly reach the village of Cuellaje.

From Cuellaje to San Antonio farm: simply follow the signs that we have placed along the way for the remaining 15 km: "Finca San Antonio" and "Piscinas de trucha San Antonio" (trout farm). The guest-house is just above the trout farm, which is at the end of the road.

Be aware that about 1 ½ km before the guest-house it is necessary to cross a small stream; drivers unaccustomed to fording streams can park here(at Eddy Torres house), and walk the remaining distance.  Your car will be quite safe with Eddy Torres, and he will transport you and your luggage for you by horse to the finca.

Key words if asking for directions: Intag; Apuela; Cuellaje (pronounced kwey-ya-hey);San Antonio; el gringo Eduardo.

Approx journey times:

• Otavalo to Apuela: 2 hours
• Apuela to Peñaherrera: 20 minutes
• Peñaherrera to Cuellaje: 20 minutes
• Cuellaje to San Antonio: 30 minutes
• Have a safe and pleasant journey.