Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and a generally healthy lifestyle. In fact, immigrating utopia seekers
have resulted in quality accommodations and amenities at cutthroat
rates. With regard to climate, the end of May through September is
the best time to visit Vilcabamba, with the weather getting progres-
sively chilly and rainy thereafter (though it is never too bad).
By taxi ($10) or car, the trip usually takes less than an hour fromLoja
to Vilcacamba, a bit longer by bus. A useful website for travel infor-
mation is www.vilcabamba.org.
Adventures
A
s with the central Sierras, the Southern Highlands offer infinite
miles of scenic landscapes to explore either on foot or on horse-
back. For backcountry excursions you can't do much better than El
Cajas and Podocarpus National Parks, and the latter is ideal for the
avid birder who is willing to rough it. Although organized mountain
biking has not yet been popularized in this region, the countryside
beckons. Riding horseback through the picturesque landscape
around Vilcacabamba is popular with locals and travelers alike.
In addition to those listed below, and because
things change over time, remember that the
Ministry of Tourism in Cuenca and Loja will
always have the latest list of private guides and
tour operators
for any activity you are
interested in.
On Foot
Inca Trail to Ingapirca
For a true journey into the past, hike a section of the famed
Inca Trail. Once spanning the entire length of the empire,
the Inca Trail stretched fromQuito in the north all theway
south to Santiago, Chile. The road, a massive transporta-
tion and communication network, continues to provide views into a
world hardly changed in hundreds of years. Within Ecuador, the best
section of this trail involves a three-day trek that begins in the central
Sierras and ends at the Inca ruins of Ingapirca.
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