Ecuador and Galápagos Islands | Study Abroad with High Point University: BIO/GBS/ENV 3450 The Hidden Face of Ecuador

Upon arrival in Quito, you will be met and taken to your hotel.

After breakfast and a program orientation, explore Quito's colonial center, the best-preserved historic city center in the Americas. Learn about Quito's history and artistic legacy while admiring the wonderful architecture of its colonial buildings. Visit La Basílica del Voto Nacional and La Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús, two of the most emblematic churches in Ecuador, to see the unique religious art pieces from the famous Quitenian School of Art, which combines European Renaissance and Baroque styles with Indigenous and Mestizo influences. After lunch, continue to the famous Middle of the World Monument and celebrate the ability to be in two hemispheres at the same time. Visit Intiñan Museum, and then, if time and weather allow, have a brief stop at the TelefériQo, one of the highest cable cars in the world. Later, return to the hotel for dinner.

This morning, take a 30-minute flight to Puerto Francisco de Orellana, also known as Coca. Once in Coca, transfer to La Misión river port and board a comfortable motorboat. Take in amazing views of the rainforest and the clear waters of the river during your two-hour trip. Your guide will provide a reusable water bottle and a hearty boxed lunch with local produce and fruit while you listen to some interesting facts about the region. During the navigation, look for birds such as herons, kingfishers, terns, and other shorebird species. Arrive at the Napo Cultural Center on the lands of the Indigenous Kichwa Añangu community within Yasuní National Park. You will be welcomed with a refreshing, ice-cold wayusa, a type of traditional tea. After getting settled in your comfortable rooms, prepare for the first activity of the afternoon, a hike along the Playas trail to experience Amazonian wildlife amid the river islands and shores in one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth. Kayaking is also available as an optional activity for around 45 minutes to enjoy a colorful sunset over the vast Napo River. Then head back to your cabin to rest a little bit and prepare for a well-deserved dinner. This evening, fall asleep to the relaxing sounds of the Amazon rainforest.

Begin this morning with a visit to the Kuri Muyu Intercultural Interpretation Center. The center is managed by the community's women, who are also known as "mamakuna." Learn about the Kichwa culture, crafts, customs and traditional use of natural resources directly from the people of the community. Return to the community center for lunch at the dining hall and take a break at the lodge before setting off on a one-hour hike. Ascend a 115-foot observation tower for the chance to spot a variety of birds like toucans and parrots, as well as howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys, and sloths. In the afternoon, head back to Napo Cultural Center aboard your canoe, paddling though Añangu Creek to see more spectacular wildlife. Enjoy time to rest and prepare for a traditional dinner to taste the local flavors of the Amazon, such as maito-grilled fish wrapped in a bijao leaf. If you have an adventurous palate, you might try chontakuru, beetle larvae that are harvested from the chonta palm and grilled. After dinner, prepare your flashlight for a night walk around the lodge to see different kinds of insects, reptiles, and even nocturnal mammals like night monkeys.

Wake up with the chirping of Amazonian birds. After breakfast, put on your rubber boots to start hiking the Samona trail, filled with centuries-old kapok trees. Spot capuchin, wooly, and saki monkeys, as well as reptiles among the dense forest. After lunch, visit a second canopy observation tower to see more of the area's 600 bird species with specialized telescopes.

Wrap up this memorable experience in the Ecuadorian Amazon by rising early to take part in an optional "wayusada" ritual. At dawn, the Kichwa family shares in the sacred wayusa tea and this ritual has been a way to pass their ancient knowledge to the new generations. Learn traditional chants and have the chance to interpret dreams with the wisest mamakuna of the community. Then head back for breakfast before returning to Coca by motorboat. Fly back to Quito, arriving around midday, and meet your driver to visit the Andean town of Otavalo. Enjoy a boxed lunch en route. Arrive in Otavalo in the afternoon and have some time to freshen up before dinner at the hotel.

Start the day with a visit to the Cuicocha Lagoon, which formed in a crater after thousands of years of intense volcanic activity from the extinct Cuicocha Volcano. The lake is part of the Cotacachi-Cayapas Reserve, which extends from the western Andean cordillera to the Pacific coast. Hike around the area to admire the beauty of this natural environment before enjoying a pampa mesa - a communal picnic-style meal of Indigenous tradition - with a breathtaking view of the lagoon. In the afternoon, return to Otavalo and visit Inty-Huasi, a restaurant that showcases the rich gastronomy of Ecuador and uses typical Andean ingredients. Then, visit the community medicinal gardens and learn to prepare bread, which you will have a chance to sample with tea before returning to the hotel.

Travel to Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge and Reserve, which is perched at the top of the Tandayapa Valley. The reserve consists of around 1,000 acres of pre-montane cloud forest that is home to hundreds of animal and plant species, many of which are endemic to this area. Check in at Bellavista and enjoy lunch and a hike in the reserve. During the hike, learn about the lush vegetation of the cloud forest, including orchids, bromeliads, and much more, as well as its bird life, and the fascinating adaptations to life in this special high-elevation environment. Along with hummingbirds, tanagers, and trogons, two mountain mammals, Tayra and Olinguito, regularly visit the lodge's bird feeders right near the dining room, so keep an eye out for them this evening.

Start today with an early morning bird walk around the lodge. More than 400 species of birds have been spotted in the reserve, including more than 40 species of hummingbirds. Return to the lodge for breakfast and have some time to enjoy the flurry of hummingbirds that enjoy the lodge feeders. Spend the rest of the morning exploring the cloud forest trails, including an option to hike to a waterfall. After lunch, return to Quito.

