ECUADOR/GALAPAGOS PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS ISLAND & …...the late Lonesome George, the last known...

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

• ExploretheGalapagosbyKayakandBoat

• SnorkelAlongsideSeaLionsintheIslands’CrystalClearWaters

• InstallMuch-NeededFlooringinRuralVillageCommunities

• WhitewaterRaftthroughtheLushRainforest

• PartnerwithAndeanLocalsonaCommunityImprovementProject

• Zip-linethroughtheMindoCloudForest

• 45HoursofCommunityService

Spotlight Project: Quitugo Development ProjectIn rural communities in the Andean highlands of Ecuador, most families live with dirt floors in their homes, lacking

any type of hard flooring. In addition to being uncomfortable, this living environment poses health risks for families,

especially young children, and can lead to a host of preventable diseases. Dirt floors are impossible to clean and

become even more of a risk during the rainy season, which turns the floors to mud. For our spotlight project, we

work alongside local families to install concrete floors in their homes, providing them with a clean and healthy living

environment that will transform their lives.

ARCCPrograms|Ecuador&Galapagos:Island&VillageImpact

Days 1: Travel Day

ParticipantsmeetattheMiamiInternationalAirport(MIA)inMiami,Florida.Afterabrieforientation,wehavea

lightdinnertogetherbeforeboardingourgroupflighttoQuito,Ecuador.UponlandinginQuito,wearegreeted

byourSouthAmericanfriendsandheadtoourhosteltogetsomerestafteralongdayoftravel.Accommoda-

tions: Hostel

Day 2: Quito

WespendthedaygettingorientedtolifeinSouthAmericaandgettingtoknoweachother.Surroundedbyfor-

estedmountainsandvolcanoes9,350feetabovesealevel,QuitoisthesecondhighestcapitalcityinLatinAmerica.

WemaywanderthecobblestonestreetsoftheOldCityorclimbatopElPanecillotoviewthecityfromabove.

ECUADOR/GALAPAGOSISLAND & VILLAGE IMPACT

ARCCPrograms|Ecuador&Galapagos:Island&VillageImpact

Throughgames,team-buildingactivitiesandeatingourfirstmealtogether,

theadventuretrulybegins. Wealso introducetheroleof“Leaderofthe

Day”which isanessentialcomponentofeveryARCCtrip. Accommoda-

tions: Hostel

Days 3 – 6: Community Improvement Project in the Amazon Basin

Wejourneytoasmall,ruralvillageintheAmazonBasinwherewewillbegin

ourservicework.Forthenextfewdays,wewillworkalongsidecommunity

membersmakingmuch-neededimprovementstodifferentstructures,such

asthelocalschoolorthecommunitycenter.We’llalsohavetheopportunity

to interactwiththe localchildren,tutoringEnglishandplayingsocceron

thecommunityfield.Therewillbetimetotakearefreshingdipinanearby

naturalspringandlearnfromfriendlycommunitymembersaboutmedicinal

plantsintheareaonajunglewalk.Accommodations: Community Center

Days 7 - 8: Visit a Cacao (Chocolate) Farm & Hike Lake Cuicocha

Wespendourremainingdays inthecommunitycelebratingtheworkwe

haveaccomplished.Wemeetwithfarmersandlearnabouthowchocolate

isproducedfromorganiccacaobeans.WehiketothepristineLakeCuico-

cha,whichfillstheancient,butactive,craterofCotacachiVolcano.Hiking

aroundthecraterwall,wehopinaboatthattakesustothe islets inthe

centerofthelake.Thecommunitycallsthisa“despedida,”orafarewell,as

awaytosaythankyou.Accommodations: Community Center

Days 12 - 14: Spotlight Project: Quitugo Development Project

WesetoutforImbabura,knownasthe“ProvinceoftheLakes.”Duringour

drive,wemaycatchaglimpseofoneofEcuador’spicturesque,snowcapped

volcanoes:CayambeorCotopaxi.Insearchofbrightcolorsandhand-made

textiles,wevisitthefamousnativemarketofOtavalo,oneofthemostim-

portantandlargestmarketsinSouthAmerica.Thestallsteemwithvibrant

colorsandhandicrafts,includingweavings,paintings,jewelry,andtradional

Days 9 - 10: Whitewater Raft the Río Napo

Today’s adventure takes us to the Río Napo for an exhilarating raft-

ingtrip. This fun,high-volumeriver flowsoff thecoastalsideof theAn-

des Mountains. With our experienced professional guides, we pad-

dle down the river and check out the lush jungle aswe ride the rapids.

ThenextdaywecontinueouroutdooradventuresasweexplorelocalAma-

zonianwaterfallsandhike through thebreathtakingRioPastazaCanyon,

inaweofthenaturalbeautythatsurroundsus.Lastly,wehavethechance

toswingat“theedgeoftheworld”fromafamoustreehousewithbeauti-

fulmountainviews,whichincludetheimpressiveTungurahuaVolcanoona

clearday.Accommodations: Hotel

Ecuadorianclothing. Themajorityof the itemsaremade locallyandwe

have the opportunity to try our hand at bargainingwith themerchants.

