This program will run during Spring Break from March 12 through March 22, 2026. Students will need to check with their professors that they are able to miss the classes immediately before Spring Break, but this has not posed any difficulty in the past.

The final itinerary for this program will not be shared with the group until a few weeks before departure because it all depends on the community projects that they are working on at that time. This would be a typical day for you. 

• Breakfast with your host family
• Project time with local community members
• Lunch with the community
• Excursions to local sites of interest. Some possibilities may be to museums, hikes to lakes/pools, cooking classes, local markets, touring a fruit farm, doing arts and crafts, all while learning local history and traditions.
• Dinner with your host family
• Occasional evening programs

Below is the proposed itinerary for 2026. Please note that this itinerary is subject to change and a final program itinerary will be provided to participants before our departure at the pre-trip meetings.

Thursday, March 12th

• Evening arrival. Settle in to Hotel El Geranio.

Friday, March 13th

• Breakfast at hotel
• Orientation & grocery shopping
• Lunch with host family
• Meeting with the community and talk about your project that you will be working on during your time there.
• Dinner with host families

Saturday, March 14th

• Breakfast
• Community project
• Lunch with Host Family
• Time with community members
• Dinner with host families

Sunday, March 15th

• Breakfast
• Community Project
• Lunch with Host Family
• Visit the Parque Condor, a wildlife rehabilitation center and bird sanctuary.
• Presentation by a local community member about Ecuadorian indigenous law.
• Dinner with host families

Monday, March 16th

• Breakfast
• Visit the Ponchos Market to view indigenous textiles, artisanal crafts, jewelry, apparel, wood carvings and sculptures, focusing on traditional Ecuadorian culture
• Lunch in El Chonero
• Visit The Otavalango museum, a living museum which used to be a Spanish Hacienda. Students will experience live demonstrations of traditional weaving, and view exhibits that have been preserved of the culture of the Indigenous Otavalenos.
• Dinner with host families

Tuesday, March 17th

• Breakfast
• Excursion to the Nangulvi pools, located in the Sacred valley of Intag. The pools are natural and have medicinal and healing properties
• Lunch in Apuela, a picturesque town in Intaq valle, known for its lush landscapes, rich biodiversity and is the gateway to the cloud forests of Ecuador.
• Time with host families
• Dinner with host families

Wednesday, March 18th

• Breakfast
• Community Project
• Lunch with Host Family
• Visit Metereologic Center
• Dinner with host families

 Thursday, March 19th

• Breakfast
• Community Project
• Lunch with Host Family
• Make Humitas and Colada Morada, two traditional dishes popular to Ecuadorian culture. Humitas are similar to corn tamales and Coloda Morado is a spicy berry and purple corn drink. 
• Dinner with host families

Friday, March 20th

• Time with host families and Community Project, complete with a Fish release.
• Students will have the chance to experience a Pambamesa/Despedida, an Ecuadorian tradition which entails spreading traditional food on a blanket on the ground for a shared meal with community members. This serves as an act of social solidarity within different community populations. Despedida is the local word meaning a "going away party." This is their gift to us. 
• Return to Otavalo and free time in the city to explore and enjoy the hotel
• Dinner in Balcon de Imbabura

Saturday, March 21st

• Hike to Taxopamba, a stunning waterfall outside of Otavalo where lagoons are place along the hiking trail. Perfect for are refreshing dip!
• Lunch in Manglar
• Final debrief and reflection.
• Dinner in La Catrina and transfer to airport

Students are placed with families in the village of Otavalo. The home-stay experience facilitates language learning and active participation in the culture and society of the local community members and their Kichwa heritage.

Program Fee: $2,500 before funding

Funding Sources:

For SPARK eligible students, you will receive the $1,500 SPARK Grant from the Center for Life's Work. Your final out-of-pocket cost will be $1,000.

For non-SPARK eligible undergraduate students and graduate students your final out of pocket cost will be $2,500. Graduate students may have access to some additional funding from the Graduate Office.

Program Fee Includes:

• Round trip airfare
• All accommodations
• All activities, entry fees, tours, etc. listed in the itinerary
• All in-country transportation
• All meals (3 meals a day)
• Transportation to and from the Rochester airport
• International travel and medical insurance

Not Included:

• Passport (must be valid at least 6 months past the return date of the program). 
• Miscellaneous expenses (such as souvenirs, personal care items, etc.)

Visit the following sites to see the recommended immunizations and medications for your program. Talk with your family and your physician to understand which ones you may need to travel. 

CDC 

Passport Health

U.S. Department of State

Step 1: APPLY NOW

Step 2: PRINT, SIGN AND DELIVER TO GAC 121

Please complete Step 1 and Step 2 of the application by September 26th for consideration. All students will be required to complete an online application and then schedule a brief interview. Acceptance emails will be sent out shortly after the completion of all interviews. The payment timeline will be shared with students once they are accepted into the program.