If you're considering a move to the tranquil and picturesque Vilcabamba valley, this Retreat is for you! The experts at Abundant Living Ecuador will be your hosts throughout a week-long tour of Vilcabamba, Malacatos, Loja and other quaint communities in beautiful southern Ecuador. We will connect you with all of the professionals you'll need to know to ensure that your relocation is seamless and worry-free, including visa facilitators, shipping experts to help relocate your household goods, caring professionals to safely transport your beloved pets, and of course, your real estate professionals at Abundant Living Ecuador!
You'll also have fun! We'll visit waterfalls and tour a productive coffee farm; sample delicious cuisine at several delicious local restaurants; stroll along the path beside the Vilcabamba River, and view several properties for sale. We'll introduce you to other expats who, like you, sought out their perfect place and found Vilcabamba. At the end of your visit, you will be fully prepared to make an informed decision to make Vilcabamba your new home. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Aeroregional flies between Quito airport (UIO) and Catamayo (Loja). The flight you'll want to schedule is Aeroregional flight #7A 871, departing at 6:00 am on Saturday morning, July 16.
Abundant Living Ecuador will meet you at the Loja airport and we will travel to Vilcabamba together in a shuttle van.
For your return trip to Quito, the best flight is on Sunday, July 24 at 5:30 pm.
Here is the link for the Quito-Loja itineraries for Aeroregional: https://aeroregional.net/itinerarios/
There are several lodging options near the Quito airport, should you need accommodations prior to your Aeroregional flight. We have had good experiences with the EB Hotel and with the Wyndham. The airport also has an executive lounge which we find is comfortable for a stay of several hours. (links below)
https://www.ebhotels.com/quito/61-About
https://www.layoverstayquito.com/
UPDATE: Aeroregional's baggage policy is not listed on their website, so we reached out to them for details. Ticketed passengers are allowed two checked bags weighing up to 23kg (50 pounds) each and one carry-on bag weighing up to 10kg (22 pounds). They did clarify that an extra personal item, such as a purse or laptop is NOT included, so if you have those items they will have to be placed inside of your carry-on.
You may check additional bags at a cost of $30USD per case. I hope this information helps with your travel planning!
Hostería El Descanso Del Toro offers the highest level of luxury and comfort in Vilcabamba.
Vilcabamba boasts a variety of cuisines including Indian, Thai, Mexican, Mediterranean, and of course, Ecuadorian. All of your meals during the Retreat are included in the price.
During the Retreat you'll have opportunities to participate in activites which may include yoga, hiking, horseback riding, bicycling, and others. Your registration fee includes these activities.
From the moment we greet you at the Loja airport in Catamayo through the end of the Retreat, all ground transportation is included with your registration.
Alcoholic beverages will be available at most restaurants and tiendas at client expense.
Participants are responsible for airline transporation to from their home location to Quito, and for the Aeroregional flight from Quito to Loja
Clients who choose to arrive before or to stay after the Retreat to enjoy more of this beautiful country are welcome to do so at their own expense.
You will arrive to Loja airport at 7h50m Saturday morning, on Aeroregional flight 7A 871. Abundant Living Ecuador will meet you at the airport and we will travel together in a shuttle van to the hotel, Hostería El Descanso Del Toro, in Vilcabamba. Following check-in, you may opt to rest from traveling or venture out with us to the organic farmers' market, grab a coconut at Sonia's Natural Store, and a walking tour of Vilcabamba. We'll meet back at Del Toro for a mid-day meal and meet & greet. In the afternoon, at about 4 o'clock, you may opt to either relax on the beautiful Descanso del Toro grounds or take an easy nature hike along the river path. At 5:30 we'll travel together to El Mexicano restaurant, enjoy after dinner entertainment, and then end the day with our "Ecuador 101" presentation.
After our 8 am breakfast at Descanso Del Toro, you may choose to hike with Carl to the top of Vilcabamba's guardian mountain, El Mandango, or take a leisurely van tour with Ryan to see the amazing views from above Vilcabamba. At mid-day, we'll have lunch at a popular local Korean restaurant in San Pedro de Vilcabamba before venturing out for a property visit and stroll to the San Pedro River swimming hole. Later in the afternoon, at around 4:30, we'll present our "Real Estate 101" seminar. In the evening, we'll enjoy a relaxing evening meal at Descanso Del Toro.
After an 8:00 am breakfast, we'll start our day trip to Loja promptly at 9:00 am, where we'll go directly to Loja's Central Market. Here is where the locals and "in-th-know" expats go to shop for the freshest produce and best prices. From the market, we'll do a Loja walkabout including a visit to a working coffee farm. We'll have lunch at Morelia Parrila Restaurant, then head to the Casa Bolivar Hotel, where a local attorney will present information regarding taxes and other legal matters. Our van will take us to visit Jipiro Park, Gate of the City, and vista view above hotel Sonesta. At 4:00 pm we'll stop at Supermaxi - a modern grocery store - before returning to Vilcabamba for pizza delivered to Descanso del Toro.
After our 8:00 am breakfast at Descanso del Toro, our van will take us to visit Ryan's building site in El Chaupi. After that, we will visit the exclusive gated community of Hacienda San Joaquin, where we will view available properties, including the partially finished hotel. We will also tour the spectacular property of Jean-Claude and Arianne Koven. At noon, we'll have lunch at Vilcabamba's new vegetarian restaurant. Returning to Descanso del Toro at 1:00, we'll meet with natural health practitioners who live and work in the community. At 6:00 we will enjoy a buffet style dinner at East India Thai in Vilcabamba.Vilcabamba for dinner at a popular Thai restaurant.
After our 8:00 am breakfast at Descanso del Toro, we'll hit the road to visit several available properties in the areas outside of Vilcabamba: Masanamca Valley, Quinara Valley, Tumianuma, and Cucanama. We'll have lunch at a popular trout farm and tour a sugar cane production facility. Returning to Vilcabamba, we'll have dinner at the very popular United Falafel Organization restaurant in Vilcabamba.
At 7:00 pm, our evening presentation will be a Residency Visa Q&A with Joseph Guznay
After our 8:00 am breakfast at Descanso del Toro, we will separate into groups to visit specific properties of personal interest.
After breakfast at Descanso Del Toro we'll visit Yangana and tour an organic farm before visiting available properties in the area. We'll enjoy a typical Ecuadorian "almuerzo" . Following our 6:00 evening meal at an authentic Indian restaurant we'll present "Investing and Doing Business in Ecuador"
Today we'll tour the breathtaking Malacatos Valley where we'll visit waterfalls and unique available properties. At noon, we'll return to Vilcabamba for a lunch of comfort foods. In the afternoon, we'll have get-together at Descanso del Toro with friends and family from the community, giving you the opportunity to meet and talk with many others who have made the transition from North America to Vilcabamba. We'll have dinner at Vilca Garden, and enjoy a presentation of local dancers.
