9 or 12 days
Quito, Santa Cruz Island, San Cristóbal Island, extension to Riobamba

Known as “that land of craters” to Darwin, the Galápagos surpass expectations on first sight.

The views you’ll get descending upon Baltra by plane offer a glimpse of our Earth at its geological extremes, with Pinnacle Rock cutting into the horizon. On the ground, this kaleidoscope of landscapes becomes real, and the black rock becomes your pathway to a new understanding of the world.
  • Day 1: Fly to Ecuador

    Meet your Field Director at the airport

    Enjoy dinner if arriving before 8pm

  • Day 2: Quito

    Take a walking tour of Quito

    With your Field Director you will see:

    • Independence Plaza, the central square of Quito
    • Government Palace, Quito's presidential palace

    Visit Santo Domingo Monastery, built in the 16th century and now a church, convent, and museum of religious art 

    Take an excursion to the equatorial line and straddle two hemispheres at once  

    Visit the Intiñan Museum and learn about other places located along the equator

    Enjoy dinner in Quito

  • Day 3: Quito • Baltra • Santa Cruz Island

    Fly to Baltra

    Visit the Santa Cruz highlands to see wild tortoises 

    Enjoy lunch

    Visit the Charles  Darwin Research Station

    Enjoy dinner in Santa Cruz

  • Day 4: Santa Cruz Island

    Visit Puerto Ayora 

    See the natural habitat of: 

    • Sea lions
    • Finches
    • Crabs
    • Iguanas

    Enjoy lunch

    Visit La Grietas 

  • Day 5: Santa Cruz Island • San Cristóbal Island

    Take a ferry to San Cristóbal Island

    Hike Tijeretas Hill

    Visit the San Cristóbal Interpretation Center

    Enjoy lunch

    Enjoy dinner in San Cristóbal

  • Day 6: San Cristóbal Island

    Enjoy snorkeling at La Loberia

    Enjoy lunch

    In the afternoon, choose between:

    • A short walk to Punta Carola where you will see sea lions, marine iguanas, and blue-footed boobies
    • Or time to shop
  • Day 7: San Cristóbal Island • Quito

    Fly to Quito

    Enjoy dinner in Quito

  • Day 8: Quito • Otavalo

    Visit Otavalo Market

    Visit Cotacachi waterfall

    Enjoy lunch in Otavalo

    Enjoy dinner in Quito

  • Day 9: Arrive home

Add more days

  • Day 9: Quito • Riobamba

    Travel to the Riobamba region, an Andean village with cultural activities and shopping opportunities

    Enjoy lunch in Riobamba

    Enjoy dinner in Riobamba

  • Day 10: Riobamba • Palacio Real

    Travel to Palacio Real

    Participate in cultural exchange activities with the local community 

    Enjoy lunch in Riobamba

    Enjoy dinner in Riobamba

  • Day 11: Riobamba • Guamote • Quito • Depart for home

    Participate in cultural immersion activities and learn more about the community that lives here

    • Meet children at their school
    • Observe farming, handicrafts, cooking
    • See an Ecuadorian chiva bus, a brightly decorated bus

    Enjoy lunch in Riobamba

    Enjoy dinner in Quito

  • Day 12: Arrive home

  • Day 1: Fly to Ecuador

    Meet your Field Director at the airport

    Enjoy dinner if arriving before 8pm

  • Day 2: Quito

    Take a walking tour of Quito

    With your Field Director you will see:

    • Independence Plaza, the central square of Quito
    • Government Palace, Quito's presidential palace

    Visit Santo Domingo Monastery, built in the 16th century and now a church, convent, and museum of religious art 

    Take an excursion to the equatorial line and straddle two hemispheres at once  

    Visit the Intiñan Museum and learn about other places located along the equator

    Enjoy dinner in Quito

  • Day 3: Quito • Baltra • Santa Cruz Island

    Fly to Baltra

    Visit the Santa Cruz highlands to see wild tortoises 

    Enjoy lunch

    Visit the Charles  Darwin Research Station

    Enjoy dinner in Santa Cruz

  • Day 4: Santa Cruz Island

    Visit Puerto Ayora 

    See the natural habitat of: 

