Explore the culture and vitality of South America with meaningful service projects and the natural wonders of Darwin’s Galapagos Islands.
$5,488.00
Two CPR and First Aid certified AAVE leaders and one local South American guide; all ground costs, all ground transportation including airport pickup and drop-off; all activities and gear listed in the above itinerary; all meals; local gratuities to wait-staff and all hotels, cabins or hostels.
Flights to/from Quito, Ecuador; $100 Galapagos entrance fee, $41 airport exit tax, optional gratuities, extra snacks and souvenirs.
Quito’s bustling markets and colonial architecture are the backdrop for our first three days. We explore the palaces and piazzas of this historic city, and visit the Equator line monument and museum. We also participate in a service project with a local foundation dedicated to helping the under-privileged children of Quito.
We spend a week volunteering in the community of Rio Muchacho, a rural “eco-city” along the Pacific coast of Ecuador. Our time spent at the organic farm, the primary school and in the community gives us the opportunity to share, learn and contribute to Ecuador’s unique culture.
Leaving the mainland, we fly to the Galapagos Islands to explore the turquoise waters and abundant wildlife of the region. We sail, sea kayak, hike and snorkel around the majestic islands of Isabela, San Cristobal and Santa Cruz. We see giant tortoises as well as sea lions, marine iguanas, penguins, pink flamingos and blue-footed boobies. We also have the opportunity to hike or horseback ride to volcanoes and lava tunnels, and snorkel with Manta Rays and the harmless Galapagos shark.
You will be met upon arrival at the airport gate by your experienced Bold Earth expedition leaders. After a complete gear check, to assure that you are prepared for the diverse, demanding and remote regions we explore, we load up and head off! During orientation we get to know each other and learn what to expect in the days ahead. Our daily routine, jobs and safety rules are explained and the process of growing together as a group begins.
From our hotel near Quito’s downtown district, we set out to expolore Ecuador’s capital city and its surroundings. A charming metropolis surrounded by mountains with a population of 2 million people, Quito is located at 9,184 ft above sea level, resulting in spring-like weather. Known for its colonial architecture and well-preserved historic center, the city was named the original Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1978. Visits to the Palace of Congress, the Presidential Palace, Independence Square and various cathedrals are interspersed with a visit to Panecillo, a lookout point in Old Town affording us a beautiful panoramic view of the area. We venture just outside of the city to pay a visit to the official Equator line monument and museum where we witness scientific experiments that prove we are at the center of the Earth! We round out our time in the city with a service project with “Ninos De La Calle”, a foundation dedicated to serving the under-privileged children of Quito. By interacting with the children, playing games, teaching English and assisting with their daily chores, we gain insight into the hardships and struggles these children face on a daily basis.
We take a full day to travel by bus and boat from Quito to Ecuador’s Pacific coast for our week-long community service project in Rio Muchacho. Our journey to the sea takes us from the magnificent highlands, through the rural Ecuadorian countryside, to the lush foliage of the coast. In order to reach the community of Rio Muchacho, we travel to the nearby city of Bahia de Caraquez, then board a ferry across the Chone River to San Vicente, and again by land to the project site. Today’s trip is a unique adventure packed with breathtaking landscapes and true Ecuadorian culture.
Near the coastal town of Bahia de Caraquez is the quaint, self-sufficient community of Rio Muchacho. The village of Rio Muchacho is located in a river valley of the same name, surrounded by lush forest and punctuated by tropical palm trees. Inhabited by the Montubio people (coastal farmers), the community maintains a progressive organic farm which has become a model for sustainable agriculture in the area through the practices of reforestation, permaculture and alternative technologies. Today, we take a tour of the village and learn about the sustainable philosophies of the community. We get settled into our cabins and begin our service work with the people of Rio Muchacho. Our role in volunteering in the community is diverse. By volunteering at the farm, the school and with community development projects, we will have the opportunity to learn, share and contribute to the unique culture of rural Ecuador.
During our week of service, all meals will be prepared from the farm’s fresh produce by the local people. We help in the kitchen with food preparation, and work in the garden harvesting fruits and vegetables for sale (and for our meals). We will sleep in rustic cabins designated for volunteers, all of which were built using natural, renewable materials such as bamboo and palm leaves.
The farming community coordinates a local primary school where sustainable agricultural education is at the forefront of the curriculum. The school has become a center for the community, and serves as a site for meetings, educational courses and social gatherings. We contribute directly to the unique curriculum and education of the school children by teaching English, playing games and helping to build the school’s playground.
We take a break from our service work and take a group trip to the nearby town of Canoa for some well-deserved beach time and relaxation! Canoa is known for its long, uncrowded beach and excellent surfing. We soak up the sun on the salt-and-pepper-colored sand, play in the waves and spend the night in a local hotel before heading back to the farm for more agri-fun!
Before the 1990’s, much of Ecuador’s coastal area was ravaged by environmentally-unfriendly farming methods, including clear-cutting and slash-and-burn techniques. These methods proved devastating to the local forests of the area. As part of the farm’s progressive policy, we help with reforestation of the area by planting and tending to trees in and around the community. Our efforts help restore the flora, fauna and soil of the area for increased agriculture productivity.
