Sumak Pacha, in favor of community tourism
Ecuadornews:
For ten years the Sumak Pacha association has pledged to promote culture and preserving traditions through the travel service. The organization is formed by 13 Kayambis families that live in Pijal. “We are at the limit with the otavalos,” said Antonio Maldonado, administrator of the rural and community tourism association of Pijal Bajo Sumak Pacha. Its proximity to the San Pablo Lake has made them an unforgettable stop for tourists who want to live a complete cultural experience.
The service includes accommodation, typical food, biking or hiking, shamanism, ritual tours and handicraft fairs. Maldonado explained that each family has between two and four beds in their homes to receive the tourists. Accommodation with families is the way to understand a culture. “We do a community meal when they arrive (the tourists), and then they leave with each family,” said Maldonado. (I)