Encounter Ecuador
Montañita y Whales foundation
I T I N E R A R Y
day 1 Saturday
Pre- night in Guayaquil
day 2 sunday
Arrival in Montañita
Because of the good waves, Montañita is one of the most important places in whole Latin America to host the surfer tournaments. It is part of Santa Elena province and it attracts a young crowd, but visitors from all ages come to enjoy the beach and the many bars and stalls you find selling street foodor fresh juices.
The coastal climate is usually warm and dry. Overall, it is the perfect place to unplug, sit back and enjoy the ocean with a fresh juice in your hand.
day 3 MONDAY – SUNDAY
Classes and activities
Included: Pre night Guayaquil, orientation meeting
(online), transfer pickup to hostel & to bus station, administration fee, 7 nights Hostel – Shared Room, with breakfast, Spanish classes (20 hrs.), 5 surf lessons.
Excluded: Personal expenses, flights, meals not mentioned above, transportation to Montañita and to Puerto Lopez, public buses.
Day 9 Sunday
Transportation to Las Tunas
In the afternoon, you’ll say farewell to Montañita and to Las Tunas by bus on your own account. Upon your arrival in Las Tunas (Sunday) the Project Coordinator will be waiting for you to give you an orientation about your accommodation and explore the village. You will also have a 30 minutes’ presentation about the program schedule and turtle´s ecology and environmental programs. In
the evening, a welcome dinner will be organized for you. The Project Coordinator will create the weekly work schedule with you on Sunday evenings and write it down on a whiteboard.
Las Tunas is a beach located south of Manabí, 11.9 km (7.3 miles) south of Puerto López. It is a small village with around 1600 inhabitants. Las Tunas beach is known for its natural beauty, crystal clear sea waters, its gastronomy and for its community of friendly farmers and fishermen.
The community has dedicated more than 10 years to managing and creating community tourism projects, conservation and preservation of forests and their surroundings. Sea turtles find the perfect place to nest in this area, due to the tranquility and cleanliness of its beaches.
day 10 MONDAY – DAY 22 SATURDAY
Project
On Your first arrival day you will have a delicious welcome dinner to get to know the volunteers and the project coordinator.
On Monday, the project organizer will provide you with a hands-on overview of the activities, which include beach cleanup, reforestation, community empowerment, and the creation of recycled and natural materials crafts.
Between four and five hours every day will be spent working on the project. You can rest in the afternoon or enjoy the beach, surf, volleyball, or soccer with the locals. For the afternoon, it is possible to sign up for optional Spanish, surf, and salsa dance lessons.
A cocktail is planned for the volunteers on Thursday night. You will have some free time during the weekend to explore the wonderful locations near Las Tunas. And every Sunday evening dinner is included, where also the activities for the coming week will discuss.
On day 22 it’s time to say goodbye to this meaningful project, and go back home or to plan your further travels. It’s possible to extend the project by adding more weeks and/or book an extension to Galapagos or other projects.
The start dates of this program in 2024 will be;
- Saturday 02 March
- Saturday 13 April
- Saturday 11 May
- Saturday 27 July
- Saturday 21 September
- Saturday 09 November
things to consider
What is included?
- Project donation
- Orientation meeting
- Local support with a Spanish speaking volunteer coordinator
- 13 nights’ accommodation in dorms in a beachfront hostel
- Breakfast and Sunday’s welcome dinner
- Transport to the different projects
What is NOT included?
- Pre and post stay in Guayaquil
- Transport to the project
- Medical insurance (mandatory to confirm the reservation)