High School Summer Programs

Ecuador & the Amazon

Biodiversity & Indigenous Communities in the Andes
Ecological Sustainability, Indigenous Rights, Social justice

3 Weeks

Adventure across one of the world’s most biodiverse nations. Collaborate with local organizations on critical social justice issues and dive into the heart of the Amazon. Along the way, build connections in an Andean mountain village famous for its volcanic crater lake.

Dates

July 1-29, 2023

Ages

14 -18

Availability

Spaces available

Group size

18 or less

tuition

$7,895
International airfare is not included in the tuition. Roundtrip airfare from New York to Ecuador will be between $1,100 and $1,700.

Program overview

Beyond biodiversity, explore Ecuador’s cultural diversity as you work in collaboration with indigenous a advocacy organizations across the country.
Contained within the borders of one small country are the headwaters of the Amazon, the snow-capped volcanoes of the Andes, and Darwin’s Galapagos Islands. Ecuador is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world! It has a remarkable variety of habitats and is as rich culturally as it is geographically.

Discover Ecuador firsthand as you meet the indigenous peoples of the High Sierra, trek through clouds in the high Andes, and celebrate the vibrancy of rural family life.
Global Routes Ecuador Map
High school summer programs Ecuador by Global Routes

highlights

Become an integral part of your rural Ecuadorian home, harvesting fresh bananas and cacao or playing soccer with your siblings.
Improve your Spanish as you work side by side with locals on the construction of a school.
Explore the Amazon basin; traverse the rainforest in one of the world’s most biodiverse jungles.

Want the day by day itinerary?

How to enroll

Take the first step here

Learn more about enrolling in a summer program below.

The Application Process

1. Submit your Interest Form

If you’re curious about Global Routes, we encourage you to start your exploration with our Interest Form. It’s obligation-free and takes only a few minutes.

2. Interview with Global Routes Staff

After submission of your interest form, you’ll be guided to book a call with a member of our team. This call is an informal “interview” to help you determine if Global Routes is the best fit for you! We’ll also happily answer any questions you have about our summer programs.

3. Accepted! Complete Tuition Payment & Enrollment

When you’re sure Global Routes is for you and you’re ready to register, you’ll simply click “Enroll Now” to register and pay your program tuition.

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FAQ

Once we receive your application and reserve a space for you in the program, we provide you access to a password-protected webpage designed specifically for your program. There, we post information about passports and visas, detailed packing lists, all necessary travel information, information about your leaders, and much more! We’re also always on hand to answer any questions you might have.

Global Routes accepts students 14-17  from all over the world!  Right-fit participants are those looking for something more community-driven than a teen-tour and more culturally engaging than strictly outdoor education programs. Global Routes participants return as more confident, directed, self-aware, and adventurous global citizens with a better understanding of the unique contributions they offer their communities and the world. 

We expect you to have a positive attitude, demonstrate patience and flexibility in the face of the inherent challenges of group living in a foreign country, be sensitive to the cultures and customs of your host community, contribute to a positive group experience, and abide by the  student contract you sign on the application. No previous construction, teaching, or foreign language experience is necessary.

Living conditions will vary throughout your program, but they will always be safe and comfortable. During orientation and final travel you stay with your group in family-run guesthouses or small hostels or hotels. During the homestay portion of your program, your entire group will stay in one village where you and a partner live in a simple and rustic home, constructed of wood or cement block. When hosted, not all homes will have electricity or indoor plumbing. 

In each destination we have in-country staff who identify potential communities and  interview and select each host family. Prior to the start of your program, one of your leaders makes an additional pre-trip visit to your community to meet with village leaders, members of the project committee, and all host families. We go to new communities and work with new families nearly every year. This keeps the experience unique and special for communities and students alike. 

At other points in the program, we will find ourselves in hotels, hostels, or even camping as the final itinerary indicates.

We present all students with a certificate noting the number of completed service hours. You will complete anywhere between 40 and 100 community service hours, depending on your program. Each school determines whether or not Global Routes service hours meet their requirements. We’re happy to communicate with your school service advisor ahead of time to answer any questions they may have about your service work.

We believe that limiting technology on a program builds better connections to ourselves, our peers, and our new environments. We appreciate that cell phones can be helpful when meeting your leader or parent on travel days and therefore we permit the use of cell phones for communication on the first and last days of your program ONLY. Cell phone use is not allowed during the entire course of the program Although this can be daunting at first, most students cite the lack of phones as one of their FAVORITE parts of the Global Routes summer program!

Global Routes stays in close contact with each program and receives updates every few days. We are accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to our group leaders for the entire summer, and provide regular updates via email and blog posts to parents, guardians, and mentors back home. Additionally, students will have a few opportunities throughout the program to contact home by mail, email, and phone.

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