Ecuador

Home to the Galápagos Islands, the Amazon Jungle, and the Andean Highlands, Ecuador is a country of incredible natural beauty, indigenous cultures, and well-preserved colonial cities.

Orientation in Quito

Located high in the Andes, the city of Quito becomes your classroom for three exciting days. Practice your Spanish as you buy traditional foods from local vendors, shop in colorful street markets, visit the equator with Spanish teachers, or stroll around the small town of Sangolquí.

Homestay

For three weeks, you live in a community of colonial-era Spanish architecture surrounded by the snow-capped Andes. Learn about life on the equator as you share daily life with your family. Salsa lessons, pick-up soccer games, and trips to local markets deepen the connection to your new home.

Sample activities:
Travel to Mitad del Mundo; explore a pre-Incan archaeological site; trek through a local forest reserve to see rare birds, plants, and pumas; take part in a service project working with a local nonprofit organization; visit the animal market in Guamote; take a train to “Devil’s Noose”; bike down Mt. Chimborazo; hike the peaks of three volcanoes.

Sample host communities:
Riobamba, Cotacachi, Salcedo

Exploring the Galápagos and the Amazon

Investigate rare plant and animal species on the Galápagos Islands and take a trip through the Amazon jungle. Learn from naturalists about the fragile ecology and unique biodiversity of these extraordinary regions.

Sample activities:
Cruise by night from island to island; snorkel in lava grottoes, home to sea lions and seals; explore mangrove forests and flamingo lagoons; observe the courtship display of rare tropical birds; paddle into the heart of the jungle on a guided canoe expedition; visit a native village and learn about indigenous Ecuadorian traditions.