Ecuador and the Galápagos Service

The adventure begins as you fly from your preferred airport to Quito. Your Travel For Teens guides will meet you at the Quito Airport and accompany you for the duration of your journey. Upon arrival, board our private coach and head to our hotel in downtown. We’ll take a short walk to get acquainted with our surroundings before enjoying our first dinner of Ecuadorian cuisine.

Get to know Quito like a local this morning as we take a guided tour of the city. Our first stop is la Mitad del Mundo, otherwise known as the Equator. We’ll stand in both the Southern and Northern Hemispheres at the same time, and participate in some unique experiments that can only be done at Latitude 0°. We’ll also explore the city’s well-preserved colonial district, traditional marketplaces, and lively plazas where locals hang out every day.

Tour Highlights

• Quito
• Mitad del Mundo
• Chocolate tour

Fly from Quito to the Galápagos Islands! These remote islands in the Pacific Ocean are famous as the place where Charles Darwin came up with the theory of evolution, based on the wildlife he observed here. We’ll begin on the island of Santa Cruz, where we’ll explore the beautiful green landscapes of the highlands and visit a giant tortoise ranch.

Tour Highlights

• Introduction to Galapagos Islands
• Tortoise ranch

Visit the beautiful beaches at Tortuga Bay, which are ideal for sunbathing, swimming, and photography. You’ll also find marine iguanas and sea lions resting along the shore. After lunch, we’ll learn about the local ecosystems and conservation efforts at the Charles Darwin Station. Visit the Tortoise Breeding Center, where it’s possible to see many different species of tortoise and even get up close to them.

Tour Highlights

• Tortuga Bay
• Charles Darwin Station
• Tortoise Education

It’s time for our next island, Isla San Cristobal. We’ll take a speedboat from one island to the next. Explore the Junco Lagoon located within a volcanic crater and try to spot the frigate birds diving for their lunch. In the afternoon, we’ll have time for hiking and swimming at Puerto Chino beach, before relaxing on La Lobería beach – where we will see incredible wildlife, including sea lions, canaries, frigate birds, different types of finches, and enormous unique Galapagos marine iguanas resting on the rocks.

Tour Highlights

• Isla San Cristobal
• Junco Lagoon
• Puerto Chino
• La Loberia

We will have the option of completing two community service projects on the island. First, work with elementary or high school students and play games with them, help them practice their English, and learn about what life on the islands is like. We’ll also help out with any light maintenance projects the school may need. Then, we’ll visit a sustainable farm dedicated to preserving the environment and providing food for the local community. We’ll help out with several projects on the farm, including recycling and preparing food in a traditional mud oven.

Tour Highlights

• Community service project with local students

This morning, take a break from volunteering to visit the Centro de Interpretación to learn about the geology of the Islands. After a short hike to Cerro Tijeretas for breathtaking views, we’ll relax on the beach. In the afternoon, students will have free time to explore the village of San Cristobal, do some souvenir shopping and get a coffee from a local café.

Tour Highlights

• Centro de Interpretación
• Cerro Tijeretas

Fly from San Cristóbal to Quito. Head into Quito for last-minute souvenir shopping – check out the local mercados and enjoy the city one last time.

Your TFT guides will accompany you to the airport and assist you with check-in for your flight. Wave goodbye as you head through security and sit back and relax on your flight home.

For teachers who are short on time, we can make this a 7, 8, or 9-day adventure! One of our expert trip designers will help adapt this itinerary to suit your specific needs. Contact us for more details.