Zoology & Wildlife Sciences Study Abroad Programs in Ecuador

I went on this trip during a hard time in my life. I have always wanted to go to a rainforest and have always loved learning about the delicate balance of the environment and human society. This trip allowed me to find who I am, including who I want to be! I was immersed in the Ecuadorian, and South American culture and their beautiful environment. I realized my dream of protecting nature through conservation and found a college that would be a perfect fit, for my path and purpose as a human being, and that is pure magic. This was a beautiful experience, and I still talk to my group on WhatsApp!!! We formed a bond and learned a lot from each other. We all pushed past the box we grew up in, and our learned limits, which is such a beautiful thing. Difficult of course but so so worth it!!! I suffer from a lot of anxiety as well as Chronic Lyme and this helped me grow from the barriers I thought those labels put me in, including how and what I needed to work on for myself especially mentally.

We got to explore so many parts of the country, from Quito, Mindo, Tena, Banos, Riobamba, to Galapagos, everything was so different and interesting at the same time. We explored rainforest, waterfalls, Chimborazo and the Galapagos islands. We saw so many different animals and experience so many different physical activities that are really once of a life time experiences. We hiked in the Amazon Rainforest for 4 hours, snorkeled in the Galapagos islands, climbed the Chimborazo mountain that is the closest to the sun and experience homestays in Riobamba.

When I first decided to go on the adventure of a lifetime, I was terrified but excited at the same time! By the second day the terror went away and I was only left with good friends, lots of learning, and extraordinary adventures. We became close like family by the time we accomplished all our hard worked towards goals, and the experienced gained forever. I would recommend this for everyone, they made it very accommodating and adapted to everyone’s individual situation!

My Sevilla program through Adalante was amazing! I made some great memories, traveled a lot, and made some friends. Covid cut the semester short but for what it was, it was great. Adalante was cheap enough for me to enjoy my time, be well supported in Spain, and still save money. They were very accommodating and kind.

This was my second trip with Loop Abroad, and it did not disappoint. Staying at Runa Wasi and volunteering at AmaZOOnico was a very humbling experience that really makes you appreciate nature and all its creatures, from spiders to birds to monkeys. The best part for me was evaluating and microchipping tortoises which were being prepared for release into the wild. It was rewarding to feel like you were actually making a difference, and we also were able to learn a lot about wildlife medicine and conservation. The lectures were very informative and related really well to the activities we did. There are opportunities to work on veterinary skills like physical exams, vaccinations, and suturing techniques. We also went into Ahuano and put on a two day veterinary clinic for the locals to bring their pets, which let us interact with the community and practice our Spanish. In addition, we had time to do some tourist things like walk around old historic Quito, go white water rafting, and tube down the Amazon. An incredible experience I would do again.

This program was so informative about the Amazon and the problems they’re facing and how we can help. We spent two weeks at Amazoonico assisting the vets there in their daily rounds taking care of all the animals there.

This program was a once in a lifetime experience that I am so grateful for. Not only did I learn so much about the animals of the Amazon, but also about the conservation work that the rescue and government is doing in the area. The vets that we worked with were very knowledgable and were always there to help us with any questions and help we might need. This program isn't as hands on as I was told others were, but we were able to partake in necropsies and physical exams in some of the wildlife. We also got to participate in a turtle release with endangered turtles and do blood labs on birds and turtles. Getting to do the medical clinics were super rewarding because the community was so grateful that we were there. Getting to experience the culture and the community was such a cool experience.

I went on this trip July of 2019, this was my third trip with loop abroad. My first being in 2017. Loop abroad is a great program for making friends! I’m close friends with another girl from my 2017 trips that lives in the states (I’m Canadian) and we’ve stayed in touch and have done all of our loop trips together since! The loop abroad staff is wonderful at making you feel safe during travel, so don’t worry if you’re traveling alone or if this is going to be your first time traveling abroad. The amazon trip was an amazing experience, it was wonderful for learning about amazon animals and they ways we can help them. AmaZOOnico works hard to rehabilitate and release the animals back into the wild, where they can have the best quality of life. It was a pleasure getting to volunteer there throw loop abroad. This trip is great for people who don’t mind getting dirty( bring rubber boots... your gonna get muddy!) and are adventurous!