Well, OK, one cannot visit southern Ecuador without visiting the little village of Vilcabamba.  Many people I have had conversations with in Ecuador have asked if I was going to visit this village when they learned I were going to be spending time in Loja.  Vilcabamba, nestled in what is known as the Valley of Longevity, is about an hour outside Loja by bus.

Who wouldn’t want to see what this village nestled in a valley.  It has had a reputation for having a high number of centenarians as far back as the 1970’s.  Whether there is any truth, I cannot attest to it.  There weren’t any centenarians in my peripheral the day I visited.

In all honestly, I don’t think a day trip to this general area can adequately generate a holistic experience and vantage point from which to formulate an opinion on this little village which is estimated to be made up primarily of expats.  What I can say is that Vilcabamba appears to be a sleepy, tranquil village.  Blink and you just about miss it if you’re passing through.  It takes less than 30 minutes to walk the town square and take in the sights and shops.

For an additional perspective, Lonely Planet shares the following:

“Vilcabamba offers perfect weather for hiking and horseback-riding, as well as access to remote sections of Parque Nacional Podocarpus, but it’s also an excellent place to chill. Legions of specialists are ready to facilitate your relaxation with inexpensive massages, pedicures and meditation sessions.”

A Google search does produce interesting reading if you have a curiosity to learn a bit more about this area of Ecuador.

So…back to my thoughts.  In addition to walking around the town square, I took a walk along the river and then had lunch at a little café back on the town square.  If you’re into the likes of sitting on a park bench in Mayberry (with no Aunt Bee in sight or an Andy Griffin for that matter) you might like to while away the time as many expats do sitting around the square.  For me, I would die from utter boredom.  A hike or massage or both would be more to my liking!

All in all, the day trip presented opportunity to get a brief glimpse into what all the rave is about when it comes to Vilcabamba, have a visual image of this little village, enjoy the scenery, and document a day in the life of trippin’ by way of photographs.

Hope you enjoy seeing a few of them as much as I enjoyed taking them.