Further Information
Learn Spanish in Ecuador

The Spanish Classes

The Spanish course included are 20 hours each week, with four hours a day one-on-one tuition. The Spanish courses available in the school range from Beginner and Intermediate to Advanced levels. The classes have an emphasis on grammar and conversation, and a certificate will be given at the end of the course.

Adventure Activities

Otavalo’s geographical position in the heart of the Andes gives students the opportunity to go on some amazing weekend excursions. Included in the programme fee is the trip to Mitad del Mundo. Other trips can be enjoyed, such as trips hiking to nearby villages or haciendas, summiting snow-capped volcanoes and much more, advice for which can be provided in Otavalo.

About Otavalo

Situated at the foot of the Imbabura volcano, next to the San Pablo Lake and with the Cotacachi volcano looming in the distance; the vibrant town of Otavalo has been one of the most important textile markets and trading posts in the Andes since 500BC. Today Otavalo has with a population of around 40,000, and the paved streets are teeming with colour as the indigenous people descend to sell their wares in the Plaza de Ponchos, especially on Saturdays. There are several internet cafes, bars and restaurants to relax in. There are also some beautiful parks in which you can sit and watch the world go by, listening to local Incan folkloric pipe music and marvelling at the traditional dress still worn today by the majority of the population.

GVI also fund and run their own volunteer programme (see Volunteer Work with Children in Ecuador) with Indigenous communities around Otavalo.