June 28: Departure Day, Atlanta to Quito
Group Meeting:
At 2:30 PM, meet your group leader and fellow students at the Delta Airlines check-in counter (outside of security) at Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson Airport (ATL). This is the official start of your Putney summer!
Group Flight:
The group will fly on Delta Airlines flight #673 departing Atlanta (ATL) at 5:55 PM, arriving in Quito, Ecuador (UIO), at 10:10 PM local time (5 hours, 15 minutes en route).
June 28 & 29: Quito
Spend your first days exploring Ecuador’s capital city, Quito. Get to know your leaders and the other students, visit the colonial Old City (a UNESCO world heritage site), ride the teleférico, savor rich Ecuadorian coffee in an outdoor café, and participate in an in-depth orientation discussing life in Ecuador, your project, and group dynamics.
June 30 – July 11: Turuco
Travel by bus to our small host village in the central highlands a few hours north of Quito. Work together with the local community to complete a series of construction, education, and agricultural projects. On weekends, take day and overnight trips to areas of interest such as Laguna de Cuicocha and the open air indigenous market in Otavalo.
July 12 & 13: Cotopaxi National Park
Visit magnificent Cotopaxi, a snow-capped volcano. Stay at a cozy hacienda, hike to the mountain’s breathtaking glacier and refugio, and ride on horseback across the surrounding páramo.
July 14 – July 18: Turuco
Continue work on community service projects in our host village, Turuco.
July 19: Quito
Spend an evening at a residence near the Quito airport before your trip to the Galapágos Islands
July 20 – 22: Isabela Island, Galápagos
Our Galápagos exploration begins with a morning flight to the Galápagos Islands. Hike the lava flows on Sierra Negra volcano, visit the Breeding Center of the Giant Tortoise, kayak, snorkel, and explore Isabela island and its unparalleled wildlife.
July 23 & 24: Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos
Stay at a small inn on Santa Cruz Island . Surf and swim on the white-sand beach of Tortuga Bay, visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, walk the highlands, and explore lava tunnels.
July 25 & 26: San Cristobal Island, Galápagos
Mountain bike through the lush grasslands and observe blue footed boobies and sea turtles. Visit famous Kicker Rock where you can snorkel along an underwater channel and (if you are lucky!) swim with sea lions and Galápagos sharks.
July 27: Travel Day, Galápagos to Quito
Fly from the Galapagos to Quito, and then board an overnight return flight from Quito to Miami.
July 28: Return Day, Quito to Atlanta
Group Flight:
The group will fly on Delta Airlines flight #680 departing Quito, Ecuador (UIO) at 11:30 PM on July 27, returning to the International Arrivals Area of Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson Airport (ATL) at 5:45 AM on July 28 (5 hours, 15 minutes en route).