Left: The students started out the long bus ride through Ecuador in Quito, the capital city of Ecuador. The city is built on a mountainside in the Andes, and is surrounded by volcanoes such as Cotopaxi, one of the highest active volcanoes in the world. Before taking off on their journey, the group breakfasted on the 7th floor of Hotel Quito and stocked up on snacks and water. Below: After exiting the city limits of Quito, the group was soon immersed into the Ecuadorian Highlands. There, they viewed mountains touching the clouds and mist hanging in the valleys between the green mountains of the Andes. These lands are privately owned and farmed by the indigenous people who sometimes build their farms straight up a mountain side, instead of leveling off the land.
A Tour Through Ecuador As a new addition to the West High School Galapagos Trip, students now spend several days in the Rainforest areas of Ecuador. On March 13, the students left Quito after arriving the night before to travel through the Ecuadorian highlands to get the Amazonian region of the country. On the way, they were able to learn about the history, food, culture and day to day lifestyle of the people in Ecuador. They took several hikes, learned about some native plant life (such as the arbol de papel or paper tree), and visited some natural hot springs.
Photo Essay by Alissa Rothman
Above: View of the Rainforest Canopy, taken from La Selva’s Observation tower, just one of the many attractions the lodge had to offer. From it, students saw several species of birds, and if they were lucky some monkeys.
Above: Later in the first day of traveling, the group stopped to try some traditional Ecuadorian food. At this roadside stand, some indigenous farmers were selling metzitos (corn), potatoes and pork. While ordering, students practiced their Spanish and learned about some of the common food in Ecuador (which includes guinea pig). Right: During the second day of traveling, the students rode through a mountainside pass for four hours. With the pass behind them, the group stopped to use the bathroom of the roadside stop where these three girls were playing with their three yellow dogs (not pictured). The group also encountered a toucan at the stop before continuing on the Coca.
Above: The students took a two and a half hour boat ride from Coca to their destination of La Selva Lodge.Students enjoyed swimming with piranhas, viewing the jungle canopy from the lodge’s observation tower, and visiting the lodge’s butterfly farm.