Pacific Discovery | Ecuador & Galapagos Summer Program

Definitely a life-changing experience! I really enjoyed learning about the country including it's culture, food, lifestyle, etc. I also found that I grew as a person due to the experiences I had and the people I met. I would recommend a trip with Pacific Discovery to everyone, no matter what background or experience of traveling. The leaders provide a safe and comforting environment for everyone and give support throughout the entire trip. It made for the best, and most memorable summer I have ever had!

Overall amazing trip. I went on it the summer between my senior year of high school and first year at college and it really helped me grow into my own person, become more independent and learned so much about the world. The people I met on the trip were awesome and I'm still in contact with most of them.

The summer of last year (2014), I went on a month long trip with Pacific Discovery around Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. We did incredible things like fixing a water system in rural Ecuador, hiking up Chimborazo mountain, swimming with sea lions as well as myriad other marine animals near Kicker Rock, and interacting with locals. The food was delicious and authentic everywhere we went, and we learned a lot about the country's agriculture (the cacao farm was so interesting!). Not once did I feel uneasy about safety. Everyone was extremely welcoming and eager to become friends with us. I loved every single member in my group; I have met up with several of them after we got back from the trip, and I still plan on seeing others! To this day, I find myself talking about my trip to people all the time. I will never forget the experiences I had there! I would definitely go on a trip with Pacific Discovery again.

The Ecuador/Galápagos program was--hands down-- the most incredible thing I've ever experienced. There is so much diversity and YOU get to experience it. We saw the city, the country, the islands, lakes, rivers, villages, jungles, rain forests, snow, beaches, volcanoes, etc. The wildlife was amazing too (llamas, vicuñas, sea lions, sea turtles, tortoises, sharks, dolphins, iguanas, etc.) Not only do you see and experience amazing things, but you'll meet amazing people. From day one, everyone was hanging out in each others' rooms and getting along wonderfully. You'll be amazed at how close you become with your group in such little time. At the end of the trip, walking each other to our gates at the airport was heartbreaking. Your group members will be incredible, but so will the people you get the privilege of helping. It was so humbling and rewarding. The culture and language immersion was also something that I loved.
When trying to pick a program, I read many reviews. They all seemed too good to be true ("life changing" "time of my life" "made life long friends"). I was skeptical to say the least, but I was so so wrong. I live in Hawaii and have travelled a bit (Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Spain, Lichtenstein, Switzerland, Korea, and more), but nothing compared to what I saw, learned, and experienced on this program.
Please please please feel free to contact me (there should be some way of doing so since I've left my email address here). If you're trying to decide or if you have questions about what to expect/bring if you have decided, I'd love to help!