Wild Galápagos: Eco-Service in Ecuador

Depart from the USA and arrive in Quito, Ecuador. Meet your Program Leaders in the arrivals hall who will be with you for the duration of the program. Join the group for an orientation discussion about the week ahead, expectations for your adventure, and an introduction to the local culture.

Settle into your hotel for the first night in Ecuador, relaxing after your long flight. You’ll share rooms with your fellow Rustic travelers with private bathrooms.

Depart from Quito and head to the Yunguilla community to experience a different part of Ecuador. About an hour north of Quito, the community aims to live in harmony with the surrounding environment by focusing on sustainability and conservation. Immerse yourself in the community by helping with reforestation efforts, organic gardening, jam and cheese making, and community tourism. Explore the cloud forest to experience the lush flora and fauna, and hopefully spot some unique bird species that can usually be found in the area. These two days will be the perfect way to experience Ecuador off the beaten tourist track.

Say goodbye to the community and head back to Quito for a city tour, making a stop at the Middle of the World monument to commemorate your arrival at the Equator before heading to the famous Panecillo Hill with incredible views of the city. After a day of exploring Quito’s colonial streets and museums, head back to the hotel.
Discuss what you learned while living in the Yunguilla community and get excited for the next phase of your adventure: the Galápagos!

Wake up early as we head to the airport for the 4 hour flight to the Galápagos! Upon arrival, we will waste no time seeing as much as possible with a visit to Las Primicias tortoise refuge for a unique experience to see Giant Tortoises in their natural environment. After a delicious lunch at Las Primicias whilst observing the tortoises from afar as you eat, the group will take the afternoon ferry to Isabella island. On arrival in Isabella, the group will settle in to the hotel and get to know the beautiful island.

The next 6 days will be dedicated to seeing as much of the Galápagos as possible! Today is an action packed day starting with a visit to a tortoise breeding center in the morning to see the tortoises preparing for a release into the wild to replenish depleted populations. On the way to lunch, we’ll pass by the flamingo lagoon to see one of the area’s biggest flamingo populations. After a tasty lunch, you will perform your first snorkel at the picturesque Concha Perla bay, followed by a kayaking tour around the rocky shore in search of treasured sightings of Galapagos penguins, sea lions, blue footed boobies and marine iguanas. In the evening we will relax in the beautiful surroundings of our hotel and prepare for tomorrow’s volcano hike.

What better place to learn to hang 10 than on a gorgeous Galapagos beach. With low to medium height, punchy waves perfect for learning to surf safely, we will hit the beautiful ‘La Playita’ beach for some lessons on surfing techniques. This is the perfect opportunity to get that unforgettable and compelling experience of riding a wave in the company of pelicans and sea lions that love to play in the waves just like us! Midday, we’ll have a well earned and delicious lunch with our host family at the hotel before saying our goodbyes to them and heading out for the afternoon ferry to Santa Cruz island. On arrival in Santa Cruz, the group will get settled in and have a late afternoon stroll around Puerto Ayora town in search of the perfect sunset.

Today the students will visit the world renowned Charles Darwin Research Station to learn about conservation efforts being made to preserve the unique ecosystems here, and also to see giant tortoises up close! Following this, we will visit a real gem of the islands, the Las Grietas attraction, which are large geological formations immersed in pristine waters for perfect bathing and aquatic animal observation. After a typically scrumptious Galapaguenan lunch, the group will head out for an afternoon of relaxation and games on the white sands of Tortuga Bay. In the evening, a final walk around Puerto Ayora and dinner at a popular restaurant follow.

Today the students will say goodbye to Santa Cruz and head toward San Cristobal Island on the early ferry. After hotel check-in on our final island for the trip, we’ll have lunch and head out to the San Cristobal Interpretation Center and learn more about the history and geography of the archipelago. With a better understanding of the Galápagos, we’ll head for the waters of the Tijeretas snorkeling site, known for the playful yet harmless sea lions and their aquatic acrobatics. We’ll put into practice the knowledge we’ve learned whilst we observe the wonders of the wildlife below the surface. After a long day, we’ll head back to the hotel for downtime, dinner and delightful dreams.

Today the group will visit Kicker Rock, one of the world’s most famous snorkel sites. Keep an eye out for tropical fish, sea turtles and black- tipped reef sharks! After snorkeling, relax on the white sand beaches of San Cristobal. Head back to port for dinner and to watch the sunset at Playa Mann. Return to the hotel for final Galapagos reflections and a good night’s rest.

After a final morning of shopping, say goodbye to the Galápagos islands and fly back to Quito. Check in to the hotel in Otavalo and spend some time reminiscing about all the incredible experiences you had in the Galápagos.

Today you will do a spectacular hike to see the majestic Imbabura, Cotacachi and Fuya Fuya volcanoes and the idyllic town of Otavalo from above from the famous Lechero tree lookout point. On the hike we will also visit the Condor park to see many incredible birds of prey including the emblematic Andean Condor, and finish at the culturally important Peguche waterfall. After the hike, we will enjoy a well earned gourmet meal in a restaurant overlooking the Poncho Plaza.

Your final day in Ecuador will not be a wasted one as you will be enjoying the sights of the vibrant, colorful indigenous artisan market. The market is world renowned and the perfect place for buying souvenirs for loved ones and memorabilia for yourself. The day will end with delicious local cuisine and a final trip reflection. In this reflection meeting, students will reflect on their experiences and the issues they engaged with, and talk about how to apply this new understanding to their own worlds. During or after their closing discussion, groups participate in Rustic Ties, a unique and powerful activity that allows students to capture the memories and learning moments of their program to process and share with their communities back home. Following this we will return to the airport for the early morning flight home.

Say goodbye to Ecuador and your guides as you head back home. Adios!