Travel and Itinerary

Itinerary

This is a typical itinerary for our 14-day expeditions. Actual number of days at each site, as well as number of sites, will vary based on trip length. Other factors, such as weather or labor conditions, may also cause deviations from this schedule. Two-week expeditions will visit three of our four sites. Four and six week expeditions will visit some sites more than once, with a three day break in between sites. Participants staying for more than one expedition will have the option to vacation at Punta Prieta, stay with the group and go to Quito and back, or travel independently. Important: we are not responsible for expenses incurred in-between expeditions, nor are we responsible for your safety should you decide to travel independently of the rest of the group.

Day 1: Arrive in Quito, meet the staff and other participants and take a taxi to the hotel.

Day 2: We wake up early this morning and get a quick breakfast. We then take taxis to the bus terminal and start the sometimes adventurous trip down the Andes. We may have a chance for a short lunch or snack before arriving at our first night's accommodations, which will vary based on study site. Before dinner, we will have a field training session.

Day 3: We will start early to start to our field site. Depending on the site, we may require several hours, or even the entire day, riding busses, taxis, trucks, mules, and on foot to get to our field site. Upon arrival to our field site, we will set up camp and lab and then get ready for the first night's transect!

Days 4-9: These will be our typical field days. The night of the 9th day for coastal sites will be spent on one of our beach resort sites.

Day 10: We take the bus back up the Andes to Quito. For Amazonian trips, we will stop for several hours at Pappallacta hot springs for a steamy respite--quite welcome after 9 days of bathing in cold streams!

Once we get back to Quito, you are on your own to explore the city and countryside. There is plenty to see in Ecuador, and you might want to plan some extra days, or even weeks, after the project. Check with us about ideas for independent travel in Ecuador.

Accommodations

Accommodations will vary among sites. At La Perla, we will be camping, but will have food catered by a local restaurant and cold showers are available. At Pata de Pajaro and Rio Bigal, we will be camping in primite conditions. Food will be served by staff, and we may ask you to help out a bit in the kitchen. Bathing will be done in a local stream. Note: for crucial environmntal concerns, RAEI does not purchase or provide beef or shrimp at any time. Vegetarian meals are always available on request.

Important Travel Information

See our participant instructions and checklist for more detailed steps on getting ready for your expedition.

You will need to purchase airline tickets for roundtrip flights to Quito (via Houston, Miami, or Panama City), to arrive in Quito before the starting day of your project, and leaving after the last day. For all participants, a $44 airport exit fee must be paid, in cash, upon leaving the country, and is not an included expense. Ecuadorian currency is the U.S. dollar. A valid passport will be needed and should be applied for as soon as possible if you don’t already have one. IMPORTANT: your passport must not expire until at least six months after your date of arrival. Verify that your passport is valid for the exact dates of travel. For participants with non-US passports, you may need to apply for a visa as well, contact the Ecuadorian consulate for the most current requirements.

For many points of departure in the US, flights can generally be purchased for $1,000 or less, and sometimes as low as $650. After landing, you will be met at the airport and brought to our hotel in Quito. You will then be escorted throughout the trip by your group leaders, although there will be some opportunities to explore the areas independently or in groups away from the main study areas. However, if you are arriving earlier than the day before your expedition, you must arrange your own transportation to the hotel.

You also need to consult a physician about traveling to Ecuador, and acquire traveler's insurance. You will be required to sign an affidavit to confirm these steps one month prior to departure. Your traveler's insurance must have a medical evacuation clause; we recommend at least $50,000 medical evacuation coverage. Basic insurance for travelers under age 30 can be found at www.TripPlus.com, which starts at $25. More complete coverage can be found at www.insuremytrip.com, which is an agent site which will let you choose from many options.

Some references that might come in handy for traveling and working in Ecuador are:

• US Department of State Passport Application Page: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html
  
• The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web site for travel to Ecuador: wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/ecuador.aspx. A good place to research on your own, and be prepared when you consult with a physician prior to travel. 
  
• The Ecuadorian embassy in Washington, D.C., will have the latest travel document requirements: http://www.ecuador.org/nuevosite/index_e.php
  
• Wikitravel Ecuador page: http://wikitravel.org/en/Ecuador  This site compiles some great travel advice about the country, its people, geography, history and climate. It is especially good for independent travelers.

What to Bring

See our participant checklist and insturctions for a complete list of what to bring.