day 1 day 3 - we

Please note that this itinerary is subject to change. Details of specific trip inclusions/exclusions are listed after the itinerary with costing. Accommodation in Quito may change subject to availability.

Day 1 August 18Depart from North America & evening arrival in Quito Welcome to Ecuador! Meet a ME to WE

representative at the airport, then head to your hotel

in Quito for a night’s rest before your descent into the

Amazon.

Day 2 August 19Descend into the Amazon basin After a delicious breakfast featuring Western

favorites and traditional South American cuisine,

start your journey to the Amazon! En route from

Quito, we will wind down mountain hills with awe-

inspiring views into the Amazon basin, descending

into the lush cloud forest.

Jungle cruise river expedition Hop aboard an outboard motor canoe for a

20-minute ride up the Rio Napo, a tributary to the

Amazon River.

Minga Lodge arrival and orientation Allishamushcacapay–welcome! Take in a

spectacular sunset over the river as you snack on

local treats like plantain chips and yucca fritters,

washed down with a glass of chilled guayusa tea.

Then, follow a ME to WE member along winding

pathways and raised walkways to your cottage

nestled into the jungle. Later, meet with the team

to learn about the unique WE Villages development

model, which works to empower communities

to break the cycle of poverty through five Pillars

of Impact: Education, Water, Health, Food and

Opportunity.

Welcome dinner & Spanish lesson Let the aromas of cumin, oregano, garlic and onion

be your guide as you make your way back to the

dining hall from your cabin, along meandering stone

pathways and over a footbridge across the creek.

Feast on Western favorites and local delicacies

like heart of palm, stinging nettle and fish cooked

in palm leaves. Add some fire to the meal with a

scoop of aji hot sauce, if you dare! After dinner,

enjoy a fun session to learn some key phrases in

Spanish that will help you foster your connection

with new friends in the local communities.

Day 3 August 20Rainforest excursion Rise and shine! Before breakfast, explore the trails

of a nearby 300-hectare forest reserve, where you

will get your first taste of exploring the Amazon

rainforest.

A day in the life-visit a local farmer Meet Don Vargas and his family on their farm and

learn from them firsthand how the WE Villages

model has impacted their lives. Accompany them

during daily tasks and learn about the importance

of crop diversity and how to best run a farm in the

Amazonian jungle.

Sustainable farming

There’s no better way to understand the ways of

local people than by walking a mile in their shoes.

After lunch, roll up your sleeves and join Don Vargas

to help plant seeds, fetch water from the river and

harvest crops. Taste some of the fresh produce right

on the spot or later, at the dinner table!

Dinner Gather around the dinner table for a family-style

feast and some downtime with the group. Enjoy

some of the fruit and vegetables that you harvested

today on the farm. It doesn’t get any fresher!

T r i p d a t e s : A u g u s t 1 8 - 2 6 , 2 0 1 8E c u a d o r : F a r m t o F o r k t r i p

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Day 4 August 21 A sweet trip to the cacao farm The production of cacao represents one of the main

sources of income for the region’s farmers. Meet

with a cacao farmer who supplies beans to a French

chocolatier, then sweeten your afternoon back at

the lodge, as you learn how to make chocolate from

scratch using cocoa beans.

Chocolate and coffee tasting at the lodge After lunch, indulge in a delicious tasting–sampling

different sorts of chocolate and coffee. You’ll be

surprised by how the soil a chocolate tree grows

in can make a difference to how the cacao it

produces tastes!

Curious critters: Wild Amazonian night hike When the sun goes down, the rainforest comes

alive. Grab your flashlight and set out on an

adventurous night with your cultural facilitator,

who will take you as close as comfort allows to see

for yourself what has been making all that noise

after sundown.

Day 5 August 22Community orientation and volunteering After breakfast, join your group and a ME to

WE team member for a short jungle walk or

canoe ride to the nearby community, where you

will help build local infrastructure as part of

a WE Villages development project. Hear the

inspiring story of how Craig and Marc Kielburger

witnessed a spontaneous and powerful community

movement—a minga—years ago inspiring the

formation of ME to WE and, of course, the naming

of Minga Lodge.

Visit the WE Farm Later in the day, visit this brand-new project—learn

about local food production, and be among the

first to see how local farmers are working to create

a legacy for future generations through cacao

production.


Day 6 August 23Cooking class Enjoy a traditional cooking class using fresh

and local ingredients, led by a local chef who

is a master at combining local ingredients with

traditional techniques. Then, enjoy the meal you’ve

prepared as you learn about local food production

and its relation to the Food Pillar of Impact.

Braided & beaded: Opportunity initiatives in the Amazon Sit with a group of skilled artisans to learn how

they generate income through traditional jewelry

making. From sourcing to production, every step

toward creating this uniquely Ecuadorian jewelry is

local, with many pieces made from nuts and seeds

collected in the rainforest. You’ll also have the

option of returning to the build site to continue your

community project.

Dinner Settle in for a family-style meal—featuring a

chocolatey finish!—and join your facilitator as they

guide the group in a round of “gratitude sharing” to

talk about the highlights of the experience so far.


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Day 7 August 24Volunteering and community farewell Return to the volunteer site one last time to say

a final farewell to local community members.

Alternately, enjoy a leisurely morning back at the

lodge to relax and reflect.

Shaman ceremony and weapons training Let a local shaman guide you and your fellow

travelers to a nearby vantage point, high above

the river, for a traditional cleansing ceremony and

blessing. Next, channel your inner Kichwa hunter

and learn firsthand from an indigenous weapons

expert how to throw a spear and shoot a blowgun.

Farewell dinner prepared by local top chef Celebrate your week of hard work, new experiences

and meaningful contributions with a special farewell

dinner prepared on the spot by Daniel, the chef

of URKO, one of the most bustling restaurants in

downtown Quito. Then, take in a grass skirt-swaying

spectacle of traditional Ecuadorian music and

dance, performed by local community members.

Don’t be shy—the performers love it when you

join in!

Day 8 August 25Depart for Quito Say goodbye to the steamy Amazon and its amazing

people and way of life. Take a two-hour boat ride

toward Coca, where we will fly back to Quito to

experience the heritage of this capital city.

Visit historic Quito Explore Old Quito, a UNESCO World Heritage Site,

on a walking tour of the area through winding

cobblestone streets, taking in the surrounding 17th-

and 18th-century Spanish colonial architecture.

Check in at the Swissôtel & final dinner Check in to your room to take a quick shower before

heading to your last dinner in Ecuador! Make your

way to Lo Nuestro, a restaurant near the hotel that

takes influences from all regions of Ecuador, fusing

together ancient family recipes and modern tastes.

Our favorites range from the traditional ceviche of

Ecuador’s coast to the Amazonian maito chicken

wrapped and cooked in banana leaves.

Day 9 August 26Early morning departure Depart from the Mariscal Sucre International

Airport and begin your journey home.

Arrive home in North America Hasta luego! Thank you for joining us for a life-

changing adventure with the people of the Amazon,

and making a difference in generations of lives in

Ecuador.



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