Guamote

Guamote is a city in Ecuador.

Understand

The county of Guamote is situated halfway the “Avenue of the Volcanoes”, at 50 km south of Riobamba. Together with the other 9 counties, it is part of the province of Chimborazo and covers a surface of 1223 km² or 18.9% of the provincial territory, of which Guamote is the second in size. The county of Guamote consists of three parishes: Guamote, Cebadas and Palmira.

The language of the indigenous is Kichwa. The majority of the indigenous are bilingual (Kichwa-Spanish).

90% of the population are Kichwa descendants of the Puruha-tribe; the remainder are white or mestizo. Lots of mestizos who lived in the village have crossed the frontiers to Spain and the USA to improve their economic situation. Instead, some indigenous families have come to live in the village.

The main activity is agriculture. The most cultivated crops are potatoes, beans and barley. The Thursday market is one of the most important indigenous markets of Ecuador and reflects the dynamism of commerce. During the last decade, lots of family-run micro-enterprises have been founded for handicrafts and industrialization of cattle and fish.

Climate and topography

The county has a varied topography because of the Central and West Andean Mountains. The major part of the territory consists of slopes, one of the major causes of erosion, between 2.600 and 4.500 masl, with an average temperature of 13.7°C. There are two seasons: winter (rain) and summer (warm, dry and windy).

Get in

By bus

From Riobamba 45 minutes travel, buses every 20 minutes from Guamote. These local busses bring you to the railway station in the centre of the village.

Interprovincial buses leave you at the Panamerican Highway from which you have a five minute walk up to the village. From Quito 45 hours travel, buses approx every hour. From Cuenca 5 hours travel, buses approx every hour.

By train

On the Devil's Nose route every Sunday, Wednesday and Friday.

Get around

As the village is very small, everything is done by foot. Going to the community's is rather large distance. You can hire a car at the railway station that will bring you where ever you want to go.

See

• Beautiful indigenous market on Thursday
• Lakes of Atillo
• Indigenous community
• Stunning and unknown views over various volcanos: Altar, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, Sangay, Carihuairazo.

Do

• Horseback riding
• Mountain Biking
• Trekking
• Train Nariz del Diablo also known as Devil's Nose

A non-profit organisation, Inti Sisa, that offers workshops for the local people, offers interesting touristical services in the region. They have the expertise for guiding you to the nicest and most interesting places in the region. Their guesthouse is very nice and well served meals. Meanwhile the money gained with tourism is 100 percent invested in their education centre.

Sleep

• Inti Sisa, ☏ +593 32 916 5297. Three blocks away from the railway station.