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 $3,884.00 pp from
Features
Round-Trip Airfare Overnight Accommodations In-Country Transportation Insurance 24/7 Emergency Support While Abroad
Program Itinerary
Day 1Quito
Arrive in Quito, transfer to your hotel.
Included meals:
None
Day 2Quito
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 - 6Family 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 7Family 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 8Family 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 9Mindo
Travel north to Otavalo and explore the most famous artisan market in South America. Visit a local weaving workshop in Peguche to learn about traditional techniques. After lunch, admire the scenic beauty of la Cascada de Peguche and enjoy an instrument demonstration by a family of Andean musicians. End your day with a quick stop in Cotacachi, known for its leather goods, before returning to Quito.
Included meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10En Route
Enjoy a final morning of Spanish class. Afterwards, visit the Teleférico skylift for panoramic views of Quito and explore the iconic Mitad del Mundo monument. Take a chocolate tour and visit the Pululahua volcanic crater. In the evening, transfer to the airport for your overnight flight home.
Included meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11Return
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.
