After spending only one night in Cuenca, Ecuador, I had a long trip to Vilcabamba, Ecuador via Guayaquil.Vilcabamba is a small town nestled in a valley surrounded by gorgeous mountains.
Vilcabamba is where I would spend New Year’s Eve and get myself ready for the border crossing to into Peru.
The ride was a long one with over 400 miles (687 kilometres) travelled, mainly because I stopped so many times and also took my AirDog Drone out on top of a gorgeous little mountain top and because I went north to Guayaquil first before heading back down to Vilcabamba!
The town has a reputation for its citizens’ longevity, and there are products that sell all throughout the world promoting the water from here. It has been pretty much debunked as many of the people who were in the study were again interviewed a few years later and told the study group they were all different ages again (from 85 to 114 in 4 years).
I would travel through many towns on my journey to Vilcabamba, such as Duran, Guayaquil, Nabón Canton, Saraguro and Loja onto my final destination in Vilcabamba, Ecuador.
Hidden Garden Jardín Escondido, Vilcabamba, Ecuador
Vilcabamba, Ecuador
Vilcabamba is a village in the southern region of Ecuador, in Loja Province, about 45 km from the city of Loja. The etymology of the name “Vilcabamba” apparently derives from the Quichua “huilco pamba.”.
Located in a historical and scenic valley, it is a common destination for tourists, in part because it is widely believed that its inhabitants grow to a very old age. Locals assert that it is not uncommon to see a person reach 100 years of age and it is claimed that many have gotten to 120, even up to 135, which would make it an area with the oldest inhabitants in the world. It is often called the Valley of Longevity – However, this claim has been debunked! From Wikipedia
