Loja

Loja is a city in the south of the Andean Highlands region of Ecuador.

By bus
Transportes Loja operates buses throughout Ecuador. Loja is just one hour from Vilcabamba & the Podocarpus National Park, which are popular tourist destinations.

If coming from Cuenca, Ejecutivo San Luis buses are cheaper ($7) and much faster (4 hours) than Viajeros buses. The bus might take some time to leave the city, but then it goes straight to Loja.

Get around
Taxis cost $1 within town

See
There are various beautiful squares and churches, with arcades to protect you from the rain. Plaza San Francisco is particularly nice.

Go next
Cuenca: although guidebooks and the bus companies will tell you that it takes 4 hours to Cuenca, it can take as long as 7 hours on Viajeros International. This bus company may also tell you that the bus doesn't make any stops, but the truth is that they stop a hundred times and sometimes fill up with so many passengers that the bus can hardly struggle uphill. (Cuenca-Loja $7.50, 5-7 hours, no bathroom)

Piura, Peru (Loja International $8, 8½ hours). Departures at 06:00, 13:00 and 23:00. The bus stops at both border posts for immigration formalities and you have to walk across a small bridge (try not to be last in the queue). Although an international service, it does stop in each of the small towns along the way and some people travel standing up. No working bathroom or air-conditioning.