Guaranda Carnival, Ecuador

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What is the Carnival of Guaranda?

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The carnival of Guaranda is a celebration that takes place in the city of Guaranda between the months of February or March. The carnival is characterized by the cultural expression that it entails. The festivities are celebrated through comparsas, groups, traditional dances and games with water, powder and flour..

The carnivals in Guaranda are a means for the expression of the indigenous culture and at the same time, the mixture that this had with the European culture. In this way, the celebration containspre-Columbian religious and indigenous components that are related to the land and its agriculture. That is why the carnivals are divided into two, the characteristic carnival that lasts until Ash Wednesday where activities such as parades, music, songs, colorful costumes and the Carnival Queen take place. The other part is directed to the agricultural side of the culture, which starts from Cinder Wednesday until the first Sunday of Lent.

 

 

The celebrations contain comparsas and dances in every corner of the province, The carnival begins to be seen a week before the official start in the different sectors of the locality and includes a wide variety of activities such as the children’s carnival, the indigenous carnival, the comparsas, the queen’s selection, coplas contest and many other activities related to the traditions of the region.

 

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When is the Carnival of Guaranda[/h2>?

The carnivals of Guaranda take placebetween the months of February and March, taking into consideration that they are held before Ashes Wednesday.

 

 

History of the Carnivals of Guaranda

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The origins of the carnival are somewhat diffuse and are based on theories or legends. One of them goes back to the Mitimaes, a group of indigenous people who were sent to certain regions to celebrate different tasks. The legend tells that a couple went for a walk in the mountains and after a while they sat down and fell asleep near the Llangama River. TheGod Great Taita observed the young people sleeping and ordered nature to make a song dedicated to the couple. In this way the birds, the wind, the trees and the water of the river performed a musical piece. When the couple awoke, they sang the song on their way home, sharing the melody with the village chief, who ordered it to be played during the second moon after the winter solstice for three days.

The other story goes back to the time of the Huarangas, indigenous tribe, when the people had the custom to honor the chief of the tribe and thank Gran Taita and the Pacha Mama. They had a 3-day tradition in which all the people would congregate to sing, play music, drink chica and eat. At the same time, they would throw corn or scented water. It is believed that the tradition was mixed with the traditions of the Spanish colonizers and resulted in the carnival that is celebrated today.

Despite not having a reliable record of when the first carnival was held, it is easy to determine that the celebrations are the result of the region’s tradition and the traditional European carnival, as the festivities comprise national components and indigenous elements. In addition, it also has the traditional European carnival characteristics of parades, music and costumes.

 

Where is the Carnival of Guaranda

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The carnivals of Guaranda are celebrated in thecity of Guaranda, Ecuador.

 

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How is the Carnival of Guaranda celebrated?

The carnivals of Guaranda are celebrated with baldas, poems and parades, considering them one of the best in Ecuador. Likewise, the carnivals have a deep focus on serenatas and songs. Din fact, the town has typical carnival songs. During the festivities, the traditions and culture of the locals and their ancestors are highlighted, which is why parade participants wearclothing with indigenous motifs.

If you want to know more about tourism in this country, I recommend this guide:

 

During the festivities, the streets are filled with comparsas, contests, music, streamers and dresses. In addition, the locals throw water, flour, eggs and talcum powder at each other. Once the festivities begin, no one rests, as the festivities start very early in the morning to carry out all kinds of entertaining events.

Some see these carnivals as a great result of differentindigenous traditions such as the representation of the corn cycle and the work it takes to produce it and the musical and dance elements. However, the predominant elements during the festivities are the copla, the music and the parades, which carry with them a great historical burden among the villagers.

 

 

Tips to go to the Carnivals of Guaranda

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If you want to go to the carnivals of Guaranda, we recommend you to plan your trip in advance, make an itinerary and book your accommodation in advance so you can fully enjoy the festivities.

 

Events in Guaranda Carnival

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The events begin one week before the official carnivals. The first days are held artistic events andsports tournaments, also the candidates for Carnival Queen are presented. Likewise, the coplas contest and art, poetry and music performances are held, as well as the children’s carnival.

