So for the amount I have been hyping Vilcabamba lately you are probably already making plans to come down and live the natural life! Problem is, how do you get to Vilcabamba?

Basically, you can get to pretty much anywhere you want to in Ecuador, in all of South America really, by bus, if you’re up for the trip. To get to Vilcabamba from Quito you have to take a 15 hour long bus ride from the there to Loja, where the transfer to Vilcabamba is. From there is it another 45 minutes drive to Vilcabamba.

If you don’t have 15 hours to spend touring the Ecuador countryside on a bus, or you value your back, you may prefer to take a direct flight from Quito to La Toma airport, near Loja. If you landed in Ecuador in Guayaquil you can also take a domestic flight into La Toma. Both flights take about 1 hour. Tame Airlines is a popular domestic airline in Ecuador and offers several flights throughout the week, both in the morning and the afternoon. Icaro Airline is also another option. (And I hear they employ lingerie models to walk to the aisles during flights…)

After you land in La Toma, Icaro Airlines offers a van service into Loja, which costs under 5 dollars per person. You can also choose to take a shared taxi into Loja, which will cost about half the price.

Once in Loja there is a bus and taxi service that takes you down into the Valley. It costs a couple dollars if you’re sharing, or around 5 dollars if you want it private.

There is also a taxi service that will take you from the airport in La Toma straight to Vilcabamba which costs between $30 and $40 per person. If you are staying at a hotel or hostel in Vilcabamba make sure and ask if they provide service to the airport. They may offer a discounted or free service for hotel guests.