The valley
Hills and orchards.
Arabsalam — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Arabsalam — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Arabsalam — CC BY 4.0 · Arabsalam — CC BY 4.0
A small, quiet village in a warm green valley south of Loja, among green and brown hills, sugar-cane fields and orchards, with a mild climate most of the year. For decades the valley has been called the «Valley of Longevity» for its residents' reputed long lives, a fame later studies questioned. Its name derives from Kichwa and refers to the sacred huilco trees that grow in the region, and it was said to have been a retreat for Inca nobility. Above the valley rises Mandango mountain, nicknamed the «Sleeping Inca» because its summit resembles a reclining man's face. Visitors come to rest, hike and ride horses among the hills and rivers, climb the steep Mandango trail with views over the whole valley, and reach the edges of nearby Podocarpus National Park. The central square has cafés and small restaurants, and a community of foreign residents lives in the village. The Mandango trail is steep and exposed near the top, so go in the morning with enough water, ideally with a local guide.
Hills and orchards.
The Sleeping Inca.
Among the hills.
Vilcabamba village, about 45 km south of Loja
The valley has been famous for it for decades, but later studies questioned the claimed ages; it remains a calm place with a mild climate.