Vilcabamba, the Valley of Long Life
A valley in Ecuador became famous as a place where people lived to 120 or more. Then scientists checked the records.
What was reported
In the mid-20th century, the village of Vilcabamba, in a green valley in southern Ecuador, became famous for its very old residents. Visiting journalists and doctors reported people claiming to be 120, 130 and even older, and the valley was called the 'valley of longevity'.
Theories credited the mineral water, the climate, the diet and the slow pace of life, and the village attracted tourists and settlers seeking long lives.
Explanations offered
In the late 1970s, researchers who carefully checked birth and baptism records found that many elderly residents had exaggerated their ages, often adding years as they grew older, and none was found to be over 100. Vilcabamba is still a pleasant place to grow old.
- When
- Claims from the 1950s to the 1970s
- Where
- Vilcabamba, Loja, Ecuador
- Witnesses
- Villagers, journalists and scientists
- Status
- Explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.