Vilcabamba, Ecuador

Vilcabamba has a reputation throughout Ecuador, and perhaps internationally, as being the "Valley of Longevity". The residents are said to live to a greater age than people living elsewhere in the world. There have been some studies that support that and others that refute that fact. But everyone seems to agree that the climate is wonderful, the water and soil are pure with lots of beneficial minerals and the air has no pollution. It has lots of warm sunshine and plenty of water, from the nearby national forest, so both plants and people do very well. It is located about 30 miles from Loja and was used as a retreat for the Incan royalty centuries ago. There are quite a few tourists and a large number of people from other countries moving here and becoming permanent residents. We took the bus for a quick visit and I'll share a few photos of the center part of the town.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vilcabamba may well be a great place to live but we don't have any grandchildren in Ecuador, so it is not the place for us. We look forward to having more time with our family in just three months.