Description

Ecuador has it all and more, and is nominated for two of the spots as World's 7 New Wonders! Based in the Andes you will experience all of Ecuador - from the Amazon to the Pacific Coast! You will learn Spanish in the jungle, the beach and in the city of Quito, Ecuador's capital. You will experience equatorial magical power, walk on the world's highest active volcano and swim with sea lions in the Galapagos. You will meet wonderful Indian people of Otavalo and experience their enormous markets of both animals and crafts as hammocks, bracelets, all kinds of wool and leather, jewelry, bags and pictures.

Week 1 takes us to the heart of Quito, the capitol of Ecuador, where Spanish lessons and salsa dancing is part of the program along with trips to the spot where the latitude of the Equator is 0 degrees, Mitad del Mundo, a city tour and climbing Cotopaxi, the world's highest active volcano. Get ready for a wild trip down the side of Cotopaxi on mountain bikes!

Week 2 comes along and it's time to go to Mindo where we'll experience both beautiful nature and adventure experiences such as tubing and riding cable lines across the jungle and visiting. The trip takes us to Otavalo where we visit the largest market in South America where there is plenty of time to go shopping, before we go horseriding in the Andes and prepare for our 3-day trek in the most wonderful landscape.

Week 3 is filled with magnificent nature, more exact: the rainforest! We live outside the jungle town of Tena in cozy little lodges. Look forward to meeting the Shuar Indian tribe, whom we will spent the night with and explore the nature, waterfalls and customs of the tribe.

Week 4 is all about exhilarating adventure activities. We travel to Baños, which is known as the adventure mecca of Ecuador. Prepare yourself for rafting, mountain biking and rappelling down 5 different waterfalls. Do not forget to bring your dancing shoes as we experience the nightlife of Baños and practice the salsa we have learned.

Week 5-6's experiences descents from the Indian village Guamote, located in beautiful mountainous surroundings. We visit the Indian market in Guamote, go mountain biking in the mountains and take trips to Ecuador's most beautiful city, Cuenca, with stops at the largest Inca ruins in Ecuador; Inga Pirca.

Week 7-8 is where the trip ends at the Pacific Coast, where we live at a hotel in the city center and close to the beach. The days are spent with beach volley and surf lessons. There will be time for relaxation, city tours, enjoying the sea and the beautiful sunsets. It is possible to take a PADI Open Water Certificate and you can also go on a whale sight! Off to Quito for a few days to say farewell and party!

Please visit our website for full programme.

Highlights

* Learning salsa from the Natives and trying out your skills as a salsa dancer in the nightlife of Baños

* Flying over the jungle in one of the 13 cable lines in Mindo

* Horsebackriding in the Andes

* Riverrafting, tubing and other exciting adventure activities, that surely will give you a rush of adrenaline.

* Exploring Indian tribes and the fascinating nature in the jungle, while learning Spanish.

* Climbing the world's highest active volcano Cotopaxi and riding down the side of it on mountain bikes

* Rappelling from one of the 5 beautiful waterfalls in Baños

* Exploring the mysterious Inca ruins

* A 3-day trek which will take us through some wonderful landscapes filled with volcanoes, craters and cozy villages

* Relaxing by the beach, taking surf lessons and enjoying the city.

Travel Types

• Cycling (Mountain)
• Dancing
• Homestay
• Horseback Riding
• Language Immersion
• Native Culture Studies
• Nature Tours
• RainForest Tours
• Snorkeling
• Surfing
• Tours

Cost in US$:

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel

in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Other

Year Founded

1984