Asociación de Yacchacs de San Juan de Ilumán


This village off the Panamericana about 7km northeast of Otavalo is also famous for its local shamans’ association, which has around 120 members. Members advertise by scrawling their name in large letters on their homes. Feel free to try it out, but remember that cleansings, involving raw egg and spittle, can get messy.

We've been warned by locals that the most obvious of the shamans here are also a bit inclined to be rip-off artists, or at best, self-promoters. You can get some of the same services in Otavalo.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Tahuantinsuyo Weaving Workshop

2.42 MILES

Jose Rafael Maldonado, Miguel Andrango's son-in-law, now runs the day-to-day operations of this internationally famous weaving family business, in its…

2. Cascadas de Peguche

2.48 MILES

Most visitors head out this way to see the Cascadas de Peguche, a series of falls sacred to locals – visitors are still welcome, however, during Inti…

3. Parque Cóndor

2.76 MILES

Get an up-close view of Andean condors, as well as eagles, owls, falcons and hawks, at this Dutch-owned foundation, which rehabilitates these and other…

4. Museo de las Culturas

3.03 MILES

Located in the neoclassical former municipal palace, several small galleries present the ethnohistory of the region, from 8500 BC through colonial and…

5. El Lechero

3.19 MILES

While this tree outside Otavalo is famous for its magical healing powers, it's much more reliable as a great picnic spot, romantic or otherwise, and for…

6. Crafts Market

3.49 MILES

Plaza de Ponchos, the nucleus of the crafts market, is filled every day with vendors selling woolen goods, such as rugs, tapestries, blankets, ponchos,…

7. Daily Market

3.71 MILES

Next to the Animal Market, this large, covered complex just west of the Panamericana houses the vendors who previously plied their trade in a messy…

8. El Museo Fábrica Textil Imbabura

3.79 MILES

Four creatively designed galleries explain every aspect of the history of textile production in the highlands. Located off the Panmericana, just before…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "ecuador/around-otavalo/attractions/asociacion-de-yacchacs-de-san-juan-de-iluman/a/poi-sig/1588486/1317868",
      "position": "superzone"
    }