Mi Querido Ecuador
Includes Family Stay Experience®
11 Day Immersion Program
Most Costs Included in Trip Pricing
Dedicated Planning Assistance
Why You’ll Love This Trip
- Quito walking city tour
- La Basílica del Voto Nacional
- 5 Spanish classes
- Fruit market
- Museo Guayasamín
- Volunteer activity
- Salsa class
- Cooking class
- Teleférico
- Mitad del Mundo
- Intiñan Museum
- Chocolate tour
- Weaving workshop
- Otavalo market
- Andean instrument presentation
- La Cascada de Peguche
- Butterfly garden
- Waterfall hike
- Nocturnal hike
- Zipline
- Tips for guide(s) and/or bus driver(s)
Day 1 | Quito
Arrive in Quito, transfer to your hotel. Meals Included: 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. Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Days 3 - 5 | Family Stay
Begin Spanish classes at the esteemed Academia Guayasamín and settle into your stay with your Ecuadorian host family. Over the next few days, you'll engage in meaningful cultural experiences, including visits to a local fruit market and the Casa Museo Guayasamín, and learn some new moves during a salsa dance class. Afternoons and evenings offer the chance to connect with your host family and further immerse yourself in daily Ecuadorian life. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 | Mindo
Leave Quito early and travel to the cloud forest of Mindo for a full day of nature and adventure. Zipline through the forest canopy and take time to relax at the lodge. In the evening, listen to the unique “frog concert” during a nocturnal nature hike. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7 | Family Stay
After breakfast, hike to Mindo’s famous waterfalls. Then, return to the lodge for a farewell lunch in Mindo. In the afternoon, visit the butterfly garden before heading back to Quito to rejoin your host family. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Days 8 - 9 | Family Stay
Continue your Spanish immersion with a morning Spanish class, followed by a meaningful volunteer visit to a local center for seniors. Later, take part in a hands-on cooking class and prepare a traditional Ecuadorian meal alongside your classmates. The next day, head north to Otavalo to explore the largest artisan market in South America. Visit a weaving workshop in Peguche, admire the stunning Cascada de Peguche, and enjoy a live demonstration by a family of Andean musicians. End the day with a quick stop in Cotacachi, famous for its leather goods, before returning to Quito. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10 | En 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, say hasta luego to your host family and transfer to the airport for your overnight flight home. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11 | Return
Arrive in the United States. Meals Included: None
Price Includes
Price Excludes
- Airline baggage fees
- Increase in air cost due to requests for specific travel dates or airline
- Costs incurred due to late or missed flights
- Passport, visa or other document costs
- Transportation to/from departure city
- Any meals not indicated on itineraries
- Spending money and gifts
- Any fees associated with advanced seating assignments
- Small-group supplement when group has fewer than 10 participants
Pricing Calculator
Spring Payment Schedule
Billing and Payments: Xperitas will email a bill for the final payment approximately three weeks before it is due. For all other payments please refer to this schedule. A payment reminder will be sent to you via email a week before a scheduled payment is due. Payments can be made by credit/debit card via the Xperitas portal or by check or money order payable to Xperitas.
Cancellations: Any cancellation made through October 1, 2025 will receive a refund of the amount paid minus a $100 administrative fee. Cancellations made after this date will be calculated on an individual basis at the time of cancellation and follow the schedule and terms below.
Payment Schedule
|
Spring Programs: March and April, 2026 |
|
|
June 15 (Early Bird); October 1, 2025 (Final) |
$500 due with application* |
|
November 1, 2025 |
$1000 |
|
December 1, 2025 |
$1000 |
|
January 15, 2026 |
Balance |
*Once the online application and $500 deposit are submitted and processed, participants will receive enrollment confirmation.
Cancellation Schedule
|
Spring Programs: March and April, 2026 |
|
|
Date of Cancellation |
Refund Amount |
|
Cancellations received through October 1, 2025 |
Refund of all money paid MINUS a $100 adminstrative fee* |
|
October 2 - November 14, 2025 |
Refund of all money paid MINUS a $250 administrative fee* |
|
November 15, 2025 or later |
Refund of all money paid MINUS a $500 administrative fee* AND any air/land expenses incurred by Xperitas (Varies by program and cancellation date) |
|
30 days prior to departure |
No refund possible |
*This fee is to help cover the cost of organizational resources incurred in the planning of the language/cultural immersion experience.
Summer Payment Schedule
Billing and Payments: Xperitas will email a bill for the final payment approximately three weeks before it is due. For all other payments please refer to this schedule. A payment reminder will be sent to you via email a week before a scheduled payment is due. Payments can be made by credit/debit card via the Xperitas portal or by check or money order payable to Xperitas.
Cancellations: Any cancellation made through October 15, 2025 will receive a full refund minus a $100 administrative fee. Cancellations made after this date will be calculated on an individual basis at the time of cancellation and follow the schedule and terms below.
Payment Schedule
|
Summer Programs: May, June, July, August, 2026 |
|
|
June 15 (Early Bird); October 15, 2025 (Final) |
$500 due with application* |
|
November 15, 2025 |
$1250 |
|
January 15, 2026 |
$1250 |
|
March 15, 2026 |
Balance |
*Once the online application and $500 deposit are submitted and processed, participants will receive enrollment confirmation.
Cancellation Schedule
|
Summer Programs: May, June, July, August, 2026 |
|
|
Date of Cancellation |
Refund Amount |
|
Cancellations received through October 15, 2025 |
Refund of all money paid MINUS $100 adminitrative fee* |
|
October 16 – November 30, 2025 |
Refund of all money paid MINUS a $250 administrative fee* |
|
December 1, 2025 or later |
Refund of all money paid MINUS a $500 administrative fee* AND any air/land expenses incurred by Xperitas (Varies by program and cancellation date) |
|
30 days prior to departure |
No refund possible |
*This fee is to help cover the cost of organizational resources incurred in the planning of the language/cultural immersion experience.
Enrollment Information
The order of this itinerary and all itinerary items are subject to change based on unforeseen circumstances that may arise prior to or during the program.
- Quito walking city tour
- La Basílica del Voto Nacional
- 5 Spanish classes
- Fruit market
- Museo Guayasamín
- Volunteer activity
- Salsa class
- Cooking class
- Teleférico
- Mitad del Mundo
- Intiñan Museum
- Chocolate tour
- Weaving workshop
- Otavalo market
- Andean instrument presentation
- La Cascada de Peguche
- Butterfly garden
- Waterfall hike
- Nocturnal hike
- Zipline
- Tips for guide(s) and/or bus driver(s)