The lake
Hills and reeds.
Diego Delso — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Diego Delso — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Diego Delso — CC BY-SA 4.0
A calm lake in a valley ringed by dry brown hills near the city of Ibarra north of Otavalo, about 2,210 metres up and some 240 hectares in size, formed by ice around twelve thousand years ago, its shores lined with totora reeds and trees. Its Kichwa name means «lake of blood»: historical chronicles tell of a bloody battle here between Inca armies arriving to conquer the region and the local northern peoples, staining the water red, and the name became a memorial to that resistance. Today a road circles the lake, parts of which become a motor-racing circuit for events, and its shores are dotted with small restaurants serving fried tilapia, rowing boats and paths for walking and cycling. Lookouts on the surrounding hills give a fine view of the whole lake. Pair it with Ibarra, known for its white houses and its traditional sorbet, helado de paila, just minutes away.
Hills and reeds.
The Inca battle.
Fried tilapia.
North-east of Ibarra, about 30 minutes from Otavalo
Chronicles tell of a bloody battle there between Inca armies and the region's northern peoples, said to have stained its water red.