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From Discovery and CruisingTo Advanced Mountaineering Expedition
Embark on an unforgettable journey through the heart of Ecuador’s mainland! Join us as we explore the vibrant city of Quito and traverse the stunning Southern Andes along the renowned Avenue of the Volcanoes. From the majestic peaks of Cotopaxi and Chimborazo to the beauty of Quilotoa and charming village of Baños, every moment promises awe and adventure. Engage with local communities, discover bustling markets, and contribute to meaningful service projects that leave a lasting impact. This trip is a unique blend of culture, nature, and community, offering students an immersive experience. Don't miss this chance to create memories and make a difference in one of the most diverse and beautiful regions in the world!
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Start and Finishing Point:
Quito
Activities:
Grading:Adventure touring
Addressing:
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Day 1
Arrival in Quito
Begin your adventure with a private transfer to your hotel in Quito, where you'll settle in and prepare for the journey ahead. Overnight in Selina Hotel or similar.
Meals: D
Day 2
Quito City tour and Equator Line Experience
Get ready to explore Quito's old town! We'll kick off at Plaza de la Independencia, surrounded by historic buildings like the Presidential Palace and the Metropolitan Cathedral. Next, we’ll check out La Compañía, arguably the most stunning church in Latin America, and San Francisco Church, famous for its gorgeous plaza and Spanish architecture. Then, we drive up to the Panecillo for epic views of Quito and the 'Virgen de Quito' statue. Afterward, we head north to the Equatorial City Complex, where you can stand on the actual equator at the Intiñan Museum. Here, you can try balancing an egg on a nail and experience the Coriolis effect. The museum also displays interesting ethnographic and cultural features. Overnight in Selina Hotel or similar
Meals: B,L,D
Day 3
Hike at Cotopaxi National Park
We begin our journey driving south from Quito through the famed "Avenue of the Volcanoes." If the skies are clear, we will see the peaks of several volcanoes along the road. Upon arriving at Cotopaxi National Park, we start with a short hike around Limpiopungo Glacier Lake. This mountain lake is home to a wealth of highland waterfowl, including gulls, ducks, and falcons. We'll learn about the park’s highland páramo ecosystem as we observe the local wildlife. Next, we embark on a remarkable hike through the park, starting from the base of Volcán Rumiñahui and crossing the high plain to the south side of Cotopaxi, then on to the Pucara Inca ruins. The hike is mostly flat with a few short, easy climbs. As we traverse the high plain páramo, we keep an eye out for native wildlife and take in the incredible views of Cotopaxi’s massive, glaciated cone looming above us. The hike ends near the Pucara ruins, where we explore and learn more about the history of the powerful ancient civilization in Ecuador. We enjoy a scenic and delicious picnic lunch next to the volcano before continuing to the Tambopaxi Mountain Lodge for the night.
Day 4
Quilotoa Crater Lake Hike
Today we will reach the incredible Quilotoa Crater Lake. Your path will pass through the Zumbahua Indian communities that inhabit this area. You will cross the Toachi Canyon before climbing to the rim of the crater, where you will get your first glimpses of the lake. From here, we hike inside the crater of the Quilotoa Volcano! The descent takes 30 minutes, and the climb back up takes about an hour and a half. As you descend, the vegetation changes as you approach the beautiful turquoise lake, full of minerals and nutrients. Once at the bottom of the caldera, you may opt to rent kayaks and paddle around the lake, admiring this spectacular setting before hiking back up to the Quilotoa Community, where you will enjoy a wonderful post-hike dinner and a restful overnight stay.
Day 5-6
Chimborazo Community Experience
We spend the next two days living and working in a fascinating community in the Andean páramo, where houses are built from mud and bamboo. We'll assist with reforestation, shear alpacas, or participate in similar community projects. Reforestation is especially crucial in this region due to deforestation and the introduction of non-native trees such as pine and eucalyptus, which cause severe erosion problems that can lead to mudslides and ruin farmland. We also visit Chimborazo Volcano, an inactive stratovolcano in the Andean Cordillera Occidental range. With an elevation of over 6,666 m (20,000 ft), it is Ecuador’s highest peak. On clear days, its summit can be seen from the coastal city of Guayaquil, nearly 136 km (85 mi) away. We'll explore the Chimborazo area and its ecosystem, which is protected to preserve the country’s native camelid species: the vicuña, llama, and alpaca. Overnight in Casa Condor or similar. Overnight in La Chimenea or similar.
