JATUN SACHA and GALÁPAGOS B FIELD COURSE (San Cristobal only)

LENGTH: 14 Days/13 Nights

FIXED DEPARTURE DATES: Dates available upon request. Please contact Rainforest and Reef by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.

*Our standard JATUN SACHA FOUNDATION and GALÁPAGOS B FIELD COURSE (San Cristobal only) itinerary can be modified in content and length for SPECIAL INTERESTS and NEEDS.

*RAINFOREST EXPERIENCES at JATUN SACHA BIOLOGICAL STATION or other JUNGLE LODGES, such as the SACHA, NAPO WILDLIFE CENTER, LA SELVA and KAPAWI are also available to individuals and groups in Ecuador’s Upper Amazon Basin.

*Affordable EXTENSIONS including an OLD TOWN QUITO CITY-TOUR (half or full-day); OTAVALO MARKET and NEARBY VILLAGES; SAQUISILÍ MARKET (half or full-day); COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARK and the AVENUE of the VOLCANOES (half or full-day); VILLAGE of BAÑOS and the AVENUE of the VOLCANOES (3d/2n) and CUENCA are available upon request before or after our JATUN SACHA FOUNDATION and GALÁPAGOS B FIELD COURSE (San Cristobal only). Please contact Rainforest and Reef for details and pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.

*WHITE-WATER RAFTING and TREKKING are also available in Ecuador upon request.

*An affordable EXTENSION to CUZCO and the LOST CITY of the INCAS-MACHU PICCHU is also available to individuals and groups. Please contact Rainforest and Reef for details and pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721. Pricing and itineraries are also available at http://www.rainforestandreef.org. Look under our PERU A, B and C FIELD COURSES, as well.

Note: Individuals/groups must fly Quito-Lima, Peru or vice-versa if they are going to combine Ecuador and Peru.

*FIELD COURSES for those with SPECIAL INTERESTS, such as BIRDING and GARDEN GROUPS are available upon request. Sample itineraries can be seen at http://www.birdingtours.org (being updated), http://www.gardentours.org (being updated) and also http://www.rainforestandreef.org. Please contact Rainforest and Reef for details and pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.

*SPANISH IMMERSION PROGRAMS for individuals/groups are also available in Ecuador. A sample itinerary can be seen at http://www.iwanttolearnspanish.org (being updated) and also http://www.rainforestandreef.org. SPANISH IMMERSION is also available in the rainforest. Please contact Rainforest and Reef for details and pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.

FIELD COURSE COST: 1850.00USD per person. Based on a minimum of 10 full-paying participants. One Group Leader FREE for the ground portion of our JATUN SACHA and GALÁPAGOS B FIELD COURSE (San Cristobal only) with 10 full-paying participants. Cost is based on triple and quadruple occupancy. Double and single occupancy available upon request, usually at an extra cost.

Notes: Group Leaders, please contact Rainforest and Reef for details about STIPENDS, FREE SPACE and GROUP RATES.

For individuals, families or groups of less than 10 full-paying participants, please contact Rainforest and Reef for pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.

Includes: All INSTRUCTION and BI-LINGUAL GUIDE SERVICES; all MEALS and LODGING as stated in the itinerary; all GROUND and WATER TRANSPORTATION within Ecuador.

Does Not Include: ROUND-TRIP INTERNATIONAL AIRFARE to Ecuador; ROUND-ROUND-TRIP DOMESTIC AIRFARE QUITO-GALÁPAGOS-QUITO on DAYS 8 and 13 (~400.00USD per person); DOMESTIC AIRPORT DEPARTURE TAX (6.50USD per person) Quito-Galápagos-Quito on DAYS 8 and 13 (total 13.00USD); GALÁPAGOS NATIONAL PARK ENTRANCE FEE (100.00USD per person); INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT DEPARTURE TAX (38.00USD per person); GRATUITIES and PERSONAL ITEMS.

ITINERARY:

MEAL CODES: B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner

Note: On the MEDICAL INFORMATION FORM that you will be receiving shortly after registration, please make us aware of any special meal requests and/or dietary restrictions….vegan, vegetarian, etc., that you or members of your group may have. We will be pleased to fulfill your requests/needs.

