YOUR O.A.T. ADVENTURE TRAVEL PLANNING GUIDE® Ultimate Galapagos Exploration & Ecuador’s Amazon Wilds 2022 Small Groups: 8-16 travelers—guaranteed! (average of 13) Overseas Adventure Travel ® The Leader in Personalized Small Group Adventures on the Road Less Traveled 1 Dear Traveler, At last, the world is opening up again for curious travel lovers like you and me. And the O.A.T. Ultimate Galápagos Exploration & Ecuador’s Amazon Wilds itinerary you’ve expressed interest in will be a wonderful way to resume the discoveries that bring us so much joy. You might soon be enjoying standout moments like these: As I explored the colonial streets of Quito, I could see delicate blend of Spanish and Indian cultural influences—a lasting mark of Spanish Colonialism in Ecuador. But I was pleased to learn that indigenous traditions have endured in more remote pockets of the country when I met some of the people from the riverside communities along the Amazon. You’ll meet them, too, and hear their personal experiences when you spend A Day in the Life of an Amazon River watershed community where you’ll learn about the time-worn customs still very much alive in this part of Ecuador. During your time here, you’ll visit a local school and have the opportunity to meet some of the students, followed by a cooking class in which you’ll learn how to prepare chicha, a traditional beverage made from manioc (yucca) and sweet potato. Then, you’ll visit a family farm where you’ll have a chance to speak with the family members and learn about the medicinal plants and other local products they grow. You’ll also get an intimate glimpse at daily life in the village when you are welcomed into the home of a local family to share a meal together. You’ll have the chance get an authentic taste of Ecuador’s culture and cuisine as you savor some typical local specialties. The way we see it, you’ve come a long way to experience the true culture—not some fairytale version of it. So we keep our groups small, with only 8-16 travelers (average of 13) to ensure that your encounters with local people are as intimate and authentic as possible. It’s also why your O.A.T. Trip Experience Leader will be a resident “insider” who can show you the culture as only a local can. To ensure that your adventure is truly unique, put your own personal stamp on it. You can arrive early and stay later, add a pre- or post-trip extension, spend time in a Stopover city, or combine two or more trips. Plus, your itinerary offers ample free time so you can pursue your own interests. So until the day comes when you are off to enjoy your Ultimate Galápagos Exploration & Ecuador’s Amazon Wilds adventure, I hope you will relish the fun and anticipation that this O.A.T. Adventure Travel Planning Guide® will inspire. Should you have further questions, feel free to call our Regional Adventure Counselors at 1-800-955-1925. Love and peace, Harriet R. Lewis Vice Chairman, Overseas Adventure Travel P.S. For further peace of mind, please know that we are EXTENDING our Risk-Free Booking Policy through 12/31/21. Learn more at www.oattravel.com/risk-free-booking. USA Today “Best Tours” 10Best Readers’ Presented by Choice Awards Solo Traveler 2 CONTENTS A Letter from Harriet Lewis ................................................................2 The O.A.T. Difference......................................................................4 The Freedom to Personalize Your Experience ................................................6 Grand Circle Foundation...................................................................8 The Leader in Solo Travel ..................................................................9 ULTIMATE GALÁPAGOS EXPLORATION Galápagos small ship .................... 79 & ECUADOR’S AMAZON WILDS Your Adventure at a Glance: ABOUT YOUR DESTINATIONS: Where You’re Going, What it Costs, CULTURE, ETIQUETTE & MORE and What’s Included ..................... 10 Culture & Points to Know ................. 81 Your Detailed Day-To-Day Itinerary ........ 12 Ecuadorian Culture ...................... 81 Optional Tours .......................... 29 Travel in South America .................. 85 Pre-Trip Extensions ...................... 30 Shopping: What to Buy, Customs, Post-Trip Extensions ..................... 39 Shipping & More ........................ 86 Deck Plans .............................. 49 Dates & Prices ........................... 51 DEMOGRAPHICS & HISTORY Ecuador ................................ 89 ESSENTIAL TRAVEL INFORMATION Facts, Figures & National Holidays ........ 89 Ecuador: A Brief History .................. 89 Travel Documents & Entry Requirements. 52 No Visas Required ....................... 52 Peru.................................... 91 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ........ 91 Rigors, Vaccines & General Health ......... 