OurfinalcommunityserviceprojecttakesplaceinQuitugo,anindigenous

KichwacommunitylocatedatthebaseoftheImbaburaVolcanojustout-

sidethecityofOtavalo.Throughoutthenextfourdays,weworkdirectly

withmembersof this colorfulAndeancommunityonourSpotlightProj-

ect. Themajority of families in this village are fortunate to have a roof

overtheirheads,butarenotabletoaffordthe luxuryofconcretefloors.

Webringinmuchneededsupplies,splitintogroups,andgettowork.Over-

seeingeachprojectfromstarttofinish,weimmediatelyseethetransforma-

tionofourwork.Duringourdowntime,wehelpoutwithadditionalcom-

munitytasks,includinghouseholdchores,tutoringchildrenthroughEnglish

andartclassesandassistinginpreparingmeals.Afteranamazingfourdays

inQuitugo,wesayfarewelltoournewfriendswithadinner,celebrationand

dance.Accommodations: Community Center

ARCCPrograms|Ecuador&Galapagos:Island&VillageImpact

Day 15: Visit the Equator & Zipline through the Mindo Cloud Forest

ThismorningwedepartforthebreathtakingMindocloudforest.Cloudfor-

estshavegreatbiodiversity,withaprofusionofnativeandendemicplants

andwildlife.Mindoishometoover300differentspeciesoftropicalbirdsand

numerousotheranimals.Weslideonaharnessandclipinforanexhilarat-

ingziplinecanopytourofthesurroundingsights.Wekeepoureyespeeled

fortoucans,owls,quetzals,hummingbirds,andotherbeautifulbirdsaswe

exploretheforestcanopy.Aseriesof13ziplinesconnectedbybuilt-intree

platformsallowsustojourneyover2milesacrosstheupperlevel.

LatethisafternoonwetravelbacktoQuito.Ontheway,westopalongthe

equatorattheMiddleoftheWorldMonument,MitaddelMundo,andhavethe

chancetostandintwohemispheres.Aswearrivebackinourstartingcity,

wetaketimetocontinueourexplorationoftheOldCityofQuito,wherewe

viewtheSouthAmericancolonialarchitectureandwindourwaythroughthe

steepcobbledstreets.TheOldCityisfullofstunningchurchesandamazing

vistasofthevolcanoesinthedistance.Wecloseoutourdaywithdinnerin

thecity,reflectingonallouradventuressofar.Accommodations: Hostel

Days 16 - 17: San Cristobal, Galapagos Islands

Thenextfivedaysofouradventureprovetobetheexperienceofalifetime!

Fromthesandybeachesstrewnwithfriendlywildlife,tothedepthsoftheen-

richedandunexploredwatersoftheGalapagos,ourdiscoveryoftheseislands

isonethatwillnotbesoonforgotten.

WebeginourtimehereontheislandofSanCristobal.Thisistheeasternmost

islandandiswhereCharlesDarwinfirstsetfootduringhisvoyage.Wesetoutin

two-personkayaksandexploretherockyislandcoastline,whichisteemingwith

wildlifelikeblue-footedboobies.Bepreparedtogetalittlewet,asplayfulsea

Days 18 - 19: Santa Cruz, Galapagos Islands

OurnextadventuretakesusbyboatwesttotheislandofSantaCruz.We

hiketoaremotebeachatTortugaBaywherewecankayakorswiminthe

calmingwaters,surroundedbywildlife.Travelingthroughthevariousveg-

etationsoftheGalapagos,wehangoutwiththeGiantGalapagosTortoises

intheirnaturalhabitat.Wecontinueoureducationoftherenownedislands

withastopattheCharlesDarwinResearchStation,wherewelearnabout

thelateLonesomeGeorge,thelastknownindividualofthePintaIslandtor-

toisespecies,aswellasthecontinuedeffortsandprojectsforconservation

of theGalapagosecosystems. Weendourtime intheGalapagoswitha

dinneralongtheshoreline.Accommodations: Hotel

Day 20: Return to Quito AfterourunforgettableexperienceintheGalapagosIslands,weboardour

flightbacktomainlandEcuadorandQuitoforourfinaleveningtogetherin

SouthAmerica.Wepausetoreflectonourtimetogetherandrelivehappy

memoriesaswecelebratean incredible journeywitha festive final feast.

Accommodations: Hostel

Day 21: Departure DayEventuallyallgoodthingsmustcometoanend.WesayadiostoEcuador

andbeginourjourneybacktoMiami.OncewearriveinMiami,wegetev-

eryonetotheirconnectingflightshome.Thememoriesoftheexperience

andthegroupwillcarryusthroughtonextsummer!

ARCCPrograms|Ecuador&Galapagos:Island&VillageImpact

lionsaresuretogiveyouasplash!Wehikealongthecoasttoasecludedbayand

snorkelinthecrystalclearwatersamongtheharmlesssharks,sealions,andgi-

antmantarays.Wecontinueourhiketoarestingplaceforsealionsandhometo

someofthebiggestmarineiguanasintheGalapagos.Accommodations: Hotel

Want to Learn More? Contact the Regional Director:

Brent Anderson | Regional Director: Costa Ricabrent@arccprograms.com415-332-5075Ext.251