We learn more about the permaculture (sustainable farming) of the village, including the hydraulic ram pump, banana circles and water recycling. We also help with planting and harvesting crops for consumption by the animals, villagers, volunteers, and for sale. Crops grown at Rio Muchacho farm include aloe vera, passion fruit, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, radish, beans, plantains, sweet potato, yuca and sugar cane. In addition to our volunteer duties, we will have the chance to hike or horseback ride to a local waterfall.
There is always work to do on the farm, including composting, harvesting, planting, weeding and feeding the animals. Rio Muchacho farm has a plethora of animals used in various capacities, including horses, cattle, pigs, guinea pigs, chickens, worms (for fertilizer production), and Alf the pet sloth!
We enjoy our last day together with the local villagers, putting in one final day of hard work to help with their goal of a sustainable community. Through the use of alternative energy, trash reduction, reforestation and recycling, Rio Muchacho has truly become one of Ecuador’s leaders in eco-farming. We revel in the tangible results of our past week of work, and we prepare to say good-bye to our new friends.
After saying “adios” to the Montubio people of Rio Muchacho, we travel by bus to Ecuador’s largest and most populous city, Guayaquil. Long the center of the country’s fishing and manufacturing industries, Guayaquil has expanded its tourism base in recent years with beautifications of its squares, parks and urban districts. We explore the city, shop for souvenirs and crash early in our hotel to prepare for our morning flight to the Galapagos Islands!
We fly together to the Galapagos Islands (flight included), located about 1000 km (620 miles) off the Pacific coast of mainland Ecuador (3 hours by air). The archipelago consists of 14 major islands and scores of islets that served as a living laboratory for Charles Darwin, the renowned evolution theorist. Long before Darwin arrived in the Galapagos Islands, seafarers knew these isolated islands as home to some of the strangest and most wonderful wildlife imaginable, including birds that swim but no longer fly, iguanas, dragon-like lizards and giant tortoises. Covering nearly 5000 sq km (3,100 sq miles), the Galapagos Islands are now a National Park. Our first stop is San Cristobal Island, the easternmost island in the Galapagos archipelago. We stay in a hotel on land and take advantage of the landscape with a thrilling downhill bike ride and a swim with playful sea lions at Mann Beach.
Kicker Rock (“Leon Dormido”): A short boat ride takes us to Kicker Rock, an island also known as “Leon Dormido” for its striking resemblance to a sleeping lion. Here snorkelers are immersed in a world of color and movement filled with schools of fish that move as one: king angelfish, yellowtail surgeon fish, needle fish, parrot fish, Moorish idols, damselfish, sea cucumbers, sea stars, sea urchins, sleeping sharks, turtles, rays and many more, making this one of the best snorkeling sites in the Galapagos. We also sail to Cerro Brujo Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in the Galapagos, before returning to our hotel on San Crist for the evening.
We bid farewell to San Crist and set sail for our next home on Isabela Island, by far the largest island in the Galapagos. A full-day tour of this magnificent terrain takes us to the Sierra Negra Volcano, which boasts the second largest crater in the world. Either hiking or on horseback (optional), we experience a birds-eye view of this magical landscape. The rich animal, bird and marine life on Isabela Island is beyond compare. Here you will find more wild tortoises than the rest of the islands combined! The island teems with blue-footed and masked boobies, Darwin finches, Galapagos doves, hawks, red and green marine iguanas and penguins. We also take to the water to observe the white tip reef sharks at Tintoreras Shark Alley. We spend our days exploring this unique wildlife, and each dusk on the beaches of Isabela watching the sunset over the Pacific.
Charles Darwin Station-Highlands (Santa Cruz): Santa Cruz is the second largest island in the Galapagos, and home to the Charles Darwin Station, where visitors can observe tortoise research and breeding programs. Scientists and park managers conduct the conservation of the islands and make huge efforts to preserve this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tonight’s hotel is in the small town of Puerto Ayora, which is the economic center of the archipelago, with the largest population of the 4 inhabited islands, approximately 8,000. Tourism, fishing, boat building and commerce are the major productive activities. Santa Cruz is also the only island where six different vegetation zones can be seen, and a trip to the lush greenery of the Santa Cruz highlands offers even more unique flora and fauna. We visit Tortuga Bay, complete with a beautiful white sand beach, where we observe marine iguanas and other colorful marine life up-close-and-personal aboard our kayaks. Don’t forget to say hello to the tortoise, Lonesome George – the last of his species.
We fly back to Quito to celebrate our last night together in Ecuador. We pack up our gear and celebrate our successes. All great things must come to an end. Early on the last day we go to the airport, confident, tan and strong after the most incredible summer of adventure, fun and friends.
This itinerary is a sample outline of the program highlights. It is not a precise description. Changes made before or during the trip will only be made in the interest of safety or a more successful trip. This diverse itinerary is our framework for a summer of exhilaration and adventure. Get your mind and body set. Activities are planned using years of experience with your highest expectations in mind.