Description
Join Andean Discovery in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands for a hands-on expedition that combines wildlife observation, field-based conservation, and analysis of human footprints and sustainability in these fragile ecosystems. From Mindo’s majestic cloud forest, to the Galapagos archipelago’s otherworldly desert islands, to the frenetic capital city of Quito, students gain an understanding of Ecuador’s diverse landscapes, unique wildlife, and proud culture — all while becoming versed in the ecological challenges and opportunities facing the region.
Explore lush cloud forests to the soundtrack of tanagers and toucans and learn about the threats of deforestation in one of the world’s Biodiversity Hotspots. Visit a chocolate factory that uses only the finest Ecuadorian cacao and speak with local farmers about their efforts to reach international markets.
Travel to the Galapagos Islands, where the challenge of sustainability and the quest to balance the relationships between the manmade and the natural is playing out in a microcosm of a universal tension. Learn about the development of local organic coffee farms and lend a hand to Andean Discovery’s vital reforestation project. Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, Snorkel with sea lions, hike to Tortuga Bay, and walk among pre-historic looking giant Galapagos tortoises–all while learning about their importance to the development of biological evolutionary theory.