Otavalo weather in March

March in Otavalo: nice, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 26 rainy days.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Otavalo🇪🇨 Ecuador · Ecuadorian Andes · City69
  1. 74Jan
  2. 71Feb
  3. 69Mar
  4. 68Apr
  5. 76May
  6. 83Jun
  7. 87Jul
  8. 90Aug
  9. 89Sep
  10. 79Oct
  11. 73Nov
  12. 76Dec

#11 of 12 months in Otavalo · #971 of 1413 destinations to visit in March · comfort 69/100 (tier C)

Days
19°C
Nights
11°C
Wet days
26
Sun
8.4 h
Humidity
84%
Daylight
12 h
Otavalo, Ecuador
Photo: Daky Imbaquingo · Pexels

Traveller notes on Otavalo in March

Other months in Otavalo

Otavalo forum threads describe February as sitting near the wettest stretch of the local rainy season, though rain is typically limited to a few hours, usually in the afternoon, rather than dominating the whole day. Daytime highs were described as reaching into the mid-70s Fahrenheit with genuinely cool nights - sweater weather most evenings - and the high-altitude setting keeps humidity low even during rain spells. None of this was framed as a reason to skip the famous Saturday market, which draws vendors from across the region for one of the Andes' most significant indigenous markets, alongside the smaller daily produce market.
ImbaburaHighlandsRegular · February · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Forum posters name June through August as Ecuador's preferred travel window overall, including the Andean sierra where Otavalo sits, though posters are careful to note the region's 'dry season' label doesn't mean an absence of rain - just less of it than the wetter months. Typical August temperatures in the northern highlands run roughly 45F at night up to 65-75F by day, with real day-to-day variability driven by altitude and local microclimates. Posters recommend waterproof hiking shoes and a rain layer regardless of the generally favorable season, citing personal experience getting caught in rain in this exact region even during the preferred June-August stretch. Otavalo's famous Saturday market is the clear year-round draw, unaffected by which side of the wet/dry line a given week falls on.
Tripadvisor community · August · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

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Otavalo climate normals — March

Daytime high19°C / 65°F😎 nice
Nighttime low11°C / 52°F
Feels like (high)20°C / 68°F
Rainfall250 mm / 9.9 in⛈ soaked
Rainy days26 days
Humidity84%💦 very humid
Dew point11°C / 52°F
Sunshine8.4 h/day
Daylight12.1 h
Wind7 km/h / 4 mph
Air quality (US AQI)31🍃 good

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Otavalo in March

How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.

BusyPawkar Raymi, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

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Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Otavalo's weather

Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).

Toughest weatherOtavalo's weather peaks July–September, best around August.

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Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Otavalo in March

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Festival

    Pawkar Raymi

    5 Feb – 5 Mar · usuallyMajor festivalCrowded

    The flowering festival runs eleven days in Peguche, built round a football tournament that brings Otavalenos home from Europe for it, plus the Nusta contest and Andean music every night. Source ↗

  • Season

    Wet season

    MonsoonRisk

    26 rainy days and about 250 mm in the month — the real kind of rainy season, not afternoon showers.

    from the climate normals

What's on around the world in March →

Nearby, and something's on

Within 300 km of Otavalo — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Otavalo?

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Otavalo in March — FAQ

Is March a good time to visit Otavalo?
March in Otavalo: nice, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 26 rainy days. It ranks #11 of 12 months for Otavalo on SeasonMap's comfort score (69/100).
What is the weather like in Otavalo in March?
In March, Otavalo averages a daily high of 18.6°C and a low of 11.1°C, with about 250.4 mm of rain over roughly 26.4 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Otavalo in March?
Otavalo has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 31 in March.

Within 300 km: Quito's Jesus del Gran Poder on 29 Mar – 5 Apr.