Finca Agroloja
Malacatos

The Loja region is located in the south of Ecuador, at the foot of the Andes, on the border with Peru, near the Piura Forest. For the people of Loja, coffee is more than a product, it's a heritage. Coffee has been grown in the region for almost 200 years. 

Loja has a well-defined dry season from July to November, which is ideal for farming. At lower altitudes there are valleys and plains where sugar cane and corn are grown. In the mid-altitude zone, there are mountains with coffee plantations, traditionally grown using wet methods, and cattle ranches, while at highaltitudes cattle are the mainstay. 

The extraordinary longevity of its inhabitants has earned Vilcabamba the nickname of the Valley of the Centenarians. This has given rise to a myth of an idyllic valley, which has led many retired Americans to invest in the coffee plantations, particularly in Malacatos, in search of 'eternal youth'.