    • Sea lions
    • Finches
    • Crabs
    • Iguanas

    Enjoy lunch

    Visit La Grietas 

  • Day 5: Santa Cruz Island • San Cristóbal Island

    Take a ferry to San Cristóbal Island

    Hike Tijeretas Hill

    Visit the San Cristóbal Interpretation Center

    Enjoy lunch

    Enjoy dinner in San Cristóbal

  • Day 6: San Cristóbal Island

    Enjoy snorkeling at La Loberia

    Enjoy lunch

    In the afternoon, choose between:

    • A short walk to Punta Carola where you will see sea lions, marine iguanas, and blue-footed boobies
    • Or time to shop
  • Day 7: San Cristóbal Island • Quito

    Fly to Quito

    Enjoy dinner in Quito

  • Day 8: Quito • Otavalo

    Visit Otavalo Market

    Visit Cotacachi waterfall

    Enjoy lunch in Otavalo

    Enjoy dinner in Quito

  • Day 9: Arrive home

Add more days

  • Day 9: Quito • Riobamba

    Travel to the Riobamba region, an Andean village with cultural activities and shopping opportunities

    Enjoy lunch in Riobamba

    Enjoy dinner in Riobamba

  • Day 10: Riobamba • Palacio Real

    Travel to Palacio Real

    Participate in cultural exchange activities with the local community 

    Enjoy lunch in Riobamba

    Enjoy dinner in Riobamba

  • Day 11: Riobamba • Guamote • Quito • Depart for home

    Participate in cultural immersion activities and learn more about the community that lives here

    • Meet children at their school
    • Observe farming, handicrafts, cooking
    • See an Ecuadorian chiva bus, a brightly decorated bus

    Enjoy lunch in Riobamba

    Enjoy dinner in Quito

  • Day 12: Arrive home


Learning outcomes on this program

Confidence • Curiosity • Global perspective • Empathy • Adaptability • Relatability • Self-Awareness


EF Global Learning Model Post-Study Abroad Learning Resources
Academic resources

With this program, you get access to our Global Learning Resources, which include:

  • Discussion questions
  • Sample assignments
  • Journal prompts
  • Webinars
  • EF's Global Competency Assessment, a pre- and post-program assessment to measure competency development
See the resources you get
EF Global Learning Model Post-Study Abroad Learning Resources
Academic resources


With this program, you get access to our Global Learning Resources, which include:

  • Discussion questions
  • Sample assignments
  • Journal prompts
  • Webinars
  • EF's Global Competency Assessment, a pre- and post-program assessment to measure competency development

See the resources you get


Your experience includes

  • Round-trip airfare

    Your price includes round-trip airfare for your whole group

  • Accommodations

    Safe, comfortable hotels with private bathrooms will be waiting for you at your destination.

  • On-tour transportation

    Land and water transportation

  • Regional-style meals

    Daily breakfasts and select local dinners are included in your program. Generally, we leave lunch up to you so your group has an opportunity to explore its own tastes.

  • End-to-end support

    Your team helps to secure administrative approval and academic credit, provides recruiting tools and helps establish your program's ongoing presence on campus.

  • EF Global Learning Toolkit

    To capitalize on moments for building empathy, awareness, and adaptability in a global environment, we offer a number of different tools designed to help educators facilitate student growth abroad and on campus, including academically enriched travel programs, industry engagement opportunities, global learning resources, and a Global Competencies Assessment tool.

  • Full-time Field Director

    Your Field Director is with your group 24/7, providing deep local insight while handling all program logistics.

  • Expert Local Guides

    Your expert Local Guides are natural historians, adding cultural insight and enhancing teaching moments wherever your curriculum takes you.

  • Guided sightseeing

    Gain insider knowledge and cultural perspective from licensed local guides who join your group for select experiences on tour.

  • Entrances

    Santo Domingo Monastery, Intinan Museum, Charles Darwin Research Station

  • Worldwide support, safety and security

    EF has over 500 schools and offices in more than 50 countries worldwide. We provide 24-hour emergency support service along with a comprehensive $50 million liability policy that covers you and your institution while abroad.

  • Flexible payment options

    Give more students the opportunity to study abroad by offering them two different payment plan options, along with our TripFunder website to help fundraise for the program.


Programs in real life

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Programs in real life

EF College Study Tours Instagram page     Instagram →

EF College Study Tours Facebook page     Facebook →

EF College Study Tours blog page     Blog →

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