Ecuador Peru: Activities

Adventure awaits in South America! This teen travel program in Ecuador and Peru include exploring South American culture, Machu Picchu hiking, whitewater rafting, and much more!

Whitewater Rafting in Ecuador

The beginning of our trip will be dedicated to exploring Ecuador’s culture and outdoors, starting in Tena, the country’s adventure capital. We will spend a day whitewater rafting the crystal-clear Río Jatunyacu in Llanganates National Park; we’ll have splash wars while floating along the calmer sections and enjoy the incredible scenery, including a picnic lunch on the riverside. Then we’ll turn the excitement up on class III rapids!

Hiking in Ecuador

We’ll get up close and personal with the Ecuadorian Amazon as we hike around Baños for several days. We’ll hike to many different waterfalls, and we’ll spend a night camping at the foot of the 16,480-foot Tungurahua volcano. We’ll get to bask in Baños’ hot springs (for which the town was named), and we’ll hike around Ecuador’s second-highest volcano (Cotopaxi, 19,347 feet). We won’t only be exploring by foot; one afternoon will be spent zooming around the base of volcanoes on mountain bikes.

Hiking in Peru

An important symbol of South America is its ancient ruins, and our trip wouldn’t be complete without a hike of Machu Picchu, one of the seven wonders of the world. We’ll get a sunrise view of the citadel built in the 15th century, and we’ll spend the morning exploring the many stone formations.

One of the continent’s most beautiful multi-day hikes awaits: the Lares Trek. We’ll spend several days hiking through Peru’s Andes Mountains, with surrounding peaks soaring up to 19,000 feet. Because we’ll be so far out of the nearest cities, the stars will be so bright that it’ll look like you can pluck them out of the sky at night!

Sightseeing in Peru

Not only will we get a taste of Ecuador and Peru’s adventurous activities, but we’ll also immerse ourselves in local culture. We’ll spend time in different villages; in one, we’ll learn how to weave and watch how locals throw pottery. In another, we’ll explore preserved ruins built in the 15th century and once the site of a major battle.