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(For High School Students)
Explorar con Llamas, Leones y Tortugas
Language Immersion, Cultural Exchange &
Service Program
Session One: June 26th thru July 23st (28 days)
Session Two: July 3rd thru July 30th (28 days)
Size of group: 16-18 students
Ages: 15 to 17
Tuition: $4,995 (plus RT airfare, which includes the RT group airfare from Miami to Quito and RT airfare for Galapagos)
Ecuador beckons with its majestic Andean highlands, enchanting Galapagos Islands and its welcoming people. Experience a journey that will introduce you to llamas, lions (sea lions, that is!) and giant sea turtles. A journey that will take you from the mountains of the Andes to the world famous Galapagos Islands! This peaceful nation, located directly on the equator, provides safe travel conditions and a consistently moderate climate in which to spend an unforgettable month.
Service Projects*
- Share in a minga, a village work day
- Restore school rooms and school facilities
- Work in and help restore a daycare center
- Work on Carbon Offset and reforestation projects
Language Immersion*
- Communicate in Spanish with your leaders
- Experience a homestay in a small village
- Engage in three, leader-guided homestay language lessons
Adventure and Cultural Activities*
- Trek through cloud forests with knowledgeable guides
- Learn how to rock climb at an indoor climbing gym in Quito
- Mountain Bike down Cotopaxi Volcano
- Visit artisans’ homes and lively market towns
- Explore by boat, snorkel, and surf throughout the Galapagos Archipelago
*Please note that some of the projects and activities will change from year to year. A final itinerary will be printed prior to each trip.
SAMPLE ITINERARY
Quito (3 days) – We fly directly to the colonial capital city of Quito (at 9,500 feet) for a couple days of orientation. We visit Mitad del Mundo (literally, the middle of the world!), explore Inca Empire ruins, and warm up our Spanish with two days of a Spanish study with language tutors. One afternoon we will try our hand at an indoor climbing wall in Quito for some team building and challenge. Throughout the trip we will return to our cozy hotel in Quito to do laundry, communicate with home, and transition between destinations.
Community and Carbon Offset Reforestation Project (5 days) – During the next several days, our groups will live in a small mountain community. Set on the edge of a cloud forest with dramatic views of volcanoes and waterfalls as our backdrop, we will work with locals to on meaningful community service projects and share in games and sporting events that facilitate cultural exchange. A secondary project here will be working on a reforestation project calculated to offset the carbon emissions from the flight the group has taken down to Ecuador. For relaxation we take time off to hike, swim, or participate in evening dances and activities.
Cotopaxi Adventure and Mountain Bike (1 Day) – Today we depart the community for Cotopaxi National Park, home of the highest active volcano on the planet. Here we will ascend to over 14,000 feet in elevation for a spectacular downhill mountain bike ride. This three hour tour takes us on an exhilarating ride down the high plains of Ecuador surrounded by ten different mountains and spectacular views. Our outfitter provides a tasty lunch along the way. After the adventure we spend the night back in Quito preparing for our homestay.
Homestay Community (9 days) – Our small homestay villages are located in the high valleys northwest of Quito. For the next week and a half, our friendly and hospitable host families will open their hearts and homes to us; you will quickly feel a part of the family! As many of the families do not speak English, your Spanish language (and charade!) skills will improve daily. The homestay portion of the trip is without a doubt the most challenging and favorite among participants! While meals, evenings, and weekends are reserved for homestay family time, our group gathers daily to work on projects. In the past, we have constructed community gardens, built bridges, and worked alongside the mujeres in their cooperative markets. During our homestay days, work and play go hand in hand.
Otavalo (2 days) – A trip to Ecuador would be incomplete without a visit to the bustling community of Otavalo, host to the largest indigenous artisan marketplace in the world! Otavalo’s colorful artisan market is a shopper’s paradise and a wonderful opportunity to practice your Spanish and hone those bargaining skills. It is best to be in Otavalo on a Saturday, so this portion may fall elsewhere in your itinerary.
Galapagos Archipelago (6 days) – We take a short flight from Quito to Guayaquil and directly on to the ‘Capital of Paradise,’ the Island of San Cristobal. After settling into our cozy hotel, we’ll visit the Galapagos Interpretation Center to get orientated on the geography, social and natural history, and wildlife of the archipelago. On day two, a naturalist guide will accompany us on a boat ride to Cerro Brujo and Isla Lobos where we’ll encounter an amazing diversity of marine and land specie. Bring those cameras! On day three we’ll take a boat out to Leon Dormido, with its pristine volcanic formations and world class snorkeling. On day four, we’ll leave the Island of San Cristobal and make our way to the Island of Santa Cruz, with an afternoon stop on the Island of Santa Fe. We’ll enjoy snorkeling in the radiant green waters of Santa Fe where sea turtles gracefully swim by and sea lions frolic around us. While staying in the town of Puerto Ayora, we’ll visit the Charles Darwin Station for a guided tour and a close up view of Galapagos turtles. Our final day on Santa Cruz Island will be spent snorkeling and/or taking surfing lessons! White sand beaches, sunbathing seals and panoramas of lava rocks await you!
Quito and Travel Home (2 days) – Our final night is spent back at our Bed & Breakfast where the group will enjoy a celebratory final dinner. The next day, we fly home to the United States. Our friends and family greet us when we arrive to share our new experiences. It is the end of a trip, but a beginning to a new awareness about yourself and new cultures. Few countries are able to boast of the geographic and cultural diversity that Ecuador holds. Join us for an amazing journey!
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 "Click to enlarge Ecuador map.")