DAY 1 Following your arrival at Mariscal Sucre International Airport, outside of Quito, you will be met by Jatun Sacha Staff and transferred to your hotel. Following dinner, there will be an orientation session to our Jatun Sacha Biological Reserve and Galápagos Islands (San Cristobal) Field Course. Overnight Quito. D

Note: Our JATUN SACHA and GALÁPAGOS B FIELD COURSE (San Cristobal only) is hosted by the largest non-profit organization in Ecuador, the Jatun Sacha Foundation. They now have 8 Biological Reserves in Ecuador, including San Cristobal, Galápagos. The work of the Jatun Sacha Foundation is to promote the conservation of forest, aquatic, and mountain ecosystems of Ecuador. They have accomplished this through technical training, scientific research, environmental education, natural resource management and community development involving structural organization with local peoples. Please visit http://www.jatunsacha.org/ for more information about Jatun Sacha and their remarkable conservation/education efforts in Ecuador. Their work has been featured in National Geographic Magazine and most Travel Guides, including Lonely Planet Travel Guide to Ecuador.



DAY 2 Early this morning, our group will depart Quito by bus. We will travel up and over Ecuador’s Continental Divide created by the Andes Mountains. During this breathtaking portion of the trip, our group will reach an elevation of more than 13,000 feet and begin the incredible descent into Ecuador’s Upper Amazon Basin. During our journey there will be numerous stops to hike, where our Naturalist Guide will assist in the interpretation and discussion of the many life-zones encountered, including alpine and cloudforest ecosystems. At the Continental Divide, we will stop in the village of Papallacta, have lunch and take time to explore some of the many natural geothermal vents and springs found here. We will then travel to the village of Tena, where our group will stop, purchase “rainforest boots” (~10.00USD per pair) and travel on the Village of Mishualí on the Napo River. We will then travel by boat to the Jatun Sacha Biological Station. Following dinner, night hike in the Rainforest near the Biological Station. B L D

DAYS 3-6 JATUN SACHA BIOLOGICAL STATION ACTIVITIES. B L D (each day)

1) GUIDED HIKES: On most days we will be take Guided hikes to various locations on Jatun Sacha property. On each hike many aspects of rainforest ecology will be interpreted and discussed with our Guides. One hike will take us into the primary rainforest for the entire day.

2) SELF-GUIDED TRAIL HIKES: A number of trails at Jatun Sacha have been marked and can be done alone or with a group. We will have access to these trails and trail maps.

3) NIGHT-HIKE: No rainforest experience would be complete without, at least, one night-hike. This is when the forest comes alive with the activities of so many animals that can’t be seen or heard during the day. Sounds from nocturnal birds, frogs and insects are also a special part of the experience. This will also provide an excellent chance to experience first-hand the incredible biodiversity of this region. A headlamp or flashlight will be necessary. This outing will provide an excellent opportunity for macro-photography, especially when it comes to frogs, insects, spiders and a variety of other invertebrates.

4) SOLO EXPERIENCE in the RAINFOREST: Each member of our group will spend part of a day alone in the primary rainforest participating in a "solo" experience. The intent of this activity is to use all of your senses in gaining a greater understanding of the rainforest. This has been a very popular activity over time and a follow-up is done as group members get together and share their "experience".

5) VISIT a LOCAL CHACRA: It is essential that people in this region raise some of their own food in small garden plots called chacras. We will have a chance to observe how these are designed and maintained to provide important food resources.

6) VISIT the NURSERY and HOME of a LOCAL SHAMAN: A Guided tour of a nursery that belongs to a local Shaman will give us another chance to see how local plants are used for medicinal purposes. We will be invited into the Shaman's home, where there will be a demonstration of a "cleansing session". Many people of this region do not have access to modern medicine or doctors that we take for granted. They depend on the knowledge and skills of the local Shaman, healer or herb-man.



7) MIST-NETTING of BIRDS: We may have the opportunity to participate in the mist-netting of birds, as population counts and other aspects of avian ecology within the Reserve are regularly assessed. This is not a guaranteed activity, as it depends on research taking placing at the Jatun Sacha Biological Station during our visit.

