Galápagos Island Program Fees and Information

Read how your fees are spent or compare our prices with other volunteer organisations.

View our prices in other volunteer locations's or combine your stay in Ecuador with stays in other locations as part of a combination stay.

What you receive

• Orientation upon arrival
• 24 hour support
• Accommodation
• Regular follow-up meetings
• Ecuador culture introduction
• Spanish language course (see below)
• Ecuadorian cooking classes

Spanish Language Course

The program fee includes Spanish language lessons. The amount of language teaching depends on the length of the volunteers stay. A four week stay receives a 20 hour course held within a week period. An eight week stay receives 40 hours (2 weeks), and a 12 week stay receives 80 hours (4 weeks) of instruction.

If you would like extensive Spanish Language instruction additional classes can be taken for $120 per week.

Apart from our fees, you must pay for:

• Your travel to Ecuador
• Vaccinations and Visas
• Airfares and all transportation to your project location
• Health insurance
• Food (about 4-6 dollars per day) and other personal expenses

Application Process

Our application process typically takes two or three weeks, but can be speeded up if there is a need for that. When we get the "Initial application" from you, we will send you and Application Form.

(1) Complete the Initial Application Form:
The first stage of the application process is to fill out the brief initial application form. Upon receiving this we will send you the full application form.

(2) Complete the Full Application Form:
Fill out the application form. After receiving this we will assess your suitability and place you on one of our programs.

(3) Placement info:
We will return detailed Placement Information and an Invoice. If you accept the placement you should pay the invoice and send us receipt of payment by email or fax.

(4) Program Fee:
The program fee needs to be paid to us at least 2 months before you are due to start your placement. However beware that we have a limited amount of placements, so placements will only be secured when we receive by email or fax a receipt of payment.

(5) Communication:
Once you have made your traveling arrangements you should mail your time of arrival and the means of transportation and we will confirm pickup.

Project Duration and Arrival Dates

For the majority of our Ecuador programs, you can join us for any amount of time from 4 weeks to 6 months. However, some projects have minimum time restrictions.

We recommend a trip of 3-6 months since it offers the best value. Regardless of the length of your stay, you will be able to learn some Spanish and you will have time to get to know a new culture, come to know its people, and form relationships that will outlast the duration of your stay.

Dates of arrival:

All teaching will start on the Monday after the introduction.

Dates for the Year 2008:
Sat 18 October, Sat 01 November, Sat 15 November, Sat 29 November, Sat 13 December, Sat 27 December

Dates for the Year 2009:
Sat 10 January, Sat 24 January, Sat 07 February, Sat 21 February, Sat 07 March, Sat 21 March, Sat 04 April, Sat 18 April, Sat 02 May, Sat 16 May, Sat 30 May, Sat 13 June, Sat 27 June, Sat 11 July, Sat 25 July, Sat 08 August, Sat 22 August, Sat 05 September, Sat 19 September, Sat 03 October, Sat 17 October, Sat 31 October, Sat 14 November, Sat 28 November, Sat 12 December, Sat 26 December

Getting Here

Travel to Teach will advise and support you with all your travel arrangements. Our FAQ page has some information and links that can be useful when looking for transportation to and within Ecuador.

Food

Our Travel to Teach volunteers pay for their own food and are responsible for their meals. Sometimes when we teach in schools, we are invited to share the school lunch with our fellow teachers. School canteens usually sell reduced food for the students. This is great place to meet students.

Ecuadorian cuisine varies depending on the region you are visiting. Meals on the coast will have a greater variety of seafood while meals in the Andes feature more soups, potatoes and pork.

Volunteer Work

Apart from teaching English, volunteers can teach math, sports, music, art, and run workshops. Our work in Ecuador can also involve teaching in orphanages, centres for children workers, children's hostels, and schools for adults. A typical day will involve between 2 and 4 hours or work, and weekends are usually free.

If you are not working in a school, your work schedule will be depend on the project you have chosen.

Living

At the moment we are offering home stays, which means that you will be living with a Ecuadorian family where you can expect to live at the typical standards. You will be in a clean friendly environment but don't expect any luxuries.

Vaccinations

Hepatitis A: Recommended for all travelers.
Typhoid: For travelers who may eat or drink outside major restaurants & hotels.
Hepatitis B: For travelers who may have intimate contact with local residents, especially if visiting for more than 6 months.
Rabies: For travelers who may have direct contact with animals and may not have access to medical care.
Routine immunizations: All travelers should be up-to-date on tetanus-diphtheria, measles-mumps-rubella, polio, and varicella immunizations.
Yellow fever: Although yellow fever does not affect the Galápagos Islands immunization is recommended for anyone that will also be travelling to eastern parts of mainland Ecuador. It is also required for travelers arriving from yellow-fever infected areas in Africa or the Americas.

Insurance

Please purchase health and travel insurance independently. You need health insurance that will cover medical treatment and repatriation in case of accident or illness.

Visas

Ecuador welcomes tourists and travelers from every country. A visa will be issued on arrival to Quito airport for citizens of the United States, Canada, most European countries, and Asia whom are traveling to Ecuador for tourism, volunteering, or study. This visa is for 90 days and can be extended for a further 90 days. Please check the visa requirments of your country for entry before you arrive to Ecuador.

For more information contact the nearest Ecuadorian embassy in your country.
List of Ecuador Embassies & Consulates

Certification

You will get a Travel to Teach certificate stating the time and place you have been teaching.