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Published: September 23rd 2009
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We’re now in Vilcabamba, a small village known as the ‘valley of longevity’ as people here seem to live much longer than anywhere else. It is easy to see why as it is a very laid back area, where most are just sitting around on doorsteps or in cafes watching the world go by. Just yesterday I was one of those people, sat outside the internet cafe on my netbook researching future places to stay and suddenly behind us a lonely traveller begins to play his guitar and sing at the top of his voice. I don’t know whether this is just his nature, or whether Vilcabamba is just a place that exudes happiness, as he certainly was happy! Either way, it was definitely nice background music for my lazy afternoon!
If living until 105 doesn't tickle your fancy though, you should definately come purely for the horseriding. As all the guidebooks say, there is plenty of opportunity to horseride here, but I think we picked the best guys! We went with Cabillos Gavilan and Wilson took us on a 5 hour horse ride right up into the mountains. He was so attentive and his horses were in really good
shape. I really recommend him, those horses were like powerhouses getting up those mountainsides. If I thought I was on mountainside on my last horserides I was sorely mistaken. This ride was
steep! We stopped off at a beautiful waterfall for lunch and had a break to take photographs of the incredible views. They truely were postcard moments! I have never seen scenery like it.
Also, as I was wandering around the many beautiful craft shops (which are different to those in the likes of Quito and so on as they’re genuinely handmade and local items) I got chatting to a guy named Mauritsio (that probably isn’t how you spell it) who lives in Vilcabamba and we ended up having lunch together in this really nice French cafe on the square. Where else in the world would you speak to a guy very briefly in a shop then end up having lunch with them? If only England was as friendly!
Now, onto the accommodation. We’re staying in Rumi Wilco which is an eco-lodge set deep into the nature reserve. It is similar to El-monte in this sense, but it's definately not the same luxury. I would recommend this
place if you are a frequent camper and don't mind living surrounded by bugs, cobwebs and not so clean standards, but if you're like me it may not be the place for you, as I found out. Although I did like waking up to the sounds of the forest, it's much more pleasurable than being awoken by barking dogs and buses as you would do if you were right in the centre of Vilcabamba. Plus 1/3 of the money you pay goes to preserving the nature reserve that the cabana is actually built within, so it's definately an ethical choice!
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