 

 

Likewise, the Institutional Carnival is also held, followed by the University Carnival. Later, some music festivals and different artistic events, the Indigenous Carnival and the comparsas. Finally, the carnivals end with the ceremony of the burial of the carnival..

 

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Guaranda Carnival Parades

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The main parade takes place on Monday of Carnival and in the streets you can see the presence of the comparsas with colorful costumes, the carros alegóricos, the bandas music and dancers.

 

Parade route

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The carnivals begin on General Enriquez Avenue, passes through the streets Cándido Rada and Manuela Cañozares, then goes down Sucre Avenue to Espejo Avenue, turns on Convention of 1884 until it reaches 7 de Mayo Avenue.

 

 

What to eat in the Carnival of Guaranda[/h2>?

One of the typical foods of the region is dulce de Zambo, which is a combination of Zambo (species similar to pumpkin), water and sugar. The result is a kind of jam. One of the drinks consumed at carnivals in the town is Pájaro Azul, a drink whose main component is brandy.

The food places are somewhat scarce, but you can visit La Bohemia, Señora Pizza Restaurant and Rawa which are some of the best known places.

 

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Travel Insurance

 

From Carnavalesdelmundo.org we recommend to hire a good insurance to visit this carnival and to know the rest of the country. For being our readers we offer a 5% discount on all IATI insurances. Read more information about all insurance offers here:

 

 

What to see and do inside the Carnival of Guaranda

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Within the carnivals you cansee and participate in the different events that the city offers. In addition, you can also attend the fairs, the music and dance events, the competitions, the coronation of the queen and of course, themain parade that takes place on Monday of Carnival.

If you don’t want to complicate things, here you can book interesting excursions in Spanish in this city:.

 

What to see and do outside the Carnivals of Guaranda

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Guaranda Carnival Museum

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It is a museum located at the bottom of a hill near the town. Within its facilities it shows the costumes used in the carnivals and its historical trajectory.

 

Chimborazo Volcano

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It is a natural attraction about an hour from the town. The view from the point is impressive, as it overlooks the mountains that border the area. There are tours and climbing at some points along the way.

 

Laguna Las Cochas

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It is a place to admire the scenery and spend some time to rest. It is ideal to spend a Sunday with the family or relax for a while.

Also if you want to visit museums and important buildings in this city we recommend that you book your ticket in advance through Tiquets: .

 

Safety in the Carnivals of Guaranda

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The city of Guaranda and the entire province are relatively safe places. However, it is advisable that you exercise some caution.

Keep an eye on your surroundings and keep your items in a safe place. Also, we recommend the following products to keep your belongings safe:

 

 

Weather at the Carnival of Guaranda

 

During the carnival celebration, the city is somewhat cold. The temperature is around 9 degrees Celsius and with some intermittent rain. Remember to bring appropriate clothing for the weather.

 

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How to get to Guaranda Carnival

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How to get there by plane

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The easiest way to get to Guaranda is through Quito’s Mariscal Sucre International Airport. From there, head to the town of Guaranda.

We recommend buying airline tickets through Kiwi.com or Skyscanner where they are usually cheaper. More information on this link to review Kiwi.com..

 

How to get there by bus

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From Quito, take the bus to Ambato. Once there take the bus on the Babahoyo-Ambato line to Guaranda. The trip takes 5 hours.

 

How to get there by car

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From Quito take the Troncal de la Sierra highway and then E491 to the city.

 

Where to stay in Guaranda Carnival

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Lodging is somewhat scarce in Guaranda, however, we offer you some places where you can stay.

 

Booking.com

 

Hotel San Rafael

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Hotel 1.1 km from the center of town. The hotel has a bar, a terrace and free internet.

 

Hotel Colonial

Hotel 850 meters from the city center. The hotel has free parking and wifi.

 

Hotel Tambo el Libertador

Hotel 1.7 km from the city. The hotel has a garden and a terrace. It has a restaurant, room service and free wifi.

We recommend using Booking.com to book hotels at a good price, check more information here:.

 

Thank you for reading

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