Mojanda Lakes 16Km south of Otavalo

Otavalo is about 2535m high - and I find I am sometimes a bit breathless if I rush around/tie shoe laces etc!!!  Today we went to the Mojanda Lakes and were about 3650m - fine on the flat or going downhill but absolutely exhausting going up the smallest hill.

We were lucky with the weather - it was  very misty generally but now and then the mist cleared and we had a good view of the 2 lakes we saw (there are 3 but the 3rd lake involved a much longer trek and steeper climbs) and it was generally dry until the last (hard) half hour when it poured with rain.  Didn't make the last steep climb much fun.  We must have walked about 6-7Km - at a snails pace!  We didn't see many birds - no trees at this height, but did see some interesting plants and views.

Needless to say we were completely exhausted when we got back to the hotel around 4 (left soon after 9).  We've just been spoonfed (too tired to lift the spoon...) and off to bed!