School Adventure - Andes to the Amazon
- A School Adventure that includes the ultimate highlights of Ecuador
- Climb volcanoes and trek to glaciers
- Stay in an Amazonian rainforest lodge
- Visit the colourful Indian Craft market at Otavalo
- Undertake a community project
With its great geographical variety, from Amazonian rainforest to Andean peaks, Ecuador is an excellent destination for a School group adventure. Our suggested itinerary starts in the north, trekking to the summits of 2 volcanoes and visiting fascinating Indian communities. Whilst hiking around mighty Chimborazo there is the opportunity to see the affect of global warming at its rapidly shrinking glacier. Community project work in the remote Sangay area is a popular and most rewarding element of the trip. After a relaxing day in the spa town of Banos we transfer to the Amazon region for a 3-day visit to a rainforest lodge, where canoe trips and wildlife spotting are the highlights. This memorable trip ends with an exciting day of white-water rafting before returning to Quito.
Educational perspective
Ecuador's impressive volcanoes are part of one of the world's greatest geographical features the so called 'Pacific Ring of Fire'.
Amend or Extend
In the El Angel and Cotocachi-Cayapas reserves, there are other short treks which can be incorporated in this itinerary. A ride on the little Andean train or 'autoferra' from Ibarra can also be included. A Galapagos Islands visit is another option.
Is this holiday for you?
We recommend a minimum age of 15 years
This school-specific itinerary starts out to the north of Quito, with a short day-hike, then a couple of longer day-walks to the summits of Cubilche (3832m) and Imbabura (4609m). These peaks each involve climbing zig-zag trails on scree, with a small amount of scrambling, which is exposed in places. Typically, these peaks are climbed in a 5-hour round trip. We then complete a 2-day walk beneath Chimborazo, walking for 5 or 6 hours on good trails on each of these days at elevations around 4000 metres. During our visit to the rainforest of the upper Amazon, there will be easy walking on forest trails and some travel in canoes and similar craft.The itinerary also includes one day of whitewater rafting. Each of our School Group Adventures is given a grade, taking into account the amount of walking involved, the difficulty of the terrain, the remoteness, the altitude and the overall length of the trip. The trips are graded on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the most challenging. This trip is graded 7.
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