Xperitas - Outline Itinerary

Mi Querido Ecuador

11-Day Program | A unique Spanish language immersion experience begins for your student group upon your arrival in Ecuador! Live, laugh and learn in Quito while attending morning Spanish classes at the Academia Guayasamín. Enjoy activities such as cooking, salsa dancing and trips to La Mitad del Mundo and Otavalo, South America's largest handicraft market. Spend evenings relaxing at home with your familia quiteña (2-3 students per family). Our unforgettable Family Stay Experience® allows students to become temporary locals and appreciate the everyday Ecuadorian lifestyle. Spanish language skills learned in the classroom come to life in this in-depth language immersion travel experience in Latin America.
All travel dates are tentative, pending teacher approval and airline confirmation.

Program Overview

11 Days
Guided
Family Stay: Xperitas Family Stay
From $3,669.00 pp from

Features

Round-Trip Airfare
Overnight Accommodations
In-Country Transportation
Insurance
24/7 Emergency Support While Abroad

Program Itinerary

Day 1 Quito
	Arrive in Quito, transfer to your hotel.
	Included meals: None

Day 2 Quito
	Explore Quito with a costumed character from the capital city’s colorful history. Enjoy sites such as la Plaza de la Independencia and el Palacio Presidencial, and visit la Basílica del Voto Nacional. After a day of exploring what UNESCO refers to as the most well-preserved colonial city in Latin America, enjoy an Xperitas welcome dinner.
	Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 3 - 6 Family Stay
	Begin classes at the esteemed Academia Guayasamín and a six-night family stay with your Ecuadorian hosts. In addition to Spanish instruction, you’ll be treated to visits to a local fruit market, Casa Museo Guayasamín and la Capilla del Hombre. Spend time practicing your language skills while participating in a volunteer activity and try your hand at a new skill during salsa dancing and cooking classes. Enjoy the afternoons and evenings with your host family.
	Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7 Family Stay
	After Spanish class, go on an adventure! Take a ride up the Teleférico skylift for a panoramic view of Quito. Then, stop at the Mitad del Mundo, or the center of the world, whose monument was once thought to be the geographic location of the equator. Experience the oddities of standing on the actual equator line during your visit to the intriguing Intiñan Museum and top everything off with a delicious chocolate tour.
	Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8 Family Stay
	Board the bus for an exciting day outside of Quito. Your day begins in Otavalo, the site of the most famous handicraft market in South America. Visit a workshop to learn about this community’s traditional way of weaving. After browsing the stalls of the bustling market, stop to take in the tranquil beauty of la Cascada de Peguche. Travel to a nearby villiage where you’ll listen to the rhythms of traditional Andean instruments played by a local family of musicians.
	Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9 Mindo
	Bid farewell to your familia quiteña. For a full day of adventure, head south to Mindo. There you will visit a tropical butterfly garden, hike incredible waterfalls, and experience the cloud forest firsthand as you zipline through the treetops. In the evening, listen to the sounds of Mindo’s nocturnal wildlife during a hike that is also known as the frog concert!
	Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10 En Route
	Enjoy a farewell lunch with your fellow travelers. Transfer to the airport for your flight to the United States.
	Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 11 Return
	Arrive in the United States.
	Included meals: None

The Family Stay Experience®

We believe that spending time with a family, speaking their language and participating in their customs is the best and most authentic way to experience another culture. It’s also what makes our programs different from any other travel experience. After 50 years of arranging family stays, we’re no longer surprised when our participants say that spending time with a family was the best part of their experience!

	Non-Profit \| Since 1972 \| 100 Host Communities & Growing Xperitas is a community of lifelong intercultural learners who believe in a world built on deeper understanding between cultures. Our values are reflected by our commitment to increasing accessibility to language immersion programs. We provide aid and merit-based scholarships to qualified participants. Xperitas also achieves this goal by providing grants to schools, better helping to promote global communication through language learning.	xperitas.org info@xperitas.org 800-892-0022