Ecuador - on hold

Santa Lucia Cloud Forest Reserve

The first phase of the program is to contribute and explore the Santa Lucia Cloud forest Reserve which is a true community-owned conservation and eco-tourism organization, located within the stunning Chocó Andino de Pichincha Biosphere Reserve, one of the world’s biodiversity 'hotspots.'

The reserve is home to over 1500 tropical plants, including orchids, 400 species of birds, as well as pumas, ocelots and the endangered spectacled bear so there is plenty to discover and explore. It takes about 2 hours to reach the edge of the reserve from Quito and once there you will start the 2-hour trek in - weaving your way up through primary cloud forest to find the lodge at a height of 1920m.

Eco-tourism in a location such as Santa Lucía is very labour-intensive so help from volunteers is really vital. It is sometimes possible for leap teams to focus on a specific project but usually we are needed to help with the following ongoing projects:

• Collecting orchids and maintaining the orchid garden
• Helping in the organic kitchen garden
• Maintaining the lodge buildings, trails and signage around the reserve
• For those who enjoy art and creativity, helping design elaborate souvenirs
• Bird monitoring – part of a larger scientific research project at Santa Lucia – this involves placing and retrieving camera traps in the forest
• Working in the sugar cane plantation and sugar production, a sustainable cycle for the lodge

At Santa Lucia there is limited electricity (provided by solar panels) and for the moment they do not have WIFI. They are looking into it but no concrete plans as yet. There is good mobile phone reception so you can use your phone if you arrive with roaming or get a local SIM card from an Ecuadorian mobile phone provider.

Accommodation

In the lodge, in shared dorms and bathrooms.

Food

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included at the lodge – expect fresh, local food.

High up in the Andes

Leaving the cloud forest behind, you'll head back to Quito before starting your next phase of adventure in the Andes, which includes:

Cotopaxi National Park
Here you'll tackle a 30 kms exhilerating biking tour through the Cotopaxi National Park - traveling along the Avenue of the Volcanoes, visiting the Limpiopungo Valley to see the wild horses, indigenous birds and plants and the beautiful Limpiopungo Lake.

Hike & Swing at the End of the World
Next up is a trip to the pretty mountain spa town of Baños, where you'll hike to the stunning waterfalls of Manto de la Novia and the Pailon del Diablo, before visiting the famous "Swing at the End of the World" where you can swing from a local treehouse out over the valley below with the smoking Tungurahua Volcano as a backdrop. Breathtaking

White Water Rafting
Along the Pastaza River to experience the thrills of big water and incredible views along the way.

Accommodation

You will be staying at different hostels along the journey.

Food

All meals provided apart from dinner in the Cotopaxi National Park and Banos (ie Day 10 and Day 11 dinners).

600 miles off the coast

For many this is a bucket list moment...and if you’re an animal lover, the Galapagos will not disappoint.

The archipelago’s remote location, 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, means that the islands’ flora and fauna have been almost entirely isolated from the rest of the world for millions of years, many without natural predators. We give you the chance to go way beyond the tourist trail and explore where few people get the opportunity to discover.

You will fly you into San Cristobal, the Galapagos’ easternmost island, to live and work at a conservation project and eco-farm called Hacienda Tranquila, led by the dynamic Geovanni and his team.

The Hacienda works as a flagship eco-farm to provide the local community with organic gardens and sets an example for other farmers. They also contribute to reversing the effects of environmental damage caused by increased tourism, restoring the land to its natural state, and creating organic gardens for the community.

Projects here include:

• Here you will work in a controlled plot of land to eliminate invasive plant species and to restore native and endemic ones, growing the plants first in a greenhouse, and then transplanting them to their permanent locations.
• At the Hacienda, they have a hippo-therapy program which works with disabled children from the local community every Wednesday and Thursday morning. Here you will help the children with the planned activities - leading the horses while the children are riding in various positions, teaching self-sufficiency skills, and interacting with the children through game and play.

Accommodation

Hacienda Tranquila - simple, purpose-built volunteer accommodation.

You’ll be sharing bedrooms with 2-5 volunteers per bedroom, sheets and mosquito nets are provided. The house has a kitchen with two stove tops and large refrigerators, a common area and bathrooms. There’s even an outdoor pizza oven.

There’s a cleaning rota and everyone is required to muck in with household duties.

Please note there is NO WIFI in the house but available in the nearest towns of Progreso and Puerto Baquerizo.

Food

Food – NOT INCLUDED. Here you will need to buy and prepare your own meals as a team. In the past, Leapers have devised a rota for cooking and allocated responsibility for each meal to a pair of volunteers, which tends to work well.

Time to say farewell

You’ll head back to Quito for a final night to say good-bye to Emma and her team and do any last-minute shopping, before heading home or carrying on with your travels.

On your final day Emma’s team will transfer you back to the airport.

Accommodation

Overnight in a hostel in the old town

Food

Farewell dinner included
Breakfast on final day included