VILCABAMBA (Vilca Bamba = Sacred Valley) is located in the ancient famous sacred “Valley of Longevity” where many people live to well over 100 years of age. The owner of the Madre Tierra, Dr. Carol Sue Rosin, is the official Coordinator of the ASOCIACION PRO DEFENSA DEL ANCIANO DE VILCABAMBA, and the PROYECTO CENTRO INTEGRAL EXPERIMENTAL DE VILCABAMA, working with the oldest people in the area who are introducing their organic medicinal herb and plant garden only at the Madre Tierra. Experts say that this small Andean valley in Ecuador holds the secret to long life, thanks to the year round pleasant climate, the famous pure water, the natural organic food, the organic medicinal herbs and plants and natural healing techniques, the quantity of negative healing ions, and the no stress tranquility of this magical part of the world…the old people know all about it. Here, at the Madre Tierra, you can experience and learn about these secrets of the old people.

This is the hotel in which you can, finally, totally relax, heal, gently renew and quietly return to a better state of mental, physical, psychological, and spiritual health.

Madre Tierra can help to arrange group and individual seminars, conferences and events, tours and excursions, hikes, and horseback riding for all levels of expertise up mountains and across rivers to waterfalls, into beautiful nature and into the village. You can ride horses for hours or days…for beginners to advanced riders. Or enjoy the great variety of bird life (over 30 species of hummingbirds alone, for example)…special guides can be arranged in advance or possibly even when you first arrive. Take excursions into the vast adjacent Podocarpus National Park, to waterfalls and lakes, ride to and/or hike to and up the magnificent sacred Inca El Mandango Mountain, or to other wonderful locations in and around Vilcabamba, throughout Ecuador, or to other nearby or faraway areas. There are many hiking trails in Vilcabamba, many places where one can submerge oneself deep in nature, always with spectacular views.

We offer horseback riding direct from the hotel for all ages and levels of experience.

We offer 2, 3, 4 or more hours for hikes into the Podacarpus National Park (after a short bus or taxi ride to the entrance).

In Vilcabamba, the Rumi Wilco Reserve, or Yamburara Alto to the River Yambala (2 hour hike) with the option of continuing onto the waterfall (4 hours total).

Agua de Hierro (medicinal hot springs) – 2 hour hike.

Quinara Ruins – 2 or 4 hour hike after a short bus ride.

Cerro Mandango is a 3 hour hike and also San Pedro and Sacapo is a 3 hour hike.

And more …

Mountain Biking
These tours are undertaken with expert guides, depending on the level of experience of the bikers. The most popular route is the downhill ride from Cajanuma (the entrance to Podacarpus National Park) to Vilcabamba. It can take between 2 to 4 hours.

Loja City Tour
This is a driver or a bus tour with guides and lunch included, it incorporates among other things visits to Loja for shopping in markets or shops, to the theater or museums, gardens, to the Loja Technical University, and more.

Tours to other Ecuador locations and hotels, to Peru or other countries, are available.