It was one of those things that it was better not to know anything about before I left. Had I known what to expect from our tour through Podocarpus National Park just outside of Vilcabamba, Ecuador, I probably would have hidden under my bed.
Vilcabamba, known by Ecudorians as “the Valley of Eternal Youth” was the destination of our first real trip outside of Cuenca. Looking for a some peace and fresh air outside of Cuenca, Vilcabamba seemed like the perfect choice to do some relaxing hikes and swing in a hammock under papaya trees. Being a perfect stereotype of a South American busride, the trip was bumpy, crowded, and lively with reggaeton music blaring the whole way. And of course, our bus broke down about 45 minutes away from Vilcabamba and we were crammed on the next bus that came along. Hannah (another teacher with CEDEI) actually managed to get a seat part way there, but Cor rode sitting on the dashboard of the bus, and I found a box to sit on near the front, my face in variety of people´s armpits the entire way.
We quickly forgot about our travel woes when we got to our hostal, Cabinas de Yambala, which is just outside the city, inside the national park. Our little loft-style cabin-on-stilts was exactly the type of place you want to be in to recharge, and after making some dinner, we all tucked in to bed shortly after nightfall. Other than the gang of junebugs dive-bombing our heads, it was a very peaceful sleep.
Cabinas de Yambala offers three tour options (you can think of them as mild, medium, and burn-your-ass-off spicy). We followed the old adage “go big or go home” and chose the longest, most challenging one that included a six-hour horseback ride and a four-hour hike. The last time I rode a horse was when I was seven or so, and it was at my cousin´s farm with my uncle holding my hand. Nevertheless, out of Hannah, Cor, and myself, I was the most experienced rider. Our tour guide, Criquet, did nothing to soothe our nerves and laughed at our jitters telling us there was nothing to worry about. When I asked him my horse´s name, Criquet told me it was Speedy. I felt I had something to worry about.
The journey started off tranquil enough, and our fears began to melt away as our butts got used to the horses´ gait, and we sucked in the beautiful views. Then it got exciting. About half an hour into the ride, we came to a ditch that had a horrible smell preceding an even more horrible view. A cow, likely falling from the top of an Andean ridge, had met its end a few days earlier, and because of the methane build up in its belly, had blown up grotesquely and looked more like a blimp than an animal. Upon seeing this, my horse looked very uneasy, and then all of a sudden bolted in the opposite direction. The run probably didn´t last more than a few seconds until I remembered to pull the reigns and say “whooooaaaa”, but it got my heart beating. Eventually, our guide caught up with me and a spooked Speedy, and hand-led us past the bloated bovine until it was several meters out of sight.
Thinking that would be the most exciting part of the ride, we relaxed a bit again, until we caught sight of what our trail would look like for the next two plus hours. Basically, picture a view of nothing but immense mountains stretching into the clouds, with a teeny tiny trail, usually no wider than a foot, snaking along the ridges, sometimes at very step inclines, sometime at very striking declines, but always right on the edge of dusty, rocky, unsteady terrain. For the duration of the entire ride, we fluctuated by being completely flabbergasted and in awe of the scenery, and being assaulted with attacks of panic and vertigo.
When we got to the end of the first horseback portion, we tied up our horses and hike on foot to a refuge, we were able to use a very primitive toilet and have a snack. After that, we continued our hike through the cloud forest (again rather treacherous and scary, as it is often hard to tell what is the ground and what is just the top of a tree, overgrown into the earth, and our feet went through more than once). We made a stop to do a zipline and cross a suspension bridge, during which I had to overcome a fear of heights I didn´t realize I had until I was halfway across the wobbly rope bridge. To psych myself up to make the last few meters across, I had to tell myself that my ancestors at some point in time were monkeys, and they used to do this all the time. I regretted evolving out of having a tail. I could´ve used the balance.
One of the highlights of the trip came near the end of our hike when we came to a clearing that framed the Las Palmas waterfalls. It started to rain at this point, but it didn´t take away from the humbling experience of being at the foot of such an amazing feat of nature. It´s hard to describe the depth of it- the mist coats your face and clothes within seconds, and the sound of the water roars so much that it makes your insides vibrate.
With one more stop at the refuge to wait until the now downpouring rain abated, we made our way back to our horses to make the three hour horse trek home, which was now even scarier than before, because now the trail was wet and slippery. I was worried the horses would be mad at us for leaving them with nothing to do for so long but eat and poop while we hiked, but their only retaliation was an even greater quantity of sonorous farts than on the way there (which was a LOT). Once Criquet taught me the word for ‘fart’ in Spanish, I wanted to change Speedy´s name to “Pedor” (“Farter”). I have several male friends back home that would be well suited to that nick name as well…
In the end, we made it back safe, with our adrenaline completely depleted, but our bravery validated a million times over. Looking back, I don´t know if I could do it again knowing what was in store, but when I think back to that last leg of our horse ride, at the very top of the Andes, the setting sun setting the whole expansive view on fire with an orange glow, I realize that I have never been any closer to Heaven on earth.
I wouldn´t take it back for the world, but if I had to do it again, I might take a tranquilizer…
