PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS• ExploretheGalapagosbyKayakandBoat

• SnorkelAlongsideSeaLionsintheIslands’CrystalClearWaters

• InstallMuch-NeededFlooringinRuralVillageCommu-nities

• WhitewaterRaftthroughtheLushRainforest

• PartnerwithAndeanLocalsonaCommunityImprove-mentProject

• InteractwithEcuadorianStudentsthroughCraftsandGames

• ExploreQuitoandOtavaloArtisanMarkets

• 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. In addition to the health concerns, 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.Surroundedbyforest-

edmountainsandvolcanoesat9,350feetabovesealevel,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

ThismorningwesetoutforImbabura,knownasthe“ProvinceoftheLakes”.

Duringourdrive,wemaycatchaglimpseofoneofEcuador’spicturesque,

snowcappedvolcanoes:CayambeorCotopaxi.Wevisitthefamousnative

marketofOtavalo,oneofthemostimportantandlargestmarketsinSouth

America.Thestallsteemwithvibrantcolorsandhandicraftsofallvarieties,

includingweavings,paintings,jewelry,andtraditionalEcuadorianclothing.

Themajorityoftheitemsaremadelocallyandwehavetheopportunityto

tryourhandatbargainingwiththemerchants.

Afterlunch,wesetoutforasmall,ruralvillagewherewewillbeginourser-

vicework.Forthenextthreedays,wewillworkontwodifferentprojects.In

themornings,weworkalongsidecommunitymembersmakingmuch-need-

ed improvementstodifferentstructures,suchasthe localgreenhouseor

thecommunitycenter.Intheafternoon,weinteractwiththelocalchildren

andteachEnglishthroughorganizedlessons,games,activitiesandcrafts.

Accommodations: Community Center

Days 7 - 8: Cooking Class & Lake Cuicocha Hike

Wespendourremainingdays inthecommunitycelebratingtheworkwe

haveaccomplished.Wetakeacookingclasswherewelearnhowtocook

traditionalEcuadorianmeals;somemayfeelfamiliarwhileothersmaybe

newrecipesyoucantakehometoyourfamilies.Thesecondday,together

withthestudentsandfamilymemberswehavespentthelastfewdayswith,

wehike to thepristineLakeCuicocha,which fills theancient,butactive,

craterofCotacachiVolcano.Hikingaroundthecraterwall,wehopinaboat

thattakesustotheisletsinthecenterofthelake.Thecommunitycallsthis

a“despedida”,orafarewell,asawaytosaythankyou.Accommodations:

Community Center

Days 9 - 12: Spotlight Project: Quitugo Development Project

OurfinalcommunityserviceprojecttakesplaceinQuitugo,anindigenous

KichwacommunitylocatedatthebaseoftheImbaburaVolcanojustout-

sidethecityofOtavalo.Throughoutthenextfourdays,weworkdirectly

withmembersofthiscolorfulAndeancommunityonourSpotlightProject.

Themajorityoffamiliesinthisvillagearefortunatetohavearoofovertheir

heads,butarenotabletoaffordtheluxuryofconcretefloors. Webring

inmuchneeded supplies, split intogroups, andget towork.Overseeing

eachproject from start to finish,we immediately see the transformation

ofourwork.Duringourdowntime,wehelpoutwithadditionalcommunity

tasks,includinghouseholdchores,tutoringchildrenthroughEnglishandart

classes and assisting in preparing meals. After an amazing four days in

Quitugo,wesayfarewelltoournewfriendswithadinner,celebrationand

dance. Accommodations: Community Center

ARCCPrograms|Ecuador&Galapagos:Island&VillageImpact

Day 13: Travel to Quito

TodaywetravelbacktoQuito.Ontheway,westopalongtheequatorat

theMiddleoftheWorldMonument,MitaddelMundo,andhavethechance

tostandintwohemispheres.Aswearrivebackinourstartingcity,wetake

timetocontinueourexplorationoftheOldCityofQuito,whereweviewthe

SouthAmericancolonialarchitectureandwindourwaythroughthesteep

cobbledstreets.TheOldCityisfullofstunningchurchesandsomeamazing

vistasofthevolcanoesinthedistance.Accommodations: Hostel

Day 14: Mindo Zip Line Canopy Tour

ThismorningwedepartforapleasantdrivetotheMindocloudforest.Cloud

forestshavegreatbiodiversity,withaprofusionofnativeandendemicplants

andwildlife.Mindoishometoover300differentspeciesoftropicalbirds

andnumerousotheranimals.Weslideonaharnessandclipinforanex-

hilaratingziplinecanopytour.Wekeepoureyespeeledfortoucans,owls,

quetzals,hummingbirds,andotherbeautifulbirdsintheforest’scanopy.A

seriesof13ziplinesconnectedbybuilt-intreeplatformsallowsustojourney

over2milesacrosstheupperlevel.Latethisafterznoonwereturntoour

hostelinQuitofordinnerafteradayofadventure.Accommodations: Hostel

Day 15: Whitewater Raft the Ríos Toachi and Blanco

Today’sadventuretakesustotheRíosToachiandBlancoforanexhilarat-

ingraftingtrip.Thesearefun,high-volumeriversthatflowoffthecoastal

sideoftheAndesMountains.Withourexperiencedprofessionalguides,we

paddledowntheriverandcheckoutthelushjungleasweridetherapids.

Afterourdayofexcitement,wereturntoourhotelinQuitoandpreparefor

ourjourneytotheGalapagosIslands.Accommodations: Hotel

Days 16 - 17: San Cristobal, Galapagos Islands

Thenextfivedaysofouradventureprovetobetheexperienceofalifetime!

Fromthesandybeachesstrewnwithfriendlywildlife,tothedepthsofthe

enrichedandunexploredwatersoftheGalapagos,ourdiscoveryofthese

islandsisonethatwillnotbesoonforgotten.

WebeginourtimehereontheislandofSanCristobal.Thisistheeastern-

mostislandandiswhereCharlesDarwinfirstsetfootduringhisvoyage.We

setoutintwo-personkayaksandexploretherockyislandcoastline,which

isteemingwithwildlifesuchasBlue-FootedBoobies.Bepreparedtogeta

littlewet,asplayfulsealionsaresuretogiveyouasplash!Wehikealongthe

coasttoasecludedbayandsnorkelinthecrystalclearwatersamongthe

harmlesssharks,sealions,andgiantmantarays.Wecontinueourhiketoa

restingplaceforsealionsandhometosomeofthebiggestmarineiguanas

intheGalapagos.Accommodations: Hotel

Want to Learn More? Contact the Regional Director:

Whitney Hall | Regional Director: Ecuador & GalapagosWhitney@arccprograms.com415-332-5075Ext.251

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