Day 7
Cloud Forest Exploration in Baños
After an incredible Andean service experience, we bid farewell to the community and head toward Ecuador’s cloud forest region. We drive east from Riobamba to the edge of Llanganates National Park, enjoying views of Volcán Tungurahua as we approach the eastern limit of the Andes. Here, we continue into the Pastaza River Gorge, a scenic canyon with high rock walls and cloud forest vegetation formed around one of the principal tributaries of the Amazon. After checking into our hotel in the town of Baños, we head further down the Pastaza River to explore two of the area’s largest waterfalls, Pailón del Diablo (Devil’s Cauldron) and Manto de la Novia (Bride’s Veil). We'll hike down footpaths and take a pair of cable cars to visit these scenic areas before returning to town for the evening.
Day 8
Baños to Quito
After breakfast, we visit the famous Casa del Arbol, a natural lookout with the best views of Tungurahua Volcano and its surroundings. After this stop, we drive to Quito via the Pan-American Highway, enjoying lunch on the way. We will arrive in Quito in the afternoon and enjoy a farewell dinner in Ecuador’s capital city. Overnight in Selina Hotel or similar.
Day 9
Departure and Transfer to Airport
Transfer to the airport and fly home.
Meals: B
Affordable And Clean Energy: Energy is central to nearly every major challenge and opportunity.
Responsible Production and Consumption: Responsible Production and Consumption
Climate Action: Climate change is a global challenge that affects everyone, everywhere.
Life Below Water: Careful management of this essential global resource is a key feature of a sustainable future.
Life On Land: Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss
Partnerships For The Goals: Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
World Expeditions Schools journeys are designed to encourage positive personal development and the learning of life skills, while leaving the communities and environments we travel to, in a better condition than when we arrived.The programs are designed to:• Build strong friendships and bonds with their peers, their teachers, and the local people they meet. • Increase the confidence to engage with new people, and collaboratively make informed decisions.• Discover the benefits of working cooperatively together as a cohesive team, to achieve a common objective.• Increase the ability to face, and cope with, mental and physical challenges and therefore increase resilience.• Give students a chance to appreciate and care for the natural world. The environments we travel through are beautiful and often pristine, invariably the students will gain a deeper appreciation and understanding about how their individual actions impact on the environment.• Learn personal skills i.e., time management, personal hygiene, responsibility for personal gear, patience, tolerance, and public speaking.We help encourage students to learn what it means to be a true global citizen.
What's included
What's not included
Per Person, Twin Share
We can fully customise a School Travel Program to suit your students' learning objectives and budget. Whether you require a Service Learning program, physical challenge, cultural immersion or certain curriculum targets - talk to one of our educational travel experts about the elements you need in your itinerary. We pride ourselves on developing unique itineraries to meet the learning requirements for schools.
World Expeditions Schools is a division of one of the world's leading adventure travel companies, World Expeditions. We can develop itineraries in any destination that is offered by World Expeditions, which is to every continent on earth.
Use our simple Expedition Design Form to contact us with your requirements and an educational travel expert will be in touch to assist.
Since the 1980's, we have helped students from around the globe to experience the world's most exciting destinations, allowing them to travel, give, grow.
Together with students, we have completed over 400 Service Learning programs in developing countries. We will always continue to support causes including social justice, animal welfare, the environment and more.
Want to include service learning, your school curriculum and a physical challenge, or any of the above? Contact us and we can design a program fully catered for your students and budget.
Every school receives a detailed risk management plan that is guided by government advisories and the local partners we work with. We never compromise on the safety of your students to reduce the price of the program.
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Our educational travel experts are ready to help you tailor an itinerary or service learning project to suit your school’s needs and budget. Contact us today to receive a free consultation.