8) ANIMAL POPULATION MONITORING: Group members may have the opportunity to observe Researchers and their efforts in monitoring a variety of animal populations. A sampling of work done in the past includes, butterfliy, reptile/amphibian bird and mammal studies. Again, this is dependent on Researchers present and work that is being done during our visit.

9) VISIT to an ANIMAL REHABILITATION CENTER (Amazoonica): Here we will have the opportunity to observe monkeys, tapirs, ocelots and other animals native to the region. Most have been injured or orphaned. Some of the animals are returned to the wild, while others may be non-releasable.

10) RESEARCH at JATUN SACHA: At any given time Researchers from various parts of the world are present at Jatun Sacha Biological Station. We may have an opportunity to talk with some of these people and find out about their present research. There is also an option for groups/individuals to do their own short-term research projects and data collection at Jatun Sacha. Please let us know what your interests are prior to your group’s arrival. Rainforest and Reef Staff will be pleased to assist with suggestions.

11) TROPICAL PLANT CONSERVATION CENTER VISIT: Created in 1993, the Plant Conservation Center is involved in a variety of agroforestry and ethnobotany projects. These efforts continue to search for long-term sustainable uses of rainforest plants and their products. Group members may participate in seed collection, a reforestation project and/or nursery chores. Discussions will be held concerning present uses of plants from the region for medicinal purposes, as Jatun Sacha continues to collect information about plants that have been used for generations by indigenous people from the region. Newly discovered plants are also continually being tested for potential uses to prevent and cure disease (see the article referencing the Jatun Sacha Foundation’s work in conjunction with the Missouri Botanical Garden in National Geographic, August 1990).

12) ORCHID CONSERVATION and RESCUE: We will have the opportunity to see what may be the best collection of orchids in Ecuador. Many species have been "rescued" from deforested areas and are now kept in a beautiful garden. Several new species have been "discovered" at Jatun Sacha by Staff members. The orchid garden presently contains over 200 species.

13) QUICHUA INDIAN VILLAGE of CAPIRONA: One of the highlights of our visit to Ecuador will be the hike and two day stay at the indigenous Quichua village of Capirona. Following a rigorous 3 hour hike, our group will arrive at Capirona. Here, we will gain a better understanding of their culture and the intimate relationship these people have with the rainforest. Our Quichua hosts will take us into the forest and demonstrate how they garden, hunt and fish. Evening sessions will include story-telling, Quichua music and dance. We will also see a craft demonstration, as they make pottery from local clays. Village members ask that each group take part in a community project or "minga", which may include assisting them in local gardening tasks. We will return to Jatun Sacha by dugout canoes that are hand-made by the Quichua of Capirona.

Note: The Quichua Village of Río Blanco may also be used. Activities at each site are similar.

14) EVENING DISCUSSIONS/PRESENTATIONS: These are held on a regular basis to reinforce daily experiences. Presentations in the past have included Rainforest Ecology, Geology of Ecuador, History of Ecuador, Conservation/Education Projects of the Jatun Foundaton and more.

15) INTERSHIPS: It is possible to spend a SEMESTER ABROAD doing an INTERNSHIP with the Jatun Sacha Foundation. Normally this includes work at one of their Biological Reserves including San Cristobal, Galápagos. During your stay, Intensive Spanish Immersion is available to participants in Quito.

Note: A full-day white-water rafting trip on the Jatun Yacu River is a possible substitution/addition to this sample itinerary. The Jatun Yacu is one of two large rivers that combine to make up the Napo River. The Napo is one of the two major rivers, which come together and form the mighty Amazon (the other is the Marañón River out of Peru). There may be a cost differential if this activity is substituted for something in this 13d/12n itinerary. Please contact Rainforest and Reef for details and pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.

DAY 7 Today, our group will travel back to Quito. Dinner and overnight Quito. B L D



GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS

The Galápagos Archipelago is a cluster of 13 major and six smaller islands, scores of low-lying islets and 47 coral reefs located in the Pacific Ocean, 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, South America. Galápagos is a province of Ecuador and the largest in its' National Park System. Five of the islands are inhabited and the rest are considered a Biosphere Reserve, a protected world of animals and plants, of soils and surf that preceded man by millions of years. Ten million years ago, raging volcanoes erupting over time, created the mystical Archipelago de Colón, that we know today as the Galápagos Islands. Scattered across a vast 17,000 square miles of ocean and discovered in 1535, the archipelago has remained sequestered from the mainland. No mainland connection has ever existed. Here, pirates buried stolen treasure, castaways found refuge, and, in time, a myriad of reptiles, mammals, birds and plants drifted or flew to its' shores. It was Charles Darwin's September 1835 exploration of the Galápagos while serving as the Naturalist on the British ship HMS Beagle, and his subsequent 1859 publication, "On the Origin of Species by Natural Selection" that first brought world attention to the Islands. Long isolated in this unique environment, the Islands, their plants and animals became a living laboratory and were to forever change the course of Biological Science.

