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Environment & Culture in the Galápagos

See our educational approach to program design
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See our educational approach to program design
Connect with us

9 or 12 days

Quito, Santa Cruz Island, San Cristóbal Island, extension to Riobamba


Known as “that land of craters” to Darwin, the Galápagos surpass expectations on first sight. The views you’ll get descending upon Baltra by plane offer a glimpse of our Earth at its geological extremes, with Pinnacle Rock cutting into the horizon. On the ground, this kaleidoscope of landscapes becomes real, and the black rock becomes your pathway to a new understanding of the world.Image displaying map describing the itinerary of the Environment & Culture in the Galápagos tour

Day 1: Fly to Ecuador

Meet your Field Director at the destination airport

Enjoy dinner if arriving before 8pm

Day 2: Quito

Take a walking tour of Quito

With your Field Director you will see:

  • Independence Plaza, the central square of Quito
  • Government Palace, Quito's presidential palace

Visit the Church of La Compañía, the façade of which is carved from volcanic stone

Take an excursion to the equatorial line and straddle two hemispheres at once  

Visit the Intiñan Museum and learn about other places located along the equator 

Enjoy dinner in Quito

Day 3: Quito • Baltra • Santa Cruz Island

Fly to Baltra

Visit the Santa Cruz highlands to see Galapagos giant tortoises roaming freely in their natural habitat

See the Twin Craters, massive sinkholes surrounded by a Scalesia cloud forest

Enjoy lunch

Visit the Charles  Darwin Research Station

Enjoy dinner in Santa Cruz

Day 4: Santa Cruz Island

Visit Puerto Ayora 

See the natural habitat of: 

  • Sea lions
  • Finches
  • Crabs
  • Iguanas

Enjoy lunch

Day 5: Santa Cruz Island • San Cristóbal Island

Take a ferry to San Cristóbal Island

Hike Tijeretas Hill

Visit the San Cristóbal Interpretation Center

Enjoy lunch

Enjoy dinner in San Cristóbal

Day 6: San Cristóbal Island

Enjoy snorkeling at La Loberia

Enjoy lunch

In the afternoon, choose between:

  • A short walk to Punta Carola where you can see marine iguanas, sea lions, and blue-foot boobies
  • Or time to shop

Day 7: San Cristóbal Island • Quito

Fly to Quito

Enjoy dinner in Quito

Day 8: Quito • Otavalo

Visit Otavalo Market

Visit Cotacachi waterfall

Enjoy lunch in Otavalo

Enjoy dinner in Quito

Board an overnight flight

Day 9: Arrive home


Add 3 more days


Day 9: Quito • Riobamba

Travel to the Riobamba region, an Andean village with cultural activities and shopping opportunities 

Enjoy lunch in Riobamba

Enjoy dinner in Riobamba

Day 10: Riobamba • Guamote

Take an excursion to Guamote

Participate in cultural exchange activities with the local community

Enjoy lunch in Riobamba

Enjoy dinner in Riobamba

Day 11: Riobamba • Guamote • Quito • Depart for home

Take an excursion to Guamote

Participate in cultural immersion activities and learn more about the community that lives here

Enjoy lunch in Riobamba

Enjoy dinner in Quito

Board an overnight flight

Day 12: Arrive home


Learning outcomes on this program

Confidence • Curiosity • Global perspective • Empathy • Adaptability • Relatability • Self-Awareness

Academic resources

With this program, you get access to our Global Learning Resources, which include:

  • Discussion questions

  • Sample assignments

  • Journal prompts

  • Webinars

  • EF's Global Competency Assessment, a pre- and post-program assessment to measure competency development

See the resources you get

Your experience includes

Transportation
Accommodations
Select meals
End-to-end support
EF Global Learning Toolkit
Field Director
Guided exploration
Field Visits

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