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 - 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. Meals Included: 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. Meals Included: 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. Meals Included: 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! Meals Included: 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. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
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
Payment and cancellation 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, 2024 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, 2025 |
|
|
June 15 (Early Bird); October 1, 2024 (Final) |
$500 due with application* |
|
November 1, 2024 |
$1000 |
|
December 1, 2024 |
$1000 |
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January 15, 2025 |
Balance |
*Once the online application and $500 deposit are submitted and processed, participants will receive enrollment confirmation.
Cancellation Schedule
|
Spring Programs: March and April, 2025 |
|
|
Date of Cancellation |
Refund Amount |
|
Cancellations received through October 1, 2024 |
Refund of all money paid MINUS a $100 adminstrative fee* |
|
October 2 - November 14, 2024 |
Refund of all money paid MINUS a $250 administrative fee* |
|
November 15, 2024 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, 2024 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, 2025 |
|
|
June 15 (Early Bird); October 15, 2024 (Final) |
$500 due with application* |
|
November 15, 2024 |
$1250 |
|
January 15, 2025 |
$1250 |
|
March 15, 2025 |
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, 2025 |
|
|
Date of Cancellation |
Refund Amount |
|
Cancellations received through October 15, 2024 |
Refund of all money paid MINUS $100 adminitrative fee* |
|
October 16 – November 30, 2024 |
Refund of all money paid MINUS a $250 administrative fee* |
|
December 1, 2024 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)