E-2.0 Mollepamba loop

Distance          7.8 km

Time                2.25 hours

Altitude          1530m - 1870m

Ascent             345m 

Descent           340m

Rating             Medium  3/5  (Steep climb, rocky descent)

Start                Vilcabamba tourist office

End                  Vilcabamba tourist office

What 4 decades ago used to be bush & scrub, accessed only by a small trail leading to the Lambunuma-pass & Masanamaca, the Mollepamba-area was cleared & settled by a handful entrepreneurial indigenous families from Saraguro, who, over the time of seclusion from their ancestral lands, managed to preserve much of their culture. Kids at Mollepamba School are still dressed in their traditional garb, and at the Sunday-morning market in town, the Saraguros are easily recognized by their attire.             

Route: From the tourist office head 4 blocks south along Calle Bolivar, turn left onto Calle Hatillo, cross the bridge of Quebrada Puliche and head uphill. At the top of the little hill, branch to the right onto the gravel road passing the Hacienda El Atillo. 5 Minutes later, at the intersection cuatro Caminos, continue straight. The Hacienda Mollepamba you will pass 15 minutes later. Soon the road starts climbing more steeply, and after 20 minutes, you reach another intersection just before Mollepamba School. Taking the left branch, the road undulates and climbs steadily for 20 minutes to another intersection with a blue bike-Downhill sign. Turning left, the level road passes 10 minutes later an exposed house on a little hill on the right-hand side and a white water tank below. Here the newly cut road starts dropping steeply, and after 150 meters deviates to the right. But we follow the worn out trail going straight down and after 10 minutes, come across a prominent rock on the left, from where we get nice views on Mandango, Vilcabamba and beyond. 10 more Minutes along that rugged and rocky trail, we meet the steep concrete tracks of a driveway, which eventually levels off and passes a Cherimoya-farm before joining the Mollepamba-road we ascended before, thus closing the loop. 25 minutes along the road we came from, gets us back to town.