GALÁPAGOS: ISLAND SERVICE IMMERSION

TEEN COMMUNITY SERVICE AND
CULTURAL IMMERSION PROGRAM

July 6 - july 21, 2024
(Waitlist)

LENGTH 16 Days

COMPLETING GRADES 9-12

SERVICE HOURS 20-30

ARRIVE/DEPART Guayaquil, Ecuador (GYE)

TUITION $7295

Our 16-day teen community service and Spanish exposure program explores the highlights of the Galápagos Islands. We work on important community service projects with local organizations and practice and improve our Spanish. We explore the Island’s landscapes discovering beaches, volcanoes, underwater habitats, wetlands, and learning about the animals that inhabit them.

Activities

• Kayak: Las Tintoreras

• Explore: Darwin Research Station, Wall of Tears, Galápagos Islands National Park.

• Snorkel: Concha Y Perla

• Bike: Through the Wetlands

• Hike: Sierra Negra Volcano

• Visit: The Wall of Tears

SWIMMING ABILITY

It is highly recommended that participants in this program are comfortable being in the water and swimming.

Service

A Certificate of Community Service indicating the total number of hours worked and a group Presidential Volunteer Service Award will be issued upon successful completion of the program. Service work could include some of the following:

• Environmental service projects are released closer to the trip, depending on local demands at the time we are visiting. Previous projects have included beach clean-ups, invasive species removal, tree planting, and helping protect the natural environment.

WHAT IS INCLUDED AND EXCLUDED IN TRIP TUITION

The trip tuition listed above includes accommodations, activities, meals, and group gear. The tuition does not include personal gear and clothing, travel insurance, spending money, and travel expenses such as airfare to and from the start and end of the program, additional in-country flights, unaccompanied minor fees, and baggage fees.

Spanish Language Immersion

• Immersion within Community and Country

• No previous Spanish speaking experience is necessary

Accommodations ANd SHOWERING

The group will be staying in rustic hotels and hostels throughout the program. Bedrooms in the hotels and hostels will be divided by gender and participants will sleep slumber party-style – in sleeping bags, rotating available beds nightly, and sharing beds as needed.

Bathrooms and showers can be rustic so please be prepared. In an effort to save time and conserve water resources in the areas we are traveling, participants will have access to showers every 3-4 days even when showers are readily available in private housing accommodations. Western-style toilets are available at the accommodations.

food

All meals on this trip are planned and prepared by our in-country community partners. There may be opportunities to assist in food preparation depending on the preference of the partner.

Expect to eat meals that are consistent with the culture we are visiting. While other food options may be available, we will be sharing meals with our community partners, and eating what they eat as part of our cultural exchange. Meals are often filled with fresh fruits and vegetables. Rice and beans, as well as potatoes, fish, and plantains, are staples of Ecuadorian cuisine and are featured as the base of many meals.

We are able to accommodate all dietary requirements and preferences.

TRAVEL

Families are individually responsible for booking their own airfare or making their own travel arrangements to get their students from home to Guayaquil (GYE) on the first day of the trip, and from Guayaquil (GYE) to home on the last day of the trip. RLT will provide exact windows of time that we require all students to arrive and depart within. It is imperative that no one make any travel arrangements until RLT directs them to do so. For this program there is also an internal group flight that will be booked by RLT that is additional to the trip tuition.

A leader-escorted round-trip flight will be available from Miami, FL (MIA) (but not required) for those travelers who wish to fly with a leader. Please contact our office for details.

ADDITIONAL IN-COUNTRY FLIGHT

For this program there is also an internal group flight that will be booked by RLT that is additional to the trip tuition. There will be one internal flight between Quito and Guayaquil that will be an additional charge. These flights are purchased by RLT and invoiced to families; you do not need to take any action to book this portion of the travel.

PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS

For all international travel, we require participants to have a passport that is valid for a minimum of 6 MONTHS past the end date of your participant's RLT trip. If your participant's passport is due to expire within those 6 months, please work on updating your participant's passport as soon as possible upon enrollment. According to the State Department, routine passport renewal will take 10-13 weeks and expedited processing, which costs an additional $60, will take 7-9 weeks. It is your responsibility to ensure your participant's passport is up to date and meets these requirements. We encourage families to familiarize themselves with the U.S. Department of State website for all up-to-date and accurate passport recommendations. 

VACCINE & MEDICATION INFORMATION

We always encourage families to review the CDC website regarding recommended vaccinations and medications for international travel. More information will be provided to enrolled families from our Admissions Team in the Spring.

TECHNOLOGY

As part of the RLT experience, our trips are electronic-free. While it is encouraged to travel with cell phones, leaders will collect phones and any other personal devices after all participants arrive on the first day. It can feel tough initially to not have access to your phone, but it really helps everyone in the group to connect and have a really great trip experience. This includes phones, iPods, tablets, gaming devices, music devices, smartwatches, etc. All electronics will be held by RLT leaders, kept safe and dry for the duration of the trip, and returned at the end of the program. All cameras, go pros, etc. are acceptable and can be kept with you! If you do not have a camera, please note that leaders will also be taking photos throughout the program, and these photos will be shared through an online gallery.