Travel to the airport this morning for your flight to the Galápagos Islands. Upon arrival, you will be met by your local guide and taken by speedboat to Isabela Island. Lunch is on your own today.

Enjoy a morning visit to Las Tintoreras, an islet formed by lava flows located a 10-minute dinghy ride away from Puerto Villamil. The name of this islet comes from the white tip reef sharks, called tintoreras in Spanish, that are frequently seen in this area. Animals that can also be seen in the area include sea lions, marine iguanas, and Galápagos Penguins. This is a perfect place to practice snorkeling. Return to the hotel by lunch time. In the afternoon, visit Los Humedales, a Ramsar wetland that play a fundamental role in conserving Galápagos biodiversity and include various trails featuring the four species of mangroves that exist in the Galápagos. This area is characterized by solitary beaches, lava tunnels, natural pools, and estuaries where flamingos and other birds can be seen. Additionally, visit Isabela's Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Center to learn about its ongoing giant tortoise conservation efforts. Some of its giant tortoises have been released by the Galápagos National Park and can be found on the trails here. Later, visit the Muro de las Lágrimas, or Wall of Tears. This historic stone wall built by prisoners from a penal colony that operated on Isabela during the 1940s and 1950s, where prisoners were forced into doing heavy manual labor as punishment for their crimes. The wall reaches up to 65 feet and runs over 300 feet long; its construction was dangerous work, resulting in the deaths of a number of prisoners from both sickness and injury.

Embark on a 30- to 40-minute ride on a small speedboat to a unique place where lava flow has been impacted for many years by the ocean's waves. This has formed the unique tubes and bridges of Los Túneles. This site is a marine paradise for white-tipped reef sharks, Galápagos green sea turtles, Galápagos sea lions, manta rays, parrotfish, and yellowtail surgeon fish, among other species. The calm, clear, shallow waters make this one of the best places to snorkel on Isabela. In addition to being a marine sanctuary, it is characterized by its unique geologic formations: a series of natural lava flows that were formed by cooling lava after an eruption of Cerro Azul Volcano many years ago and produced many arches and tunnels both above and below the water. Observe a number of animal species that have taken up residence in these magnificent formations. Return to the hotel for lunch. In the afternoon, enjoy free time to explore the beach of Puerto Villamil or take part in an optional activity (at an additional cost), such as biking, surfing, or kayaking.

Spend a full day hiking at Sierra Negra. Measuring over six miles across from north to south and more than five miles from east to west, Sierra Negra is one of the most impressive examples of a volcano in the archipelago. Hike up to the edge of the caldera, with a boxed lunch on site. At the completion of the hike, return to the hotel.

Have an early breakfast today before departing by boat toward Santa Cruz Island. Upon arrival, check into Hotel Ninfa, and then go on a walking excursion to Las Grietas. This beautiful and unique spot in the archipelago consists of natural pools created by rock formations, and its crystalline waters offer visitors the perfect opportunity to spot a variety of fish, sea lions, and much more marine wildlife. After having lunch, continue onto Tortuga Bay, one of the largest and most beautiful beaches in the Galápagos. This spectacular white sand beach is the perfect spot to enjoy a walk along the shore and a swim among sea turtles, sea lions, marine iguanas, pelicans, flamingos and Lava Gulls.

This morning, journey into the Santa Cruz highlands to Rancho Primicias - a private ranch where visitors can see wild giant tortoises that regularly pass through it. The deep green colors of the highlands contrast with the dry lower islands, and its dominant vegetation is the Scalesia tree, which creates this lush green color. After lunch, visit nearby lava tunnels that are more than half a mile long. Upon returning to the hotel, walk down the street to the Charles Darwin Research Station. For decades, the station has worked closely with the Galápagos National Park to oversee the safeguarding of the islands' natural resources and to provide environmental education to local communities, schools, and tourists. During the visit, learn about their conservation projects, especially the Galápagos tortoise breeding project where visitors can observe tortoises at all stages of growth, from unhatched eggs to fully grown adults.

Start the day sailing approximately two hours to Bartolomé Island in the center of the archipelago. Bartolomé features a spectacular volcanic landscape full of spatter cones and lava flows and is home to Galápagos Penguins, marine iguanas, lava lizards, and more. Climb up approximately 370 wooden steps to its summit, where a breathtaking view of Pinnacle Rock awaits. This is one of the most photographed sights in the Galápagos - an abrupt jag of lava rock protruding from the earth like a tooth, providing a focal point for the two nearby bays. Bartolomé is separated from Santiago Island by Sullivan Bay, which is an excellent site for snorkeling around lava formations and observing sea turtles and penguins or just relaxing on its golden sand and taking in the beautiful views.

This morning, travel by boat to Floreana, the sixth largest island in the archipelago. It has a complex history, with varying accounts of how the island was settled and how its first residents mysteriously disappeared. Venture into the Floreana highlands to enjoy the beautiful landscape before exploring Asilo de la Paz, a historically important site known as Floreana's first human settlement and featuring historic caves, a fresh water spring, and Scalesia forest. After lunch, enjoy a walking excursion to La Lobería to view Galápagos sea lions on the beach, as well as swim and snorkel nearby in Lobería Bay. Hike along almost 3,000 feet of trail that goes through the Galápagos National Park, where you can also see marine iguanas and sea turtles. Later in the day, travel by boat back to Puerto Ayora located on Santa Cruz.

Venture into the highlands of Santa Cruz Island for a visit to Los Gemelos, also known as the Twin Craters, which are two formations created by the collapse of surface material due to underground fissures and are located opposite each other on both sides of the road leading from Puerto Ayora to Baltra. Continue to Baltra Airport for the flight back to the mainland. Upon arrival in Quito, wait in the airport to check in for your flight home.