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Please note that this itinerary is subject to change. Details of specific trip inclusions/exclusions are listed after the itinerary with costing. Accommodation in Quito may change subject to availability.
Day 1 August 18Depart from North America & evening arrival in Quito Welcome to Ecuador! Meet a ME to WE
representative at the airport, then head to your hotel
in Quito for a night’s rest before your descent into the
Amazon.
Day 2 August 19Descend into the Amazon basin After a delicious breakfast featuring Western
favorites and traditional South American cuisine,
start your journey to the Amazon! En route from
Quito, we will wind down mountain hills with awe-
inspiring views into the Amazon basin, descending
into the lush cloud forest.
Jungle cruise river expedition Hop aboard an outboard motor canoe for a
20-minute ride up the Rio Napo, a tributary to the
Amazon River.
Minga Lodge arrival and orientation Allishamushcacapay–welcome! Take in a
spectacular sunset over the river as you snack on
local treats like plantain chips and yucca fritters,
washed down with a glass of chilled guayusa tea.
Then, follow a ME to WE member along winding
pathways and raised walkways to your cottage
nestled into the jungle. Later, meet with the team
to learn about the unique WE Villages development
model, which works to empower communities
to break the cycle of poverty through five Pillars
of Impact: Education, Water, Health, Food and
Opportunity.
Welcome dinner & Spanish lesson Let the aromas of cumin, oregano, garlic and onion
be your guide as you make your way back to the
dining hall from your cabin, along meandering stone
pathways and over a footbridge across the creek.
Feast on Western favorites and local delicacies
like heart of palm, stinging nettle and fish cooked
in palm leaves. Add some fire to the meal with a
scoop of aji hot sauce, if you dare! After dinner,
enjoy a fun session to learn some key phrases in
Spanish that will help you foster your connection
with new friends in the local communities.
Day 3 August 20Rainforest excursion Rise and shine! Before breakfast, explore the trails
of a nearby 300-hectare forest reserve, where you
will get your first taste of exploring the Amazon
rainforest.
A day in the life-visit a local farmer Meet Don Vargas and his family on their farm and
learn from them firsthand how the WE Villages
model has impacted their lives. Accompany them
during daily tasks and learn about the importance
of crop diversity and how to best run a farm in the
Amazonian jungle.
Sustainable farming
There’s no better way to understand the ways of
local people than by walking a mile in their shoes.
After lunch, roll up your sleeves and join Don Vargas
to help plant seeds, fetch water from the river and
harvest crops. Taste some of the fresh produce right
on the spot or later, at the dinner table!
Dinner Gather around the dinner table for a family-style
feast and some downtime with the group. Enjoy
some of the fruit and vegetables that you harvested
today on the farm. It doesn’t get any fresher!
T r i p d a t e s : A u g u s t 1 8 - 2 6 , 2 0 1 8E c u a d o r : F a r m t o F o r k t r i p
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Day 4 August 21 A sweet trip to the cacao farm The production of cacao represents one of the main
sources of income for the region’s farmers. Meet
with a cacao farmer who supplies beans to a French
chocolatier, then sweeten your afternoon back at
the lodge, as you learn how to make chocolate from
scratch using cocoa beans.
Chocolate and coffee tasting at the lodge After lunch, indulge in a delicious tasting–sampling
different sorts of chocolate and coffee. You’ll be
surprised by how the soil a chocolate tree grows
in can make a difference to how the cacao it
produces tastes!
Curious critters: Wild Amazonian night hike When the sun goes down, the rainforest comes
alive. Grab your flashlight and set out on an
adventurous night with your cultural facilitator,
who will take you as close as comfort allows to see
for yourself what has been making all that noise
after sundown.
Day 5 August 22Community orientation and volunteering After breakfast, join your group and a ME to
WE team member for a short jungle walk or
canoe ride to the nearby community, where you
will help build local infrastructure as part of
a WE Villages development project. Hear the
inspiring story of how Craig and Marc Kielburger
witnessed a spontaneous and powerful community
movement—a minga—years ago inspiring the
formation of ME to WE and, of course, the naming
of Minga Lodge.
Visit the WE Farm Later in the day, visit this brand-new project—learn
about local food production, and be among the
first to see how local farmers are working to create
a legacy for future generations through cacao
production.
Please note that this itinerary is subject to change. Details of specific trip inclusions/exclusions are listed after the itinerary with costing. Accommodation in Quito may change subject to availability.
Day 6 August 23Cooking class Enjoy a traditional cooking class using fresh
and local ingredients, led by a local chef who
is a master at combining local ingredients with
traditional techniques. Then, enjoy the meal you’ve
prepared as you learn about local food production
and its relation to the Food Pillar of Impact.
Braided & beaded: Opportunity initiatives in the Amazon Sit with a group of skilled artisans to learn how
they generate income through traditional jewelry
making. From sourcing to production, every step
toward creating this uniquely Ecuadorian jewelry is
local, with many pieces made from nuts and seeds
collected in the rainforest. You’ll also have the
option of returning to the build site to continue your
community project.
Dinner Settle in for a family-style meal—featuring a
chocolatey finish!—and join your facilitator as they
guide the group in a round of “gratitude sharing” to
talk about the highlights of the experience so far.
T r i p d a t e s : A u g u s t 1 8 - 2 6 , 2 0 1 8E c u a d o r : F a r m t o F o r k t r i p
65
Day 7 August 24Volunteering and community farewell Return to the volunteer site one last time to say
a final farewell to local community members.
Alternately, enjoy a leisurely morning back at the
lodge to relax and reflect.
Shaman ceremony and weapons training Let a local shaman guide you and your fellow
travelers to a nearby vantage point, high above
the river, for a traditional cleansing ceremony and
blessing. Next, channel your inner Kichwa hunter
and learn firsthand from an indigenous weapons
expert how to throw a spear and shoot a blowgun.
Farewell dinner prepared by local top chef Celebrate your week of hard work, new experiences
and meaningful contributions with a special farewell
dinner prepared on the spot by Daniel, the chef
of URKO, one of the most bustling restaurants in
downtown Quito. Then, take in a grass skirt-swaying
spectacle of traditional Ecuadorian music and
dance, performed by local community members.
Don’t be shy—the performers love it when you
join in!
Day 8 August 25Depart for Quito Say goodbye to the steamy Amazon and its amazing
people and way of life. Take a two-hour boat ride
toward Coca, where we will fly back to Quito to
experience the heritage of this capital city.
Visit historic Quito Explore Old Quito, a UNESCO World Heritage Site,
on a walking tour of the area through winding
cobblestone streets, taking in the surrounding 17th-
and 18th-century Spanish colonial architecture.
Check in at the Swissôtel & final dinner Check in to your room to take a quick shower before
heading to your last dinner in Ecuador! Make your
way to Lo Nuestro, a restaurant near the hotel that
takes influences from all regions of Ecuador, fusing
together ancient family recipes and modern tastes.
Our favorites range from the traditional ceviche of
Ecuador’s coast to the Amazonian maito chicken
wrapped and cooked in banana leaves.
Day 9 August 26Early morning departure Depart from the Mariscal Sucre International
Airport and begin your journey home.
Arrive home in North America Hasta luego! Thank you for joining us for a life-
changing adventure with the people of the Amazon,
and making a difference in generations of lives in
Ecuador.
Please note that this itinerary is subject to change. Details of specific trip inclusions/exclusions are listed after the itinerary with costing. Accommodation in Quito may change subject to availability.
T r i p d a t e s : A u g u s t 1 8 - 2 6 , 2 0 1 8E c u a d o r : F a r m t o F o r k t r i p
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