Beautiful and bizarre, you are in for an extraordinary experience with some of our planet's most intriguing flora and fauna! So rare are its' species that virtually all the reptiles and many of the plant and bird species here are found nowhere else in the world….curious mockingbirds peck at your shoelaces….prehistoric land iguanas….13 species of Darwin's finches....600 pound land tortoises….boobies with red feet....boobies with blue feet....marine iguanas....crimson-throated frigatebirds showing off for their mates….waved albatrosses….the pinkest flamingos on earth and so much more! Untouched for centuries, these creatures have no fear of humans. Where else can you swim with penguins on the equator, snorkel with a sea-lions in secluded bays or sit for hours and watch birds perform unique and, at times, comical mating dances?
You will be captivated by the moon-like landscapes and mist-covered volcanic peaks, green and red sand beaches, forests of opuntia cactus that grow taller than man. This surreal setting is as mysterious as the creatures that inhabit it. In an effort to preserve the islands just as they were centuries ago, the Galápagos have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The National Park Administration and the Charles Darwin Research Station, founded in 1964, look after the conservation of the Islands where all native mammals, reptiles and birds protected.

Anyone interested in natural history, wildlife and geology will find a visit to the Galápagos a rare and truly unforgettable travel experience.

DAY 8 Flight from Quito, to San Cristobol, Galápagos. Arrival at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno airport. Short afternoon visit to the Lobería in order to observe Galápagos Sea Lions, the San Cristobol subspecies of Marine Iguana. Snorkel to observe marine life. Transfer to the Jatun Sacha-San Cristobol Biological Station at 3 Arroyos. Following dinner, evening discussion about evolution, island ecology, colonization and extinction. B L D

Introduction to snorkeling. Snorkeling at the Tijerrettas Bay (Spectacular snorkel and dive site!). There are more than 500 species of fish found in the Galápagos Islands. About 50% of the fish species arrive in the Galapagos Chain via the warm-water Panama Current, ~7% come from the cold Peruvian waters, ~17% are natives to the Indian Ocean and arrive via the Panama Current, ~15% are endemic to the Galápagos and another small percentage are fish which have world wide ranges. Depending on group interest, there are three additional snorkel sites which can be visited on this same day: Playa Mann, Playa de Amor and the Lobería. Last night at the Jatun Sacha Biological Station, farewell bonfire and folklore musical group. B L D

DAY 9 Galápagos National Park Tortoise Research Site. Lookout Point and China Beach. Lunch. Trip to volcanic crater. Hike to Jatun Sacha’s Galápagos Field Station. Evening discussion of Galápagos geology, oceanography and meteorology. B L D

DAY 10 Snorkeling at Man Beach. Cliff hikes followed by snorkeling at Tijeretas Beach. Lunch in town, followed by visit to National Park Interpretation Center. Exploration of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. Evening discussion on human history in Galápagos. B L D

DAY 11 Climate zone hike, seabird observation. Almuerzo. Waterfall swim, followed by hike to miconia forest. Evening campfire with music. B L D

DAY 12 Travel to hotel in town and check-in. All-day snorkeling and visits to animal populations. Optional 25.00USD pp trip to Sleeping Lion Island with excellent diving and snorkeling conditions. Galápagos Farewell Dinner.. B L D

DAY 13 Travel by bus and ferry to Baltra airport. Baltra provides a last opportunity to view dry forest, marine and land iguanas of Galápagos. Some of our groups have seen both species at on the airport tarmack! Free time in town, National Park or Lobería. Ecuador Farewell Dinner. Overnight Quito. B L D

DAY 14 Transfer to airport and departure for home. B