Program Outline
Day 1 (Friday, 6/30/23):
Arrival at Mariscal Sucre international airport in Tababela, Quito*. Transfer to Hotel Embassy (or similar).
Day 2 (Saturday, 7/1/23):
Breakfast
Full day activity: Otavalo indigenous market visit, archeological site visit, lunch. Visit the equator (Mitad del mundo).
Return to the hotel.
Day 3 (Sunday, 7/2/23)
Breakfast
Private half-day tour of Quito's magnificent Baroque architecture
Lunch at Achiote restaurant (or similar)
Visit to La Capilla del Hombre (Guayasamin Museum) or similar.
Transfer to the airport and flight Quito-Cuenca.
Host family welcome at the airport; transfer to family lodging.
Day 4 (Monday, 7/3/23):
8.00 AM Spanish Language Level Test.
Mini-class grouping based on language levels.
Introductory talk.
2.00 PM Cuenca tour in a panoramic bus.
Day 5 (Tuesday, 7/4/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
Day 6 (Wednesday, 7/5/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
11.15 AM: guided visit to Pumapungo museum and archaeological park. On-site Ecuadorian Archeology lecture. Besides the archeological exhibit highlighting the Incan presence in Cuenca, visitors will access the open-air park with Andean crops and birds.
6.30 PM Ecuadorian cooking class at Warmi.
Day 7 (Thursday, 7/6/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
6.30 PM: Latin dance class
Day 8 (Friday, 7/7/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
2.00 PM Hot springs and spa.
Day 9 (Saturday, 7/8/23):
Free
Day 10 (Sunday, 7/9/23):
9.00 AM visit to El Cajas National Park, recently incorporated to the world’s protected wetlands system. Lunch.
Return to the city around 5.00 PM.
Day 11 (Monday, 7/10/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
11:30 AM Visit to La Virgen de Fátima traditional Chocolate Factory.
Day 12 (Tuesday, 7/11/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
6.30 PM: Latin dance classes.
Day 13 (Wednesday, 7/12/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
6.30 PM Ecuadorian cooking class at Warmi.
Day 14 (Thursday, 7/13/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
Old and New Cathedral tour. View from the cathedral domes.
Day 15 (Friday, 7/14/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
Horse riding at an old hacienda. Lunch.
Day 16 (Saturday, 7/15/23):
8.00 AM Visit the archaeological complex of Ingapirca. Lunch. Stay overnight.
Day 17 (Sunday, 7/16/23):
Visit with an indigenous community, traditional activities, lunch, return to Cuenca.
Day 18 (Monday, 7/17/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
2:30 PM Museo del Sombrero guided visit.
Day 19 (Tuesday, 7/18/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
Day 20 (Wednesday, 7/19/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
11.15 AM: visit to Amaru Mini Zoo.
Day 21 (Thursday, 7/20/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
7.30 PM Farewell dinner with live Andean music and dance
Day 22 (Friday, 7/21/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
Day 23 (Saturday, 7/22/23):
7.00 AM: Transfer to Cuenca Airport. Cuenca-Quito flight. Transfer to Hotel Vieja Cuba (or similar).
10.00 AM Quito Teleférico with a guide.
1.00 PM Lunch in Tianguez restaurant located under San Francisco colonial church or similar restaurant.
4.00 PM Return to the Hotel.
7.00 PM Transfer out to Tababela airport.*
*You may elect to arrive early in Quito, to extend your stay, or otherwise to take advantage of being in South America with additional travel. If you do so, please time your arrival/departure to coincide with the group program timing.
** This itinerary is subject to change based on availability, weather conditions, road conditions, or any other reason affecting the safety or advisability of a given component. Every effort will be made to replace a missed component with something similar or to reschedule it into the program at a later date.
Arrival at Mariscal Sucre international airport in Tababela, Quito*. Transfer to Hotel Embassy (or similar).
Day 2 (Saturday, 7/1/23):
Breakfast
Full day activity: Otavalo indigenous market visit, archeological site visit, lunch. Visit the equator (Mitad del mundo).
Return to the hotel.
Day 3 (Sunday, 7/2/23)
Breakfast
Private half-day tour of Quito's magnificent Baroque architecture
Lunch at Achiote restaurant (or similar)
Visit to La Capilla del Hombre (Guayasamin Museum) or similar.
Transfer to the airport and flight Quito-Cuenca.
Host family welcome at the airport; transfer to family lodging.
Day 4 (Monday, 7/3/23):
8.00 AM Spanish Language Level Test.
Mini-class grouping based on language levels.
Introductory talk.
2.00 PM Cuenca tour in a panoramic bus.
Day 5 (Tuesday, 7/4/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
Day 6 (Wednesday, 7/5/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
11.15 AM: guided visit to Pumapungo museum and archaeological park. On-site Ecuadorian Archeology lecture. Besides the archeological exhibit highlighting the Incan presence in Cuenca, visitors will access the open-air park with Andean crops and birds.
6.30 PM Ecuadorian cooking class at Warmi.
Day 7 (Thursday, 7/6/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
6.30 PM: Latin dance class
Day 8 (Friday, 7/7/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
2.00 PM Hot springs and spa.
Day 9 (Saturday, 7/8/23):
Free
Day 10 (Sunday, 7/9/23):
9.00 AM visit to El Cajas National Park, recently incorporated to the world’s protected wetlands system. Lunch.
Return to the city around 5.00 PM.
Day 11 (Monday, 7/10/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
11:30 AM Visit to La Virgen de Fátima traditional Chocolate Factory.
Day 12 (Tuesday, 7/11/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
6.30 PM: Latin dance classes.
Day 13 (Wednesday, 7/12/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
6.30 PM Ecuadorian cooking class at Warmi.
Day 14 (Thursday, 7/13/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
Old and New Cathedral tour. View from the cathedral domes.
Day 15 (Friday, 7/14/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
Horse riding at an old hacienda. Lunch.
Day 16 (Saturday, 7/15/23):
8.00 AM Visit the archaeological complex of Ingapirca. Lunch. Stay overnight.
Day 17 (Sunday, 7/16/23):
Visit with an indigenous community, traditional activities, lunch, return to Cuenca.
Day 18 (Monday, 7/17/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
2:30 PM Museo del Sombrero guided visit.
Day 19 (Tuesday, 7/18/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
Day 20 (Wednesday, 7/19/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
11.15 AM: visit to Amaru Mini Zoo.
Day 21 (Thursday, 7/20/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
7.30 PM Farewell dinner with live Andean music and dance
Day 22 (Friday, 7/21/23):
8.00 AM to 11.15 AM: Mini group language classes.
Day 23 (Saturday, 7/22/23):
7.00 AM: Transfer to Cuenca Airport. Cuenca-Quito flight. Transfer to Hotel Vieja Cuba (or similar).
10.00 AM Quito Teleférico with a guide.
1.00 PM Lunch in Tianguez restaurant located under San Francisco colonial church or similar restaurant.
4.00 PM Return to the Hotel.
7.00 PM Transfer out to Tababela airport.*
*You may elect to arrive early in Quito, to extend your stay, or otherwise to take advantage of being in South America with additional travel. If you do so, please time your arrival/departure to coincide with the group program timing.
** This itinerary is subject to change based on availability, weather conditions, road conditions, or any other reason affecting the safety or advisability of a given component. Every effort will be made to replace a missed component with something similar or to reschedule it into the program at a later date.
