Ecuador Travel

Entrance to Vilcabamba

Entrance to Vilcabamba

• Prev
• 1 of 2
• Next

Overview

Vilcabamba is located in the province of Loja, in the area known as the “Valley of Longevity,” or the “Valley of Eternal Youth.” People here are said to regularly live to beyond 100 years of age. When the visitor arrives in Vilcabamba, they quickly begin to see why. The people here lead an extremely tranquil way of life, operating as they have for many years. It is hard to know if the older residents have indeed reached 100 years of age, since record keeping in the early 1900s was not what it is today. The village of Vilcabamba is situated in a verdant green valley, and is small enough that even the most novice traveler will likely not need a map to explore its few streets.

One interesting fact about Vilcabamba is that it has been somewhat overrun by gringos looking for somewhere to settle. Many of the hostel and hotel owners were early foreign settlers in Vilcabamba, and these days the main square is filled with signs for companies that operate real estate businesses in the area. These are mainly written in English and appear to primarily target the gringo market. Over the last few years in particular, this business has experienced something of a boom.

Vilcabamba has many activities to keep the traveler occupied for several days. It is a good base from which to explore the beautiful and varied Podocarpus National Park. There is hiking and horseback riding for the active, and for those who want to relax, there is yoga, massages and all variety of different treatments available. A short stroll through the town reveals the slow speed of local life, from the over-100s through to the tiny children playing in the streets.

There are a good selection of hotels and hostels in the town for the visitor, ranging from basic budget hostels to more expensive (by Vilcabamba standards) luxury spas. Some places are right in town, but many places are a couple of kilometers from the village. Unusually for such a small town, cuisine is both local (Andean Ecuadorian style) and international with a good selection of options for the discerning traveler. The town has a few small stores and a couple of Internet places, but travelers should not expect a wide range of services here and then they will not be disappointed.

Highlights

Hiking Cerro Mandango – one fun activity to do in Vilcabamba is to take a hike up Cerro Mandango, one of the tallest peaks in the area. Most hostels or hotels will be able to point visitors in the right direction for this. The basic route involves heading up the hill in the direction of two white crosses that sit at different points on the hillside. There are plenty of other hiking opportunities around Vilcabamba also.

Horseback riding – Vilcabamba’s rolling hills and pretty trails make this village and its surrounds a pleasant area for horseback riding. There are a number of different operators in the village that can organize this. This is also possible to do in the Podocarpus National Park. All levels of ability can have a go at horse riding here, but visitors should let their operator know their level of experience.

Podocarpus National Park – one of Loja’s most attractive natural areas is the Podocarpus National Park. This park is a protected area with a significant and interesting variety of flora and fauna for the traveler to see. In this park there is also excellent hiking. One option for getting to the park is to take a horseback riding trip there with an operator in town or arranged through the visitor’s accommodation.

Bird watching – the areas around Vilcabamba and Loja are known for their excellent bird watching opportunities. Visitors who would like to experience this highlight should find a guide to help them identify the most interesting bird life of the region, or should pick up a bird book, binoculars and head out into the countryside.

Spas and relaxation – many of the hotels and hostels in Vilcabamba have spas attached, or at a minimum can help visitors to organize a massage or Reiki treatment. In addition to this, there are places to practice yoga—a pastime that will help the most stressed individual to relax.

People watching – in the main square of Vilcabamba, an interesting pursuit is to do some people watching. The people here are known for living to a very old age, and this is not very surprising, given the very relaxed way of life here.

Getting There

To get to Vilcabamba, it is possible to go via bus or via airplane from Quito. By bus, the traveler should head to the Quitumbe bus terminal to the south of Quito. This will cost $0.25 and take one hour or more on public transport, or approximately $10 and will take around 30 minutes in a taxi.

Once in Quitumbe, the visitor should take a bus to Loja. Buses leave daily at fairly regular intervals. The journey to Loja will take in a great deal of Ecuador’s portion of the Pan American Highway. Journey times vary due to the vast distance covered, but will likely be approximately 16 hours. From Loja, the traveler should change bus and get on a bus headed to Vilcabamba. This bus will take approximately one hour, and will cost $1 to $2.

By airplane, the visitor should take a flight to Loja. There are three flights per day on most days, and the main operator to Loja is TAME, a domestic airline. Flight times are approximately 50 minutes from Quito, and the cost will be $75 to $90. From Loja airport which is somewhat outside of the city of Loja, the traveler will need to take a taxi to the Loja bus terminal (40 minutes at a cost of approximately $10) and a bus to Vilcabamba (one hour at a cost of approximately $1.50). Alternatively travelers can head from Loja airport all the way to Vilcabamba in a taxi. The cost of this is $30-$40, depending on if the visitor is willing to share a taxi with others.