54 Peru: A Brief History ..................... 91 Vaccines Required ..................... .. 55 Colombia ............................... 93 Yellow Fever Vaccination - Suggested ...... 55 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ........ 93 Money Matters: Local Currency & Colombia: A Brief History ................ 94 Tipping Guidelines....................... 60 Panama ................................ 95 Air, Optional Tours & Staying in Touch ..... 64 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ........ 95 Optional Tours .......................... 65 Panama: A Brief History .................. 96 Communicating with Home from Abroad . 65 Packing: What to Bring & Luggage Limits . 67 Suggested Packing Lists .................. 70 RESOURCES Electricity Abroad ....................... 73 Suggested Reading ...................... 98 Climate & Average Temperatures .......... 75 Suggested Film & Video .................. 101 Aboard Your Ship: Cabin Features, Dining & Services on Board ............... 79 O.A.T. Health & Safety Measures.......................................................... 104 Notes.................................................................................. 105 Map ................................................................................... 107 3 EXPERIENCE THE O.A.T. DIFFERENCE in Ecuador This adventure not only showcases iconic sights, but takes you beyond them to experience the culture through unique activities, engagement with the natural world, and authentic encounters with local people. Since our founding in 1978, O.A.T. has become America’s leader in personalized small group journeys on the road less traveled. SMALL GROUPS: 8-16 TRAVELERS LOCAL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION (AVERAGE OF 13)—GUARANTEED To see the world like the locals, you should The world feels more intimate and engaging travel like one. Our small group size allows when your experience of it is also personal us to take the roads and waterways that are and genuine. That’s why our groups never less traveled, and we often follow them using exceed 16 travelers. This gives you access to the same unique modes of transportation people and places larger groups simply can’t that the locals use—be it a canoe, a camel or a reach. More authentic interactions. Deeper vintage cab. bonds with your travel mates. Personal service from your Trip Experience Leader. Smoother UNIQUE LODGINGS transitions. And a far more satisfying Our lodgings reflect the local character, experience than any traditional tour offers. from smaller family-run hotels and historic manors to comfy inns. Occasionally, larger THE BEST TRIP EXPERIENCE LEADERS hotels closer to city centers are used. Wherever Your English-speaking, O.A.T. Trip Experience you stay, you’re assured fine comfort and Leader is a resident of the region you are visiting, hospitality. so you will get a true insider’s perspective that brings each place alive—the stories, food, OUR WORLDWIDE OFFICES customs, hidden treasures and more. With 36 regional offices around the world, we are perfectly poised to leverage our local AUTHENTIC CULTURAL CONNECTIONS relationships to deliver an excellent experience Engage with local people through visits to and value. During this trip, you’ll be supported farms, factories, markets, and artisans’ by our team in Quito. studios; school visits; Home-Hosted meals; and more. Learn how to make savory specialties in the Amazon Explore the wild waters of the Galápagos 4 THE PILLARS OF DISCOVERY Enriching. Inspiring. Unforgettable. These features form the foundation of your Ultimate Galápagos adventure. GRAND CIRCLE FOUNDATION (GCF) VISIT that places you in the heart of a community GCF was established in 1992 to help change where you’ll meet various people where they people’s lives in the world where we live, work, live, work, and play; visit the neighborhood and travel. To date, we have pledged or donated school; lend a hand with daily chores; and $200 million worldwide. break bread with our hosts. A Day in the Life You’ll see GCF’s work in action in Quito when This adventure includes of we visit the Sinamune Disabled Children’s the people who live in the Amazon River Orchestra, whose members are physically or watershed. Our small group size allows us mentally disabled. GCF is proud to provide to slip into the rhythm of daily life here, Sinamune with financial assistance, helping interacting with residents of the village and to give these talented and dedicated musicians participating in local activities. We’ll visit a the support and encouragement they deserve. local school and meet some of the students, then we’ll have a cooking class in which we’ll CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS learn how to prepare chicha, a traditional Every culture has its joys and