South America Explorer with Gapforce

Visit two of South America’s most iconic countries – Peru and Ecuador – and discover the lost lands of the Incas!

Start your adventure in South America with intensive Spanish lessons before stepping up the adventure with an epic trek across the Andes to Machu Picchu on the remote Salkantay route, over icy mountain passes and through mysterious cloud forests to the remains of a fallen civilization.

Then, it's time to explore the natural beauty of Ecuador. From, surfing and white water rafting to hiking and exploring volcanoes, Ecuador really has it all!

For your second project, you will spend three weeks deep in the Ecuadorian rainforest completing vital conservation work. Get face-to-face and hand-to-paw with rainforest inhabitants as you volunteer at a rescue center for wild animals. And, learn the secrets of life in the rainforest directly from an indigenous community while staying at an eco-lodge.

Finish your epic journey with a visit to one of the most famous national parks on Earth, the Galapagos Islands! Hike, sail, and snorkel your way around the islands made famous by Charles Darwin. You will then return to Quito for the final trek to the center of the world!

Program Highlights

Learn Spanish in the old Inca capital of Cusco.

Trek off the beaten trail to the incredible ruins of Machu Picchu.

Learn to surf in the laid-back beach town of Mancora.

Volunteer at an Amazon animal rescue center in the heart of the rainforest.

Visit the Charles Darwin Research center on the world-renowned Galapagos Islands.